Laying eggs.

[strangestatic]

I had a bearded dragon that died last year, she laid an egg or two and I thought that's all they laid and I never made a lay box for her and the eggs ruptured in her stomach and killed her. Soon after I bought a new beardie, hoping for a boy.

Well I was unlucky and got another girl, she's a little over a year and she has never been in contact with a boy. About 5 months ago she showed the same signs as the other one, glass dancing, digging, etc. so I got a lay box and kept putting her in it and nothing, a month or two went by so I stopped and got rid of the bucket and she soon stopped doing the glass dancing, well the last week or so she has been doing the same thing, I'd try and feel her stomach but it felt like there was nothing in there so I didn't think anything of it. Last night she laid one egg, so we quickly ran out and got a new box, and some play sand and she is back in the lay box. She laid another egg today.

Now what should I do ? I don't wanna lose her, so I'm just confused, how many are they supposed to lay? I know it says they have to tunnel but it seems like she just goes around the box and scratching the sides... Any advice please ?

 

[AHBD]

Hi there....can you post a pic of the box ? Here's how to post :
https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/
The sand should be about 10" deep, damp so it can hold it's shape to a degree. Then pile it up on one side to make a " hill". Then start a tunnel with your hand....the dragon will often use that to finish a cave. Another thing you can do is to pile the sand up a bit and then get a cardboard box, a bit bigger than a shoe box. Cut one end out and put it upside down over the sand. This makes a cardboard " cave" that she can dig in to. If she's healthy, had proper calcium in her diet and been well hydrated she shouldn't have any trouble. Some females will just drop eggs at random though, even with a laybox. But put her in for a few hours a day and hopefully she'll lay.

 

[strangestatic]

Hi there....can you post a pic of the box ? Here's how to post :
https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/
The sand should be about 10" deep, damp so it can hold it's shape to a degree. Then pile it up on one side to make a " hill". Then start a tunnel with your hand....the dragon will often use that to finish a cave. Another thing you can do is to pile the sand up a bit and then get a cardboard box, a bit bigger than a shoe box. Cut one end out and put it upside down over the sand. This makes a cardboard " cave" that she can dig in to. If she's healthy, had proper calcium in her diet and been well hydrated she shouldn't have any trouble. Some females will just drop eggs at random though, even with a laybox. But put her in for a few hours a day and hopefully she'll lay.

I will post one later, unfortunatly I'm not at home. I will pile it up on one side, I've had it so it's completely flat... Makes sense to pile it up on one side though lol. Also how long should I keep her in there? I read that she needs to lay those eggs so I should keep her in there. She's been in there since last night. Obviously with a heat lamp to keep her warm.

 

[AHBD]

You can bring her out for an hour or so at a time. She may cruise around her regular tank looking for a spot, then when you put her back in the lay box with the sand piled up she may go right for it. Sometimes it takes a couple of days of putting her in + out.

 

[strangestatic]

You can bring her out for an hour or so at a time. She may cruise around her regular tank looking for a spot, then when you put her back in the lay box with the sand piled up she may go right for it. Sometimes it takes a couple of days of putting her in + out.

Thank you. How many eggs should she lay? I wouldn't wanna take her out and keep her in her cage and her still have a few eggs in her and they rupture or something.

 

[AHBD]

It's impossible to guess how many....it could be as few as 12-14 [ rarely less than that ] or as many as 30 or more. One of my females laid between 31-39 every time. But in general if she digs a cave + begins laying, she will lay still in that spot with her head facing out and her body will make very slight movements as she pops out each egg, may take a hour or so. When they're done they come out + begin to cover the hole. Let her do that for a while, it's their instinct to hide the eggs. Then give her a nice warm bath to clean her + she may have a drink. Then quickly pat her dry + put her back in her warm house . She may or may not eat right after, usually the next day or so.