New member and new Beardie

[Hdrydr31]

Ruth is doing good. I have a bad feeling that she'll be giving me some more slugs within the week. This time I'm prepared, though. I've been loading her up with extra calcium and dubias along with her daily greens. She's only picked at her salads lately, which she did last time before laying.

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Poor girl time to recoup not lay more slugs... sigh glad your loading her up to help her.. keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Eavlynn]

Oh no! I am so so sorry to hear this. Poor Ruth! My heart goes out to her. She is a trooper, that's for sure. This has to wearing her out especially with the MBD. This will be clutch #3, right? It sounds like you are on top of things and now know the signs. That's good that you notice the difference. [emoji4] You are such a great beardie mommy!!

Thank you for the update on Ruth.

Yep, this will be number 3. She's got a vet appt this Saturday to get checked over, another fecal run, full blood work testing and an xray. If all of that comes back clean, we'll get her through this clutch, get her strength up, and have the surgery done to have her spayed.

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[Hdrydr31]

Yep, this will be number 3. She's got a vet appt this Saturday to get checked over, another fecal run, full blood work testing and an xray. If all of that comes back clean, we'll get her through this clutch, get her strength up, and have the surgery done to have her spayed.

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I know that's not the easiest way to go but in the long run it's best for Ruth she's just not getting enough time between...Good luck and keep us posted

 

[Eavlynn]

And it begins!...so I thought. Yesterday before I scurried off to work, Ruth went to the bathroom and out popped a slug. So I covered up the front of her enclosure for privacy and went on my way. When I came back, there were no more slugs. Surely she had more than one in there, I thought. So I gave her a bath, and palpated her belly. I felt three lumps, and if you feel a few, there's more that you dont. I'm hoping she passes them before her vet appt. Until then, I'm giving her lots of calcium dusted roaches and warm soaks, since that seemed to help her get things moving last time. I didn't even know she was carrying clutch 2 until after she had a warm soak, went back into her enclosure, and out they came!

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[Hdrydr31]

And it begins!...so I thought. Yesterday before I scurried off to work, Ruth went to the bathroom and out popped a slug. So I covered up the front of her enclosure for privacy and went on my way. When I came back, there were no more slugs. Surely she had more than one in there, I thought. So I gave her a bath, and palpated her belly. I felt three lumps, and if you feel a few, there's more that you dont. I'm hoping she passes them before her vet appt. Until then, I'm giving her lots of calcium dusted roaches and warm soaks, since that seemed to help her get things moving last time. I didn't even know she was carrying clutch 2 until after she had a warm soak, went back into her enclosure, and out they came!

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Awe poor baby fingers crossed this will be her last clutch.. hang in there

 

[Eavlynn]

I put a lay box in Ruth's enclosure. She usually ignores them, but she's been ready to lay her slugs and hasnt. In hopes of encouraging her to lay so she didn't become egg bound, I made a brilliant little handicap accessible lay box for her, much better than my first prototype. She seems to like this one and is currently gifting me with slugs once again.

Once she's finished up, I'll post some photos of my simple but effective set up. In the event that you have a disabled dragon in need of a lay box, this is an easy way to make one. It would even work for perfectly healthy dragons

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[Eavlynn]

Ruth laid 16 slugs this time. If all goes well, this will be the last clutch she ever lays. I can't wait to put some weight on her and get her back up to par!

Her lay box:
Materials:
1.Moist substrate: I used spagnum moss that I always keep on hand, but vermiculite or other commonly used materials can be used.
2. A box: cut the flaps off of the top, and cut an opening in one of the sides
3. A flat and shallow dish or sheet, the same size as the box: I used a baking sheet.

My box:

Place moist substrate on the dish/sheet

Place the box over the sheet and voila! You have a lay bin, which is handicapped beardie and healthy beardie accessible with items frequently found in your home.

The end result:

I whipped this up in less than 10 minutes. I knew she was ready to lay, but this time she was picky about the conditions. Providing a lay box makes them feel as though they have a safe place for their eggs, and helps them feel more secure during the laying process. During some more research, I learned that if not provided a lay box, some dragons may refuse to lay their eggs, which can lead to egg binding and serious complications. If you suspect your dragon might be gravid, providing a simple lay box like this can go a long way to keeping your dragon happy and healthy

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[Hdrydr31]

Ruth laid 16 slugs this time. If all goes well, this will be the last clutch she ever lays. I can't wait to put some weight on her and get her back up to par!

Her lay box:
Materials:
1.Moist substrate: I used spagnum moss that I always keep on hand, but vermiculite or other commonly used materials can be used.
2. A box: cut the flaps off of the top, and cut an opening in one of the sides
3. A flat and shallow dish or sheet, the same size as the box: I used a baking sheet.

My box:

Place moist substrate on the dish/sheet

Place the box over the sheet and voila! You have a lay bin, which is handicapped beardie and healthy beardie accessible with items frequently found in your home.

