Restless female-hasn't laid eggs

[heartdog]

I got some flack for this over on the Facebook page for a post... My female beardie was acting like she needed to lay eggs again, about 3 weeks ago. I've taken her to a pet store to lay them the time before, and we split the babies when they hatch. Not sure why some thought this is horrible, as this is a reptile place, with knowledgeable staff and a good rep. I don't have a hovobator, and her digging can be really annoying when it goes on for days on end.

Anyway, she was acting restless and digging, so I left her there, but after 3 weeks and no eggs, picked her back up. She is dehydrated, and thin. I'm guessing they just didn't squirt water at her like she likes to drink it. And she's maybe been restless this whole time, which would add to that. I read the symptoms of egg binding, and it doesn't sound like that. She's digging still a little, but sometimes will rub her head into the sand, and wiggle her body. Very strange. Now she's just scratching at the glass wanting to get out. She just won't relax.

Any ideas? Is it time for a vet visit? Of course, when I'm really broke for the moment : /

 

[fresnowitte]

First off Tamandra if I've not said this before...Welcome to the site!

Now I'm gonna be bluntly honest with my opinion...please do not take me wrong...just think about it.

You said...

Anyway, she was acting restless and digging, so I left her there, but after 3 weeks and no eggs, picked her back up. She is dehydrated, and thin.

Let me just say I know of reptile stores that will do what I'm about to suggest could have happened to you.
You took your female in 3 weeks ago...keep in mind they can lay as close as every 3 to 4 weeks. Do you think it's possible that she did lay eggs that might be why she was so thin and dehydrated??? And that the reason she's acting spastic again digging and glass dancing is that she's now ready to lay again??? I'd think twice about taking her back to that pet store...

Not sure why some thought this is horrible, as this is a reptile place, with knowledgeable staff and a good rep. I don't have a hovobator,

Now might you understand why some my have thought what you did was horrible.

I'm not really saying that this is what happened to you and your beardie....but it is something to think about. Afterall if she didn't lay then the reptile store owes you nothing...100% profit for them and this is hard times. :roll:

 

[heartdog]

I totally understand, and see that point of view. I just had a good experience the first time. I casually asked about letting her lay her eggs there, since the first two times she did here, and they were all over the place, not salvageable by the time I discovered them. It took her just under a week, and they have the eggs in a rack of other eggs, very well kept and labeled. They're a good store, the main reptile place in the city, really good reputation.

She's digging a lot again. I'm now thinking maybe it's her nutrition that has been hindering her laying? Laying so many, maybe she wasn't getting enough calcium to replenish herself. Plus not being hydrated didn't help. I just also noticed there's a small swollen area just inside her mouth on the bottom. So I'll likely have to take her in for that. It's just a little red, maybe just from her pushing her mouth and snout into the sand ?

I just don't have extra tanks and dealing with a whole bunch of beardie babies seems quite daunting to me! So I thought she'd be in good hands. There's some others in the holding tanks there, that are extremely healthy looking every time I visit. They even feed silkworms to their reptiles, but don't really sell them.

How long can it take to lay eggs? I don't feel anything, and neither could they. So this is odd. She doesn't look fat, as usual, either. Just digging a LOT.

 

[TheWolfmanTom]

Soak daily and feed whatever she will eat. Just keep it coming. Dust with calcium and vitamins each feeding. She will lay when she is ready, at the same time she sounds depleated from what im reading. Some poopers just where not meant to be bred and they end up recovering poorly. Unfortunatly theres no true way to tell how a female will recoop between clutches.

 

[heartdog]

Any ideas on what the swollen part could be from? It is pretty red, actually. It's almost like a growth, just inside the lower lip, tip of bottom jaw. I wonder if it hurts her to eat. She seems to be having a little difficulty grabbing worms, like she misses them a lot. I've never seen anything like this. Impacted sand?

 

[fresnowitte]

Could you possibly post a pic of her mouth? We'd be willing to take a look for you.

 

[heartdog]

Could you possibly post a pic of her mouth? We'd be willing to take a look for you.

I'll see if I can get one tomorrow. She'll gape it slightly sometimes, and if I get a closeup, (I have pro camera at least!) maybe you can all see it. I tried to google this, but not coming up with much.

 

[TheWolfmanTom]

If its an abcess like im thinking you will need a vet asap. The fact she is in the middle of a gravid cycle and fighting an infection means she is going to need help to survive.

 

[fresnowitte]

I was leaning toward abscess too... Tom is right an abscess is a heavy infection and if pops in the wrong direction(inward to her system instead of draining outward) this would be instantly fatal. It could or would be fatal without popping as well if not addressed asap... being they have such small systems for such a big infection.

Is it getting bigger?
If it's an abscess or any type of infection then she really does require immediate veterinary help.
Maybe you could phone a few and see if theirs one that could work with you on payments.

Also it would be a good idea if she's housed on sand to maybe remove it for now and replace with paper towels so you can keep the enclosure more sanitary while she's having this issue. Sand tends to harbor bacteria so eliminating it would be helpful to her recovery. And when allowing her to dig you might want to purchase new sand that is sifted and washed to dig in or coconut fiber if you haven't already. Just use a Rubbermaid tub with fresh substrate making it 12"+ deep, moistened, and packed firmly. I wouldn't worry about having babies right now...if she's not up to par then the babies are most likely not going to be the healthiest. But she does need fresh substrate to lay in...and you will need to rinse that area very good to keep it from becoming more irritated when she comes out of the lay box.

Or you could always let her lay them in the comfort of her own home and take the container to the pet store with the eggs in it that she laid and let them deal with it from there. At least this way you are able to keep a closer eye on her until she has regained her health. You'd be able to make sure she's staying hydrated and getting close personal TLC. Pet stores even the better ones have lots of critters to care for not like the one on one care you could give her. :wink: