So, I know I didn't listen and I kept my beardies together in 1 tank and they seem to have mated. I saw my male (Gus) mount the female (Finneus) and bite into her neck and I got so scared, I tried to separate them to no avail and now I'm pretty sure that she's gravid. I'm just so worried because she's too young to lay eggs (13 months) and I don't want to her die but I'm a Grad Student living in manhattan with limited funds and just can't take her to the vet. I am separating the dragons and trading the male for a female so that I will have 2 females in the tank together so that my male can procreate and be happy elsewhere. I've been doing everything right (proper diet, proper lighting, proper substrate), and I've been so attentive to them, but now I'm just afraid because I keep placing Fin into a bin with sand and she keeps jumping out; she cannot get comfortable no matter where I place her; she absolutely refuses to stay in the tank and she hasn't eaten in 2 days. I hold her and stay with her when I'm home, but Grad School is like a full time job and often no one is home to look after them. I know she's about to lay the eggs I'm just wondering what I can do to ensure her safety. Thanks
My Girl is about to lay eggs!
- Thread starter Mila
- Start date
- Status
Hello,
Well, that is too bad. How old is she? Maybe she is not gravid, you think? Is she showing yet?
I do understand grad school, I have done it & yes it is a full time job for sure.
Do you have any lighting setup for her? If she is getting ready to lay she wont be very hungry, but it is important to keep her hydrated though. You will need to make a laybox for her, though to where she is more comfortable for laying.
Is her beard black at all right now?
How large is your tank? It is not always necessary to house 2 dragons, she would be fine by herself. The tank will need to be at least 150 gallon to house 2 adult females, comfortably. I would suggest just keeping one, especially if you end up with eggs hatching, that will take all of your space & money unless you plan on freezing them.
Are your dragons related?
Is her neck ok, does it appear injured very badly? You will need to treat it with some antibiotic ointment if needed.
Tracie
Well, that is too bad. How old is she? Maybe she is not gravid, you think? Is she showing yet?
I do understand grad school, I have done it & yes it is a full time job for sure.
Do you have any lighting setup for her? If she is getting ready to lay she wont be very hungry, but it is important to keep her hydrated though. You will need to make a laybox for her, though to where she is more comfortable for laying.
Is her beard black at all right now?
How large is your tank? It is not always necessary to house 2 dragons, she would be fine by herself. The tank will need to be at least 150 gallon to house 2 adult females, comfortably. I would suggest just keeping one, especially if you end up with eggs hatching, that will take all of your space & money unless you plan on freezing them.
Are your dragons related?
Is her neck ok, does it appear injured very badly? You will need to treat it with some antibiotic ointment if needed.
Tracie
peera
Sub-Adult Member
Why don't you just return the male and NOT get any replacement? That way she'll have everything she needs and you won't have to worry about dominance issues which can still occur between 2 females. For her current safety, all you can do is make sure she has extra calcium and proper husbandry in every other way. She needs a lay box with moist packed soil for a lay box. Are you sure she's ready to lay? Has she been digging? Egg laying usually occurs 4-6 weeks from the time of successful mating. Has it been that long and you're only just now seeking help?
ok, I did some searching and this is what I found from other posts:
I had a very gravid girl who dug obsessively for 4 weeks before she finally laid.
During this time I had tried her in all sorts of layboxes and completely given up on the idea that she was pregnant.
She obviously just wasnt ready to lay yet, and in the end she laid in her hide not ANY of the layboxes id offered her.
Id keep an eye on your girl and dont expect it to happen over night
If she ever becomes gravid you will need to create a laybox for her which consists of sand and either moist soil mix or sand and vermiculite both must be a texture where she can dig tunnels that wont collapse so she can dig and bury her eggs.You dont want to do the whole tank just a portion of it.The best thing to use is a small kitty litter pan you will also have to find something to cover it so she has privacy.
Keep an eye on her, try give her a little extra calcium to be on the safe side. Make sure she is wel fed, and well hydrated. Daily baths work well.
Also if you see signs of scratching, get her a lay box.
