Infertile egg laying... how long does it usually last?

[lexi]

Athena has been laying eggs for about 11 days now, sporadically. She has laid 5 so far today (and it's about 5pm here). She has a laybox but only digs until she's exhausted, then falls asleep in there. She has only laid eggs in the viv, on the tile.

I think she's laid about 15 so far. I'm just curious how long this lasts. I've been giving her daily protein and calcium (no D3 because she has a MVB in her enclosure), baths, etc.

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[renich]

11 days seems like a long time. You may want to give your vet a quick buzz to see if it is normal or not. Sorry, I'm not an expert on egg laying and I haven't been able to find anything substantial in my research.

 

[lexi]

Got a call in... they weren't open today (Sunday). Funny enough, no digging today, she ate like a pig, no more eggs, and she seems fine now. She had a bath and pooped. She looks deflated... I'm hoping that means she's done. She laid about 12 eggs the day of this post (bringing the total up to almost 30!) and then yesterday she was exhausted all day, drained.

We'll see how she is in the morning, and if there is still concern I will see if I can get an emergency appointment.

 

[renich]

Hopefully, she is done and won't lay anymore. Keeping my fingers crossed. I've heard to keep them well fed when they are laying eggs. Boost the calcium too.

 

[ladyknite]

Infertile eggs are very different in makeup and composite from fertile eggs. Infertiles require more resources from the body. If there is not enough calcium stored to form the shell of the egg, then production can stagnate and take longer. Since infertiles do not require the presence of sperm contributed all at once, they are capable of developing at different rates.

It might be a good idea to have her calcium level checked by blood draw in case she's gearing up for an additional round.

 

[lexi]

Yeah, she's been getting 2 salads a day (she eats them, believe it or not, unlike Sal who is on a perpetual salad-strike most of the time!) as well as roaches, waxworms and superworms every day dusted with calcium. She's such a small girl it just seems like it would take a lot out of her to lay that many eggs. Vet says there is no need to bring her in unless she starts digging again, or looks lethargic, etc. Her abdomen is completely flat now, so I think she's done for awhile. Her previous owner says she often does this in 3 month cycles, so end of Jan (now), end of Feb and then March and she should be done for the year.

 

[renich]

How's Athena doing? Anymore eggs?

 

[lexi]

She's done, thank goodness and doing well. No more digging or frantic behavior. I think she was calcium deficient and might have been having trouble making the eggs because after we upped her calcium intake to every day, a whole bunch came at once! Then, she was passed out for almost a whole day (she did eat, though) and now she's back to her normal feisty self. ;D I am so relieved!

 

[renich]

Wonderful news! Glad to hear it. She really had us all worried.