recovery after egg laying slow?

[sweetie]

My Sweetie is one and one half years old and has solo laid 15 eggs. She seems awfully tired and lethargic now. I feel no impactions..no left over eggs..in fact she's thin now..she'll eat crickets but not veggies..and she LOVES collards..how long will it take her to recover from this effort? she gets plenty of proper light..I live in Louisiana and heat is no problem..she gets calcium every other day and vitamins once a week and she was fine in the months before the egg laying foray...what to do?

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Are you using a UVB light? What type & brand are you using, is it a flourescent tube bulb or a compact or coil light?
At the moment she does need calcium daily right now to help her recover from egg laying along with extra fluids & extra food for a short while.
She may lay more infertile eggs in a few week, to a month or so. All dragons are different so you do not know exactly what to expect.

Tracie

 

[sweetie]

the uv is fine..I'm worried abut the lethargy that was never there before.

 

[sweetie]

the uv is fine..I'm worried abut the lethargy that was never there before.

 

[Ethelia]

We appricate that you may think the lighting is fine, but there are an awful lot of poor bulbs out there that are advertised as great for lizards.
Please answer Tracies questions so we can help you and your little one

Holly

 

[sweetie]

...and today is another day..she has two coil bulbs and a flourescent. plus a night heat and a day bask.her tank is quite large, hence the amount of bulbs..and today being aniother day..she's up eating crickets and baby food squash and collards...Is laying around for a day or two normal.?.it's almost as though she were grieving? I didn't take the eggs out for over a day..(the vet said) ..so could it be emotion..?.she is rather spoiled..
And thanks for all the kind help..this is a new experience for my husband and I(both 60)..we're sorta different new parents. he's a nurse and I'm a respiratory therapist, so we're very ocd about her care...I guess after we hear you all reply a few times, we'll be a little more secure!

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

What brand is the UVB flourescent tube bulb? If it is older than 5 months it needs to be replaced as it loses it potency of UVB.
If she continues to be tired & lethargic, you should try getting some liquid calcium to help her out in case she is low in calcium. Laying eggs really zaps their calcium levels, greatly.
Is she eating well today? Let her eat what she wants for a little while, she needs it. She isn't grieving, just relieved to have them out. She will have varing levels of hormone levels after laying, too.

Tracie

 

[zebraflavencs]

Coils ? Coils have been linked to impairing eye sight, and damaging the eyes. You may instead wish to switch to a MVB bulb. This is a Mercury Vapor Bulb. It has both heat and UVB, but that depends on how large your enclosure is.
You will want to increase the amount of calcium she receives each week. Dust daily, and increase bathing to 2-3 times a week, and offer her more foods.
I think I got that right, sorry I haven't been through this, but I have seen this.
Anyone else ?
Janie.

 

[sweetie]

thanks to everyone who responded. the uv is only 2 months old and I'll get rid of the coils..the tank is 60 gal..home made..hense the odd size. all she wants to eat are crickets, and some baby food..so I'll give her what she wants...only what she wants right now is 50 crickets at a time!! today she's all curious and fiesty again...and today I'm going to move her to the window so she can look out. I can't just let her run loose except for special times. I have an old tabby that knows that there's something in the tank that gets affection..so only when he's out...again..thanks..silly female and hormone yo-yos..I vaguely remember