New postby SunshineLollipop on Wed Dec 10, 2008 7:27 pm
Hi
I've noticed with my females that when they're gravid, for those first 2 wks they're at their hungriest, so hopefully she'll settle in quickly & start eating again. Once she starts, let her eat as much as she can, she should be ravenous. Have also noticed if the conditions aren't quite right or they haven't eaten as much as they should, they go longer than the 20 - 25 days it takes. Just keep a really good eye on her though as the eggs take the calcium from her if she's not getting enuf to eat - maybe look at the babyfood suggestions they have on here to get her fattened up as well, especially seeing she's not eating and is skinny to start with. Am imagining all your heat & UV are right as well as this is really important with her calcium intake. Also if she doesn't start eating in the next 2 days, I'd be looking at getting her to a vet to make sure her bloods are alright. Let us know how she's getting on. If she doesn't start eating, don't put her back in with the male as if she's not by chance gravid now, the risk gets higher. Good luck
Well, keeping her warm does help with them being able to lay more easily. However, if she is still eating & active, she is not ready to lay quite yet. When she is ready to lay, she will pretty much have stopped eating due to the volume of the eggs taking up the space in the coelomic cavity.
I would suggest replacing the contents of the laybox after sanitizing it. If you have something that you can let her lay in outside of her cage that would be good. I always let my female lay in a 10 gal tank filled about 3/4 with moistened sand. My female would usually defecate more than normal right before laying the eggs. If there is nothing inside her enclosure for her to dig in then she will become restless and act like she is trying to get out. That is when you put her in a laybox and she will probably start digging right away. If she is gravid, then you should be able to feel the eggs in her a few days before she is ready to lay.
Egg laying generally occurs anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks after a successful breeding. Females will dig a burrow approximately 12" - 16" deep to deposit her eggs. The eggs are carefully excavated and placed in a moist perilite/vermiculite medium for incubation.
The eggs are incubated at 82 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit for a period of 65-75 days, at which time the eggs will begin to collapse, and usually hatch within 24 hours. Newly hatched dragons are left in the incubator for a period of 24 hours to allow the yolksac to be absorbed. Young bearded dragons will usually start to feed within 72 hours of hatching.
Hope some of that helps
I had a very gravid girl who dug obsessively for 4 weeks before she finally laid.
During this time I had tried her in all sorts of layboxes and completely given up on the idea that she was pregnant.
She obviously just wasnt ready to lay yet, and in the end she laid in her hide not ANY of the layboxes id offered her.
Id keep an eye on your girl and dont expect it to happen over night
If she ever becomes gravid you will need to create a laybox for her which consists of sand and either moist soil mix or sand and vermiculite both must be a texture where she can dig tunnels that wont collapse so she can dig and bury her eggs.You dont want to do the whole tank just a portion of it.The best thing to use is a small kitty litter pan you will also have to find something to cover it so she has privacy.
Keep an eye on her, try give her a little extra calcium to be on the safe side. Make sure she is wel fed, and well hydrated. Daily baths work well.
Also if you see signs of scratching, get her a lay box.
New postby SunshineLollipop on Wed Dec 10, 2008 7:27 pm
Hi
I've noticed with my females that when they're gravid, for those first 2 wks they're at their hungriest, so hopefully she'll settle in quickly & start eating again. Once she starts, let her eat as much as she can, she should be ravenous. Have also noticed if the conditions aren't quite right or they haven't eaten as much as they should, they go longer than the 20 - 25 days it takes. Just keep a really good eye on her though as the eggs take the calcium from her if she's not getting enuf to eat - maybe look at the babyfood suggestions they have on here to get her fattened up as well, especially seeing she's not eating and is skinny to start with. Am imagining all your heat & UV are right as well as this is really important with her calcium intake. Also if she doesn't start eating in the next 2 days, I'd be looking at getting her to a vet to make sure her bloods are alright. Let us know how she's getting on. If she doesn't start eating, don't put her back in with the male as if she's not by chance gravid now, the risk gets higher. Good luck Well, keeping her warm does help with them being able to lay more easily. However, if she is still eating & active, she is not ready to lay quite yet. When she is ready to lay, she will pretty much have stopped eating due to the volume of the eggs taking up the space in the coelomic cavity.
I would suggest replacing the contents of the laybox after sanitizing it. If you have something that you can let her lay in outside of her cage that would be good. I always let my female lay in a 10 gal tank filled about 3/4 with moistened sand. My female would usually defecate more than normal right before laying the eggs. If there is nothing inside her enclosure for her to dig in then she will become restless and act like she is trying to get out. That is when you put her in a laybox and she will probably start digging right away. If she is gravid, then you should be able to feel the eggs in her a few days before she is ready to lay.
Egg laying generally occurs anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks after a successful breeding. Females will dig a burrow approximately 12" - 16" deep to deposit her eggs. The eggs are carefully excavated and placed in a moist perilite/vermiculite medium for incubation.
