Probable gravid (infertile) beardie won't lay

[Ramorous]

Hello all,
My beardie, Tesla is just over a year old and seems to be gravid. She got really fat in the belly area, started digging around, and her poop got smaller as well as the pink in the urates. She has never been with or around a male so it is difficult to tell. I can't feel anything in the belly area but I hear that is not unusual for infertile eggs. I tried to offer her a lay box throughout this period but she wasn't interested in digging in there at all. Tried putting it in her tank, and again, nothing.

Recently (in the past week) she has become less active. She will bask for short periods and then hide her head in a corner somewhere and sleep. I tried taking away her hide and she just finds somewhere else to stick her head. She has stopped eating almost entirely and lost interest in her crickets, though she will still eat about 5-10 when offered.

Is there anything else I can try?

Is she actually gravid, and is there any way to find out besides the Xray? (the only vet where I live wants $100 for a basic exam and $200 for the Xray, which is a LOT of money for me).

Should I be worried about this change in behaviour and take her to the vet anyway?

I am super paranoid about her being/becoming egg-bound, are there any ways to know if this has happened?

And to get through the obligatory setup questions:
40 gallon tank, one female only, no other pets.
Substrate is tile.
Basking light is a basic household 75W bulb. and her UV is a reptisun 10.0 that goes across the length of her tank.
Basking temp is 101F, warm side is 90F, cold side at 80-85, all measured by probe
Staple vegetable is butternut, occasionally collard greens and other fun things when I can find them (but mostly she hates everything that isn't butternut).
Her crickets are dusted twice a week with calcium/d3
I try to bathe her once a week but she hates water so that puts a damper on that.
Let me know if I am missing anything.

Thank you for any help!

 

[Elmontare]

I cant really help too much...my beadie went through this once while i was still a newbie and she had a very difficult time. She had the distinguishing bumps all around her lower belly, she dug around everyday but laid nothing. I bathed her twice a day for weeks and then for a few days in a row was able to pass the eggs. I tried to feed her food that is easy to digest also. Hopefully youll get a little more of a compitent responce.

Not to off track too much but Tesla = awesome. Im a big Tesla fan (the man, not the band) just curious if thats what you are referencing also?

 

[Ramorous]

Hi Elmontare,
She was named after the man indeed! It was between that and Quark, in the end Tesla seemed to suit her more.

Thank you for your help, if I may ask you more about your experience, did your girl end up laying the eggs in a lay bin or just in her enclosure? Also do you think the bathing helped? I ask because it takes a good 10 minutes to calm Tesla down in the bath, but I wonder if the benefits would outweigh the stress.

 

[Elmontare]

She would only lay the eggs in the bath...i think it had something to do with i had placed the lay box in her enclosure and she refuses to poop in her enclosure so maybe she also refused to lay eggs there too (thats an after thought though unfortunatley). So the baths deffinatley helped in my case, i kept her in there for 20 min at a time despite her objections...but it paid off cuz now she doesnt mind baths as much.

 

[jacody]

What's happening with Tesla today?? My Crixus DoD the same thing and it took much longer to lay than anyone expected, I provided a lay box and she didn't take to it, after removing it she laid almost a month later while we were having someone look in on her once a day when we were away.. hopefully it works out, the bathing can only help, maybe give her the urge to push and keep her hydrated along he way. I know what you mean about the cost of xrays.. was not within my means either.. good luck with her..