Early spring odd behaviour

[khaleesi]

So Charlie is definitely ''in season'' he's head bobbing and charging round his viv, Nibbler seems to be acting weird too, I've noticed she seems fuller around her tummy she's still eating she's very active and she's digging constantly. I have them in the same room but not in each others eye line. Is it possible they can sense each other? I'm slightly worried she's gonna produce infertile eggs simply because she is so big at 26 weeks old she's a whopping 18-3/4 long and 305 grams heavy. I know she's very young but I read there's no definitive certainty about when they become sexually mature although it's believed to be 12-24 months old but size must also be taken into consideration. I had them on a 13 hour light cycle but just this morning began to alter it to summer time 12 hour cycle. Charlie is the same length as her nose to tip of tail but neither of them have shed for what seems like forever but it's only been about 3 weeks since they both had a partial shed on their legs and Nibbler on her jaw line and face. As this is my first spring as a Bearded Dragon mummy I would appreciate any advise as to wether this is normal behavior or if it's something I should be concerned about. I hate to say it but it really does look like Nibbler is gravid her tummy looks to have odd bulges I have cut back handling her the last few days but if I can catch her mid stride and able to get a picture I'll upload it to here I don't want another egg bound lizard I couldn't watch that again help if you can please

 

[khaleesi]

So I just measured her she's 8 inches nose to vent and I made a short video it seamed easier than pictures

Hopefully I'm worrying for nothing her tummy is spongy not firm at all she has fed today and pooped the mess in her viv is from today she's a messy moo

*EDIT* She also keeps sitting on the edge of the sand pit almost as if she's gonna poop

 

[khaleesi]

These were taken just now she too is head bobbing I don't know what to do with...kinky dragons arghhhhhh!!

 

[khaleesi]

I am so gutted! I am 99% sure my little girl is a little girl any more, she's very swollen and I can feel beads of eggs down her left side they are tiny probably smaller than a pea at the moment I have vermiculite ordered and her lay bin will be prepared tomorrow. How do I help Charlie he knows she's pregnant he must do he isn't eating at all he's sitting right close to the end of the viv (their vivs are side by side) to be close to her. He's stopped head bobbing and so has she. For reptiles that don't spend any time together it would seem they have some sort of connection she is laying and resting on the other side of the wall, they are literally inches apart but don't see each other. I feel so sorry for them both

 

[khaleesi]

 

[Noella]

Good luck. For a minute, I thought the dirt on her head was ants! The poor girl.

 

[khaleesi]

That's vermiculite Noella she's been busy digging away all day she only came out of it for a little rest now and again but she was exhausted by 7.30pm hopefully everything goes smoothly for her she's a busy little bee at the moment

 

[Germ]

It is rare to be able to feel infertile eggs in the tummy. It is quite common for BDs to have periodic digging sprees. 6 Months is very young for it to be gravid.

 

[Noella]

That's vermiculite Noella she's been busy digging away all day she only came out of it for a little rest now and again but she was exhausted by 7.30pm hopefully everything goes smoothly for her she's a busy little bee at the moment

So that's where that buzzing sound came from! LOL! Heard it all day long!

Lots of luck to her and you.

 

[khaleesi]

It is rare to be able to feel infertile eggs in the tummy. It is quite common for BDs to have periodic digging sprees. 6 Months is very young for it to be gravid.

Hey Germ, I've had a 2nd opinion from the breeder I got them from and she too thinks she's pregnant. I've supplied her with the Vermiculite just to be on the safe side if she isn't then all the better but it's best to be prepared. I was talking to a different breeder and he was saying that if a dragon is big enough they can start laying eggs from 3 months old she is 18 and a half inches at the moment (probably under estimated I usually measure short) her sexual organs are very prominent too which leads me to believe something is happening down there. She also rapidly gaining weight too I weighed her 3 days ago she weighed 325 grams and yesterday she weighed 334 grams, neither of them gain weight that fast Charlie grows faster and gains weight faster than Nibbler and he only weighs 324 grams at the moment. She is displaying lots of activity to suggest she is preparing to lay. Any suggestions if it isn't eggs?

 

[khaleesi]

This was her first proper attempt at digging a cave to lay but her 3rd cave she wasn't happy with any of them

 

[Germ]

I was looking at another pic in your other thread, that lay bin is much too small & the substrate much too shallow for it to tunnel satisfactorily so she will lay. I am also unsure if straight vermiculite will hold the tunnel long enough for her to be able to turn around to lay. Personally, I generally use Moistened Children's Washed Play Sand in a large plastic Tote (Rubbermaid) at a depth of 8" to a foot deep at on end if I am going to set up a lay Bin at all, because when I am using sand as their substrate, I pile it mostly into one corner so she can tunnel right in the enclosure. Here is some good info on laying ...

LAY BIN SETUP

EGG LAYING & THE THINGS THAT YOU WILL NEED

Read More: http://www.beardeddragonforum.com/index.php?threads/bearded-dragon-exclusive-care-info-library.5565/

Here is Sandy laying, she had dug 3 or 4 tunnels that were not satisfactory to her, so I placed a half log hide into the sand, she promptly went in to lay ...​

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Sandy Laid Again - Pic Heavy​

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Hope some of this helps if she is actually in laying mode.​

 

[khaleesi]

Thanks Germ I'll look into getting it fixed right Sandy is a little stunner