The eggs are incubated at 82 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit for a period of 65-75 days, at which time the eggs will begin to collapse, and usually hatch within 24 hours. Newly hatched dragons are left in the incubator for a period of 24 hours to allow the yolksac to be absorbed. Young bearded dragons will usually start to feed within 72 hours of hatching.
Hope some of that helps
Thanks everyone. She has been this way for about 2 weeks and yes she is showing. She just recently stopped eating so I thought she might be ready to lay. I placed her in a bin with a mixture of wet sand and although she sits there for a while, she eventually jumps out. I'm just nervous and frustrated because she keeps climbing up the walls of the tank like its the last place she wants to be. I take her out but she needs uvb so I place her back in and she seems miserable. She does have a black beard most of the time and she slowly bobs her head. I try to keep the male separated from her when I'm home but I don't know what goes on when they are alone together. The mating took place about 2 weeks ago so she may not be ready to lay just yet but she is looking quite big. I am actually getting a custom made 150 gallon tank (from my law school loan refund) so I think it might be alright to house her with another female that is her size. I know they're fine when they live alone, but I feel as though its not right to keep them isolated all of the time. Of course, if dominance issues arise with the new female (that i'm trading for Gus, the male) I'll have to let the new girl go. I will definitely be freezing the eggs so that they do not hatch. Gus and FIn are siblings. I just want what is best for Fin and at this point I feel as though I'm not providing her with everything she needs and its heartbreaking when I see her discomfort.
Just a quick update-
Last night Fin was doing really well. She was calm and hanging out in her tank. When i started feeding them, she ate almost as much as Gus - and thats a good thing. So I guess she still has a while to go before she is ready to lay her eggs.
Oh my little cutie pies -
when they were just lil babies
Last night Fin was doing really well. She was calm and hanging out in her tank. When i started feeding them, she ate almost as much as Gus - and thats a good thing. So I guess she still has a while to go before she is ready to lay her eggs.
Oh my little cutie pies -
when they were just lil babies
Hello,
So she decided to eat quite a bit then? I suppose she still has some time left before she lays.
Your laybox, you should probably add some soil & a bit of perlite or vermiculite to help hold moisture. Just make the substrate something that is solid enough to where when she digs a burrow, that it will not cave in on her while she is in there laying.
I hope she is doing well. Keep us posted on her....
Tracie
So she decided to eat quite a bit then? I suppose she still has some time left before she lays.
Your laybox, you should probably add some soil & a bit of perlite or vermiculite to help hold moisture. Just make the substrate something that is solid enough to where when she digs a burrow, that it will not cave in on her while she is in there laying.
I hope she is doing well. Keep us posted on her....
Tracie
Ethelia
Extreme Poster
HI there,
You can get it at a petstore or a DIY places Ive found.
Vermicile is the best, but if you cant find any you can use an organic soil and sand mix. If you use sand it will want to be 'sandcastle' consistancy so she can dig happily as Tracie has mentioned.
Before my gravid girl laid she completely went off food, became very hyperactive and started to digg.
Even when all this behaviour had started she still waited a good few weeks before she laid, so dont think that it will happen over night
I wouldnt put her into a laybox until she goes off her food and starts to dig.
Digging is your flashing red light which says "mommas gonna lay".
Also when you catch her diggin and pop her in the laybox it might take her a while before she figures out what to do.
Generally theres a period of "I say, what on earth am I doing in here?"
Some people say only to put your girl in a laybox when she starts digging, to leave her in for a few hours then return her to her habitat, and others say once she has begun digging in her viv to put her in her laybox and keep her there until she is ready to do her deed.
So oppinions do vary.
Some others just create a laybox inside the viv so your female can go in an out as she pleases, but with a male in the enclosure still Im unsure she would feel the security to do so.
Good luck with everything and do let us know how she gets on.
With a mom and pop like that you are going to have some gorgeous babies.
Holly
You can get it at a petstore or a DIY places Ive found.
Vermicile is the best, but if you cant find any you can use an organic soil and sand mix. If you use sand it will want to be 'sandcastle' consistancy so she can dig happily as Tracie has mentioned.
Before my gravid girl laid she completely went off food, became very hyperactive and started to digg.
Even when all this behaviour had started she still waited a good few weeks before she laid, so dont think that it will happen over night
I wouldnt put her into a laybox until she goes off her food and starts to dig.
Digging is your flashing red light which says "mommas gonna lay".
Also when you catch her diggin and pop her in the laybox it might take her a while before she figures out what to do.
