The way I've always dun it is this: u need to make a "nest box" where she can lay her eggs. U won't need it until she starts glass-dancing, running around frantically, constantly digging & just acting crazy In general. When all these things happen, at the same time, u no its time to fix her nest & she's about ready to lay. I make my nest box out of another glass aquarium I have, I think it's a 20-gal, but u can use anything that's big enuff 4 her to stay in hours at the time. Don't make a small nest & put it in the side of her cage b/c she will keep running in & out of it & throwing the dirt in the nest into her cage substrate, and even possibly laying her eggs outside of the nest in the cage so u don't want that. If u don't have another glass aquarium, u can find or make a box out of something as long as its sturdy enuff for her to stay in for awhile. Buy a bag of plain potting soil which is really just soft dirt, and a bag of vermiculite from Lowes or a nursery (flower center). Ur gonna mix some of the potting soil and vermiculite together to put in her next box. Whatever size box u have wl determine how much u use, but u want about 3 parts potting soil and 1 part vermiculite. Also add water to the mix. U want it just moist enuff that it'll stick together & not fall apart, but u don't want it wet. If u can hold it together in ur hand & make a ball of it & uve got water running out of it or if u squeeze it & water drips out, it's too wet so add sum more potting soil to soak up the excess water. Mix enuff together that u have the nesting box filled to about 8" minimum. It needs to b deep enuff for them to dig down in & make a hole that they'll lay those eggs in. In my 20-gal aquarium for instance I had it filled about 3/4 or so to the top. Yes she threw dirt everywhere but that's just what they do. If ur fortunate enuff to have a much larger box, u still want it deep enuff for her to satisfy those digging behaviors b/c that's all she'll do for days is dig, dig, dig & dig sum more. They usually won't eat during this time so u hafta make sure she stays
hydrated -- give her warm baths so she can drink & still feed her -- I no both my dragons refused their greens but wud still eat crickets so just make sure she's got plenty of them, dusting them too so she'll still b getting her vitamins. After what u will think is an eternity of digging (mine dug for 6-1/2 days straight!), they'll finally be satisfied with what they've dug out & get down to the business of laying their eggs. Since its ur girls first time and she is very young, she may lay several eggs that r infertile, and some that r fertile. She may just lay one clutch, or several. Miss fatty, who I'm now calling Twiggy cuz she's so skinny after 11 straight days of laying, has lay 3 clutches of eggs that came 5 weeks apart. So u have ur eggs and in 3-4 weeks she starts digging & goin crazy again, u no she's gonna lay another clutch so u gotta make her another nest site. But my other female, Bo, only lay one clutch & never did lay any more so it just depends on the individual dragon on how many they're gonna lay. From what uve sed b4, u still have plenty of time. If they've only been together for a max of 2 weeks, it'll b at least 2 more weeks, maybe 3-4, b4 u need to worry about a nest. Just watch her & when she goes crazy digging, etc, it's time to get started. I'd recommend reading the CARE SHEETS on this website (and other good ones as well -- u can google it & find tons of info on it), but read up on it and also the incubation of the eggs. If u don't have a store-bought incubator, u can make one. I've got a homemade one but they're not that expensive (around $40-50 for a decent one) & I think it wud b well worth it to have. If u make one u can't control the temp & humidity as well & it's easier to get ur eggs all the way thru w/ a proper incubator rather than a homemade one. It can b done of course, but it's just easier if u buy one. Next time I'm definitely investing in one as we've had temps up to 107F here for 2 weeks & is hard to keep eggs in the mid 80's when it's that hot outside. I've had a hard time w/ it & have lost sum eggs as a result so if u can buy one, do. Good luck & let me know if there's anything else I can help u with.
