Urate or Egg??? Not sure! Please help

[redn3ckkittycat]

(Sorry I haven't posted on bd.org in a reallyyyyyy long time.)

I came home from work to find this in Sophias cage.
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I know if they are within sight of a male, they can ovulate, and produce 'dead' eggs. But I've never seen one before!!! So I'm really concerned. It looks like a urate, but isn't as chalky in appearance. She hasn't been exposed to the male, so I know its not fertile. Can you help me identify? There are no others in the cage, nor was there any fecal material around it, so I'm leaning towards egg.....help!!! (Sorry for the crappy pictures, took with cell phone, and haven't resized either, sorry!!! Also, it is beside a nickel, for size.)

 

[Jasper's Mom]

I do believe that's an egg. She probably has a bunch more waiting to come... you will want to make her a digging box so that she can lay the rest. Afterwards she'll need some extra calories and extra calcium too.

 

[redn3ckkittycat]

What can I put in the digging box, and what do I need? I'm so lost!! (Thanks for responding, btw). She doesn't seem to be in any distress, and her belly is very easy to push around on. Do you think she has more? Will it hurt for her not to have a digging box? I don't want her to get hurt because of this. So if she needs it I'll find something. I have some cedar fiber (very fine cedar from a cedar mill). I can wet down. Will that work for inside the digging box?

 

[Jasper's Mom]

Check out this thread and scroll down to the post by beardedwizard. He is a professional breeder and knows exactly what to do!

viewtopic.php?p=793226

 

[redn3ckkittycat]

Ok, that seems easy enough. Now, how do I know if she has more eggs???

 

[Jasper's Mom]

I guarantee she has more eggs. I've never heard of them laying just one. In fact, once she's all done laying, she may wait a couple of weeks and then lay another clutch!

 

[redn3ckkittycat]

Omg...I'm so stressed I could cry. She laid 4 more while I was outside trying to gather up stuff for her to lay in She looked like she was attempting to lay another when I put her in the box. How long should I leave her in there???

 

[Jasper's Mom]

When she's done laying, she'll cover the eggs up with soil (or whatever you're using). Then you can take her out. Don't worry, she'll be OK! Just keep an eye on her.

 

[redn3ckkittycat]

I'm using a fine cedar fiber, its all I have at the moment. I didn't want to risk running into town . Should I take the eggs out as I see them??

 

[Jasper's Mom]

Just leave them til she's done. The less she is disturbed, the better.

 

[Grommet]

Hey there! How's your little lady doing? I hope she layed her clutch quickly so you weren't panicked all night! They certainly know how to take us by surprise, don't they! If she hasn't lain yet, tomorrow morning, if you have time, pick up some play sand and vermiculite or organic potting soil from a local garden/hardware store - a good mix of the two dampened and pressed into the box works well for tunneling. Cedar, unfortunately, is toxic for beardies when it warms up, so for extended periods in the lay box, you should substitute it for a different substrate.

Keep us posted!!!!

Kailin

 

[redn3ckkittycat]

If anyone is still on, can I leave her in the digging box over night? She's still laying (so far 15 total). I can turn off the heat lamp, and allow her to just stay in there over night. Or do I let her back into her normal tank, and just collect the eggs she lays over night???

 

[Grommet]

Hi! Hope I caught you! Yes, you can leave her in over night. You want her to stay warm (I think above 75degrees) overnight.... is the room she's in pretty warm? Glad she's laying for you so far!!! Is she safe where she is.... no curious kitties or pups to jump into the bin? Also, make sure she can't escape =) Good luck and congrats on your babies 1st clutch!!!!

Kailin

 

[redn3ckkittycat]

Thanks for answering. I'm a nervous wreck!!!!!!! So much I could cry!!

Its warm, but not real warm. My mom keeps the house at about 68 at night. So I have her heat lamp (60watt bulb) kinda on her, but not pointing directly into the tub. (Well, tank, I had to improvise.) I have some peat(sp) moss that I am going to add to the mixture in the morning. I don't want to disturb her. She looks so skinny already (((. She hasn't seemed to have any issues so far. Only one was 'deflated'. They can't be fertile, right??? I haven't put her with the male. I just want to make sure, I have no clue about their reproductive systems.

She's completely safe. Other than the other two beardies in tanks in the room, nothing else is in here. So I'm not to worried about that. I just am worried about her becoming impacted. Its her first clutch . How long should I wait to remove her from the digging box, when do I feed her again, and what do I do with the eggs?!?!??!

*panick look again!!!*

 

[Grommet]

It is a nerve racking process for us worried beardie parents! It sounds to me like she's doing great, especially that she laid those eggs so quickly! Don't worry yourself too much :wink:

Peat moss is perfect, in fact I'd take her out and let her warm up a bit in the basking spot of her tank and keep your eye on her for a couple of hours watching for more digging and frantic behaviour. Offer her lots of food and see if she will eat, she can have as many dusted feeders as she's like, and perhaps give her a bath too. Sometimes the water will help loosen up any eggs she might have left. After basking, if she is still showing signs of wanting to lay, put her in a new lay bin with damp peat moss (it's safer than the cedar) packed down. If she was digging in her tank, she'll probably continue here and leave you a few more eggs.

When you remove the eggs, make sure she isn't watching. I completely remove my girls from their lay boxes, so they don't get stressed when I move their clutch.

Good luck and happy egg hunting from last night!

Kailin