Generally theres a period of "I say, what on earth am I doing in here?"
Some people say only to put your girl in a laybox when she starts digging, to leave her in for a few hours then return her to her habitat, and others say once she has begun digging in her viv to put her in her laybox and keep her there until she is ready to do her deed.
So oppinions do vary.
Some others just create a laybox inside the viv so your female can go in an out as she pleases, but with a male in the enclosure still Im unsure she would feel the security to do so.
Good luck with everything and do let us know how she gets on.
With a mom and pop like that you are going to have some gorgeous babies.
Holly
beardielovers
Hatchling Member
Mila":f61b7 said:She laid the eggs. everything went well. all is good
Just in case you didn't know, I've read that a bearded dragon can retain sperm for up to 6 months. Be prepared for a second or third catch in the next couple months.
K9KidsLove
Sub-Adult Member
Hi..Good to hear that the egg laying went well.
Did you take the male out of her tank yet? If not, please do. He will continue to breed her. Even if you just put him in a rubbermaid type container with heat lights until you send him to his new home...you need to keep him away from her and out of her vision.
I wish you lived near me. I would love to have him. I would take the eggs too! Your dragons are beautiful.
Also, don't feel that it is a bad thing for a dragon to be alone in a tank. They usually prefer to be alone, especially if they haven't grown up together. By putting 2 already grown dragons together for the first time, you are asking for trouble. One could injure or kill the other.
For a few weeks, dust her food once daily 5 times a week to replenish the calcium needed to make eggs.
Also, keep the nesting box available & damp for her cause she will probably lay more, as already mentioned.
Good luck
Patsy
Did you take the male out of her tank yet? If not, please do. He will continue to breed her. Even if you just put him in a rubbermaid type container with heat lights until you send him to his new home...you need to keep him away from her and out of her vision.
I wish you lived near me. I would love to have him. I would take the eggs too! Your dragons are beautiful.
Also, don't feel that it is a bad thing for a dragon to be alone in a tank. They usually prefer to be alone, especially if they haven't grown up together. By putting 2 already grown dragons together for the first time, you are asking for trouble. One could injure or kill the other.
For a few weeks, dust her food once daily 5 times a week to replenish the calcium needed to make eggs.
Also, keep the nesting box available & damp for her cause she will probably lay more, as already mentioned.
Good luck
Patsy
Yes thankfully, the male is gone, and in a good home where he can breed. I know he'll make beautiful beardie babies with the lucky female that gets to spend her time with him. He is indeed very beautiful.
I traded him for a female that is the same size as my girl and they're getting along well so far. Hopefully they will continue to get alone well.
I'm feeding her as much as she would eat and thats a lot lately. She really did get dehydrated and lost a lot of nutrients. The eggs were huge and she laid 22 of them. Hopefully next time I'll be more prepared and less worried. So all is well as of now. Fin is eating like a maniac - literally every time i offer her food she grabs it. And the new female is adjusting to her new environment but I'm sure as soon as my large breeder terrarium comes in the mail their habitat will be a lot more comfortable.
Bye my beautiful Gus!!!
Here is Fin laying the eggs for anyone interested
I traded him for a female that is the same size as my girl and they're getting along well so far. Hopefully they will continue to get alone well.
I'm feeding her as much as she would eat and thats a lot lately. She really did get dehydrated and lost a lot of nutrients. The eggs were huge and she laid 22 of them. Hopefully next time I'll be more prepared and less worried. So all is well as of now. Fin is eating like a maniac - literally every time i offer her food she grabs it. And the new female is adjusting to her new environment but I'm sure as soon as my large breeder terrarium comes in the mail their habitat will be a lot more comfortable.
Bye my beautiful Gus!!!
Here is Fin laying the eggs for anyone interested
- Status
Latest resources
-
General Care Practical tips: A healthy brumating bearded dragonPractical tips to help keep your bearded dragon healthy during brumation
- Shinryu
- Updated:
-
-
Lighting Beginner Guide to Bearded Dragon LightingA basic lighting setup for any bearded dragon.
- Shinryu
- Updated:
-
Lighting Introduction to UV LightingMake a more educated purchase on your next UVB light.
- Shinryu
- Updated:
-
General Care Bearded Dragons - Care SheetAn all-in-one guide to caring for your bearded dragons.
- Shinryu
- Updated:
Latest profile posts
I just walked into my room and instead of looking at me, Swordtail's eyes darted directly to the ice cream drumstick I'm holding