Not eating.Paniced.Digging-FINAL UPDATE w PICS

[bmb527]

Here is the way I do it. It has always worked for me and I have had 7 clutches. I have a lay box that is about the size of a beer cooler, 2.5 ft X 1.5 ft X 1.5 ft. I fill it about 1/2 full with the coconut fiber, moistened and lightly packed so it won't cave in on your beardie. I put the lizard into the chamber, then put the cover on the chamber. It doesnt "seal" so it will provide enough air for her to breathe. I make sure it is at least 70 degrees F in the room and leave her alone for a couple days. Lack of light will not be an issue for a few days. She will get used to it, do her thing and it will be over. Babying them and moving them from one place to another does not cut it. A lay box has to be big enough for the animal to move around a bit. If the store does not have a tote this big, use a beer cooler. I know they have them in the UK. I hope this helps you.
Bill

 

[Ethelia]

Thanks Bill, I will try to be tough and will be doing this for another two days to see.

Im getting concerned with her now though. Its been over two weeks since shes eaten properly and i think she's losing her fat stores.
I may have to move onto feeding her babyfood because she's always been a slim lizard.
Sigh. She does worry me.

 

[Ethelia]

End of a further two days.

No eggs, she's stopped digging constantly, she seems sleepy and lethargic, still not eating but I feed her babyfood with vits/calc in every 3 days that go by without her eating.


Perhaps this was her reaction to brumation and not pregnancy?

I do really appriciate all the help you have given me on this thread.
Ive been so desperately worried about her.

 

[bmb527]

I would give her a few more days. If possible try the method I posted a few posts ago. It will not harm her, and if she still doesn't lay within a few days, you may want to find a vet that has knowledge of reptiles, and take her in for a check. She really does look preggers, but.....
Bill

 

[Ethelia]

Sure, whatevers best for her to be honest.
I still havent found a vet whos even had a bearded dragon brought to them, let alone have any knowledge about them. sigh.
Next best thing though I suppose is that Im going away next week and she's being looked after by a reptile shop so hopefully they can help me through this phase.

Thanks as always x

 

[Ethelia]

Update:

Well after nearly 2 weeks in a laybox, 4 days at a reptile sanctuary and another week at home Dex finally laid 17 eggs in her bed this morning, almost a month after I started this topic!
I checked with my store and they said the eggs were infertile.


She is now skinny as anything!
I left her to bask for a few hours before offering her a bath to drink from and feeding her babyfood laced with calc + vits.
She's been the life and soul since then climbing everywhere. I think she cant believe how light she is!

Thank you all for all your help.
Even if she turned her nose up at every since laybox I ever made her!
Fussy to the end that girl.

:love5: :love5: :love5: :love5:

 

[Pleaides]

oh wow bless her
i am so glad she was preggers after all that, lol, at least im sure she feels better for it and will pick up for you now!

 

[diamc]

When I read your other thread about the pink in the poop although she was very energetic, etc, the thought crossed my mind that she might be getting ready to lay eggs. I only wish I had mentioned it.
She must feel SO much better. She may very well lay at least 1 more clutch. Keep her very well hydrated with baths and drinks, continue to give her calcium & even babyfood if that's what she wants right now. Be sure to keep us updated on her, ok?

 

[Ethelia]

we live and we learn diamc! I have a feeling I'll still be learning new things about beardies years and years down the line! we cant expect our beardie elders to be able to spot everything every time ^_^


Im thrilled she's laid. If it wasnt eggs causing her odd behaviour, odd poop and lack of apetite then i was fearing that it was going to be something serious.
Id completely given up on the idea that she was pregnant after she'd held out on me after 2 weeks in a laybox.

I tried her on worms tonight and she looked at me like "come ON momma. im tirrrrrrrrred" so thats when i turned to babyfood. There was no way I was going to let my newly skinny minny not eat or risk not getting her calcium!
Im going to the store tomorrow to pick up some waxworms as a treat and see if I can coax her back onto solids with the promise of her favourite indulgence.

I can see she's already getting back to her usual mischievous self considering she spat out a whole mouthful of babyfood onto my top... then ate it off me and was licking her chops for more. Thats my Dex....

 

[diamc]

I was actually quite concerned that she was passing so much liquid and not much of anything else but I guess it was her bodies way of getting ready to lay the eggs. The increased activity & uneasiness was what cause me to think she might be gravid. It's a wonder our female has never laid infertile eggs, especially with 3 male beardies here.

Oh, that sounds so cute the way she looked at you showing that she was too tired to eat the worms. Good that she enjoyed her babyfood so much, enough to even clean up her mommy. :mrgreen:

Tomorrow should be a better day for her & less worry for you as now you at least know what was going on. She sounds like a real sweetie.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

GREAT that she finally laid a month later. I am so glad that she was not eggbound. She just was not anywhere near laying, that's all. She could lay another clutch.
I must have missed your thread about pink poop! That is hormonal release usually, mixed with fluids & proteins.
It sounds like she is feeling better now.
So she did not even use a laybox, go figure.


Tracie

 

[Ethelia]

Oh goodness, she could lay another clutch? How soon after the first would this be?
Shes so thin right now Id be seriously worried about her if she had even more eggs in her.

 

[bmb527]

She can lay up to 3 clutches from 1 "meeting" with a male. 1 of my females laid a clutch 6 months after her last encounter with her boyfriend. Now that you have seen the process with your girl, it should be easier for you to tell when she is ready to lay next time.
Bill

 

[Ethelia]

She can lay up to 3 clutches from 1 "meeting" with a male. 1 of my females laid a clutch 6 months after her last encounter with her boyfriend. Now that you have seen the process with your girl, it should be easier for you to tell when she is ready to lay next time.
Bill

Hehe oh I dont know Bill... she very nearly gave me a heart attack with worry this month! I dont want to do it again too soon!

 

[Ethelia]

Little update:

She's still thin as a rake and hasnt got her apetite back yet. I tried waxworms (her favourite treat) veggies and supers. I shook them on a piece of paper, wiggled them in my hands but nothing.
Back in the day she wouldve NOM NOM NOM'd them right away from my hand.
Anyway she was a good girl and let me feed her babyfood. She ate 2 whole syringes full! Her record so far.

Hope she starts eating again soon.
She's currently sleep on my lap in a warm towel on a hot water bottle.

Get fat Dex please!!!