Need your thoughts on...

[koiboydavid]

How long (many days?) you think your females show signs of pacing around their tank, scratching at the glass before she is actually ready to get serious and lay her eggs. I have one female now that is obviously gravid (bred 22 days ago) and has been pacing around the tank and scratching for about 6 days now. Each day, I have taken her out and put her in the lay box and she just ends up falling asleep after an hour or so. I put her back in her tank and she resumes the scratching off and on. I am starting to get concerned.

I use a clear Sterilite plastic tub with moistened play sand packed in on one side at a 45 angle. I have another female that just starts digging right away when I put her in that same lay box. Thoughts?

Thanks in advance!
David

 

[zebraflavencs]

The play sand isn't stable enough to dig a tunnel, and stay put without disintegrating. Try mixing the same amount of top soil ( without fert) into the sand, and dampen enough so only a drop of water comes out when you pinch.
Janie.

 

[damien6210]

also try to put a spot light to warm the area if she feels that its not warm enough she wont lay. or dig up the place and put here in the hole so she can just lay

 

[koiboydavid]

Thanks for the input. This sand is very compact when slightly damp. My other female starts digging and lays right away when I put her in there. I guess this girl is a little more picky. I dont really want to have to "dirty up" my sand with topsoil but I will if I have to. I tried putting a spotlight on it this morning to warm it up before putting her in. I just put her in there to see what happens.

So how many days do your females show signs before laying?

 

[JubJubLizard]

Jubs first clutch she paced and scratched for over a week and since we didn't know the exact date of the mating it had us really worried. Her 2nd clutch she did this for a little less than a week. We worried a ton and in the end it was fine. We too used the damp sand except it did want to cave in on her. We had tried everything that had been suggested and in the end she laid in her own tank (we just built up one side of her tank) we then placed 2 small boards across the top for support and then we started a good size hole for her and put her in then she did the rest. Even the 2nd time we had to start it for her and put her in and then the light went off lol Another thing that helped both times was she would come out and go for long walks around the dinning and kitchen area. Seems to make her feel better. Hope any of this helps and good luck. Keep us posted

 

[koiboydavid]

Thanks Jub for the information!

Well, after two attempts today of putting her in the lay box, I decided to build up one side of her tank with play sand. She started digging at 5:30 this afternoon and 5 1/2 hours later, she is STILL digging! Has one heck of a cave dug out but doesnt seem to want to lay yet. I hope she doesnt lay in the middle of the night.

 

[JubJubLizard]

Thanks Jub for the information!

Well, after two attempts today of putting her in the lay box, I decided to build up one side of her tank with play sand. She started digging at 5:30 this afternoon and 5 1/2 hours later, she is STILL digging! Has one heck of a cave dug out but doesnt seem to want to lay yet. I hope she doesnt lay in the middle of the night.

You are welcome. I sure hope it helps and she lays soon.Jub did that too I guess they just has too get it just right lol it sure does tire them out. The next day they are really wiped out. Our girl is getting ready for #3. It has only been 17 days poor girl. Good luck and please keep me posted.

 

[koiboydavid]

Hazel (my female) is determined to drive me crazy. All that digging into last night and nothing! I just tore her cave apart (mainly cause I was checking to see if she left ANY eggs) and she is now starting the process over again.

Anyone ever had a female dig her cave and leave it for a day or two before going back and finally laying? At least she is digging a cave in her tank because she doesnt do a thing in the lay box. I think this is going on day 9 or 10 now! Argghhhhh!

 

[JubJubLizard]

Your're right at least she is digging. It has been about 27 days so it should be any time now. It is really frustrating to just wait and not know. They just like it to be just right and then they will lay. Since she dug so much yesterday perhaps she just needed a rest as digging and laying takes so much out of them. When she digs it isn't collapsing in on her right? Is she eating? Also are you gving her daily baths? A nice warm soak really seems to help.They need this for hydration. Also our girl goes for long walks around our house she seems to love it and both times it helped her get her eggs going. Fingers crossed for you and her that it happens soon

 

[koiboydavid]

Thanks! She has eaten now for 4 -5 days. I have been giving her a warm bath and she does drink a good amount during that time. She is going to the bathroom but there is no feces since she doesnt have any food in her. At least she is staying hydrated. The cave she built last night was a good one and didnt cave in at all. Maybe I shouldnt have caved it in but I felt like I needed to check. We shall see what happens today.

Thanks again!!!

 

[koiboydavid]

Let me clarify....HASNT eaten in 4-5 days now

 

[JubJubLizard]

Yep that is what Jub did also. Are you giving her warm baths as that helps with hydration. Also you could try to feed her small amounts of baby food. Really at the end Jub eases off of food day by day until she eats nothing for several days. They have no room left by the end and really have one thing on their mind and that is laying eggs. After she lays again give her a nice warm soak and then she will eat like crazy. If she is too weak to eat then again you could try to hand feed her some baby food to get her energy back up. Chicken, turkey, squash are all good to try.

 

[JubJubLizard]

Just checking to see if she laid her eggs and how she is doing

 

[koiboydavid]

Thanks for checking in. Still no eggs. She dug another cave yesterday and then she proceeded to walk back and forth over the top of it and it collapsed. I reinforced it today and she dug another one today. Doesnt seem too interested in laying though. I think this is day 29 now. I am wondering if I should take her to the vet tomorrow if she doesnt do something today?

I need to figure out how to post pics. I have a great one that I just took.

 

[koiboydavid]

Lets see if this works....