restless beardie, not eating -EGGS!!

[bunnyrut]

Tasty Treat has been cah-ray-zee lately.

she is refusing to eat, scratching at the glass trying to get out.

all she wants to do is run around the apartment.

i've been feeding her carnivore care, but she runs away from it after i get some in her mouth.

her temps are fine, her uvb is new.

she was fine up until about a week ago.

when i put her in her giant box of dirt she tries to get out, then just sits there. i scratch at the dirt and she just looks at my hand.

what do i do?!?!?!

 

[sweetiepie9]

Sounds like Tasty treat might be holding eggs, is that possible? Has she been leaving little poops around? I'm only asking because the behaviour sounds so familiar to when my girls were carrying infertile eggs. It's really hard to tell because they're so small...so let me know. The crazy running around sounds like she's looking for a male, one of the signs of infertile eggs. Just a suggestion, as about 2 weeks before laying they have no appetite. Let me know what you think.

 

[jackiesmama]

my girl was like that for 2 weeks before she layed her eggs, it drove me crazy, they were fertile eggs, but i would think its the same , she stopped eating 2 weeks before, keeped trying to get out, then started her diggin, that lasted over a week :} have u checked her tummy for eggs ? u rub ur fingers along the sides of her tummy u might feel the round little eggs

 

[bunnyrut]

i really don't know if i am feeling eggs or not.

will she eventually dig in the dirt? do i have to wait another week before she'll actually lay?

we keep putting her in her dirt box (it's a giant bin as big as her viv), but she only tries to jump out, then just sits there.

is she too young to know what to do?

 

[bunnyrut]

lol, after i get completely frustrated posting all of this i put her in her box and knocked around the dirt again.
then i told her "DIG!"

now she's digging >.<

i got a short video of her, she stops if i look at her.

do i need to keep the dirt moist?

 

[sweetiepie9]

Yes, moist enough that she can dig a tunnel, as they like to make a tunnel, then lay. Every beardie is different. Issy made tunnels, Sweetie just dug into corners, so it's all different One thing I did was put a cardboard cover over part of the dig box to give her some privacy (yes Sweetie was strange that way) and also a lamp to shine down on part of it to add a bit of warmth. They do drive you crazy when they're getting ready to lay eggs, Sweetie & Issy would go in & out & in & out for a couple of weeks before they'd start digging & lay, which takes about 2 hours & is labour intensive. So day by day until she makes up her mind. Then she's be skinny, as for infertiles, even though they're small, they'll lay up to 35, so warm bath & lots of food with calcium after to make up the calcium lost in making the eggs to begin with. So yes, damp up the soil (are you using straight sand?, then add peat moss or soil without any fertilizer. I never used sand, just the soil, but the mix might be better. So good luck, let me know how it turns out!

 

[bunnyrut]

i got dirt from the pet store and mixed in some sand.

i'll cover part of the box for her. i have left over moving boxes for that.

she makes it clear when she wants out of the box.

here is the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z09NzjroLnw&feature=youtu.be

if anything looks wrong let me know and i'll fix it ASAP! :silent:

 

[sweetiepie9]

You just need to add more soil to make it damper & make it deeper, should have at least a foot of soil. When she's ready, she'll dig a deep hole, turn around, lay her eggs, then she goes through tamping all the soil down. That's where my hubby Roger would help Sweetie tamp down the soil, as that can take 2 hours! But when I'd try to tamp it down for her, she'd dig it all up & look for Roger. After he passed away in June/11, she had to look to me to help. She got used to someone doing it for her, and I didn't mind, as that was very hard for her, she'd get very tired. The bin looks great, and having that light sure helps keep it warm, as she'll get really cold doing all that work! Loved the video, she kept looking around as if saying "do you mind?" So cute.
She is a good looking beardie & has a good weight, but she'll be almost skinny once she's finished, so have a warm bath & lots of food ready. Sometimes they won't eat the same day, sometimes they do, but Sweetie always had her weight back within a couple of weeks. Keep me posted!

 

[bunnyrut]

this is how i get to watch her, lol

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bunnyrut

 

[sweetiepie9]

Yes, you definitely need to add more soil/sand, as it's really not deep enough, they will get to the bottom and keep trying to dig deeper. She's so cute! And a great digger!

 

[wolfysluv]

Adorable!

 

[jackiesmama]

so cute, looks like my little jackie , my girl liked digging in corners, she would dig and dig then sit there staring into space lol.

 

[bunnyrut]

SHE'S LAYING EGGS!

 

[sweetiepie9]

Congratulations! Now it'll be post eggs to take care of. Wonder how many she'll lay. Welcome to the world of egg laying! and just in time for Christmas!

 

[bunnyrut]

I was about to say now she's digging on the other side of the box.

I thought she was done...