The end result:

I whipped this up in less than 10 minutes. I knew she was ready to lay, but this time she was picky about the conditions. Providing a lay box makes them feel as though they have a safe place for their eggs, and helps them feel more secure during the laying process. During some more research, I learned that if not provided a lay box, some dragons may refuse to lay their eggs, which can lead to egg binding and serious complications. If you suspect your dragon might be gravid, providing a simple lay box like this can go a long way to keeping your dragon happy and healthy

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Thank you very much for sharing what works for Ruth!! I will keep this in mind as I debate on what to do if Izzy becomes gravid now that we have Simon in the house (no they won't ever be allowed to mate but sometimes it triggers them into laying eggs).

 

[RaeAnn]

Ruth laid 16 slugs this time. If all goes well, this will be the last clutch she ever lays. I can't wait to put some weight on her and get her back up to par!

Her lay box:
Materials:
1.Moist substrate: I used spagnum moss that I always keep on hand, but vermiculite or other commonly used materials can be used.
2. A box: cut the flaps off of the top, and cut an opening in one of the sides
3. A flat and shallow dish or sheet, the same size as the box: I used a baking sheet.

My box:

Place moist substrate on the dish/sheet

Place the box over the sheet and voila! You have a lay bin, which is handicapped beardie and healthy beardie accessible with items frequently found in your home.

The end result:

I whipped this up in less than 10 minutes. I knew she was ready to lay, but this time she was picky about the conditions. Providing a lay box makes them feel as though they have a safe place for their eggs, and helps them feel more secure during the laying process. During some more research, I learned that if not provided a lay box, some dragons may refuse to lay their eggs, which can lead to egg binding and serious complications. If you suspect your dragon might be gravid, providing a simple lay box like this can go a long way to keeping your dragon happy and healthy

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Glad to hear she's doing okay poor baby. She's blessed to have such a great mommy that looks out for her the way you do.
That's really great info you have provided. Having a female myself I've often worried what to do when/if that time comes. Do you put the box in her enclosure? If so does it go on the cool side or warm side for her?


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[Eavlynn]

Thank you very much for sharing what works for Ruth!! I will keep this in mind as I debate on what to do if Izzy becomes gravid now that we have Simon in the house (no they won't ever be allowed to mate but sometimes it triggers them into laying eggs).

Even without the presence of a male, they may lay slugs. From what I've read, it can be pretty hit or miss. Ruth's previous home was male free and she still laid slugs for them. I think that's the biggest reason they gave her up.

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[Eavlynn]

Glad to hear she's doing okay poor baby. She's blessed to have such a great mommy that looks out for her the way you do.
That's really great info you have provided. Having a female myself I've often worried what to do when/if that time comes. Do you put the box in her enclosure? If so does it go on the cool side or warm side for her?


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I put the lay box on the cool side, since that was where she was spending most of her time the past few days. The photos were taken outside of her enclosure for simplicity. There's a good chance that you won't have to worry about your girl laying slugs, but if she does, you know where to ask for help! I'm sure I'm not the only one who has a slug layer haha. Although, I haven't seen any other members posting about gravid girls. But if the time comes that you need info or ideas on what to do, I'm more than willing to help out. It can be super stressful for us being the worried parents that we are, especially the first time it happens!

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[RaeAnn]

I put the lay box on the cool side, since that was where she was spending most of her time the past few days. The photos were taken outside of her enclosure for simplicity. There's a good chance that you won't have to worry about your girl laying slugs, but if she does, you know where to ask for help! I'm sure I'm not the only one who has a slug layer haha. Although, I haven't seen any other members posting about gravid girls. But if the time comes that you need info or ideas on what to do, I'm more than willing to help out. It can be super stressful for us being the worried parents that we are, especially the first time it happens!

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I really appreciate that. I will definitely seek more advice when that time comes. I want to make sure I'm prepared to provide her with what she needs but I have yet to do any in depth research. At what age do they begin laying eggs? And how can you tell when they are about to lay?


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[JUNGLE JIM]

Way to go, very good idea. I will keep this in mind for my girls. Couldn't get it right 20 years ago with my other girls and they ended up laying them everywhere but where I wanted them to. Both laid single clutches for two years and then no more.

 

[Eavlynn]

I really appreciate that. I will definitely seek more advice when that time comes. I want to make sure I'm prepared to provide her with what she needs but I have yet to do any in depth research. At what age do they begin laying eggs? And how can you tell when they are about to lay?


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Bearded dragons can lay eggs at 8 to 9 months, though it's very uncommon. If they have never been bred, and lay slugs, they are usually 2 to 3 years old. It's not always easy to tell when they are gravid. They will get fatter than usual, a bit restless in their enclosure, and will start digging in their enclosure. The digging behavior has been the biggest give away for Ruth. Once she starts digging, it's 1 to 2 weeks before she lays slugs. You'll notice the fat stores on the top of their head will be depleted, they dig constantly, and with Ruth her vent swells a day or 2 before she lays (like dilation in women I suppose). The laying process can take a few hours to a couple days, but is usually rather uneventful. I cover up the enclosure for privacy and resist the urge to obsessively check on her haha.

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[RaeAnn]

Bearded dragons can lay eggs at 8 to 9 months, though it's very uncommon. If they have never been bred, and lay slugs, they are usually 2 to 3 years old. It's not always easy to tell when they are gravid. They will get fatter than usual, a bit restless in their enclosure, and will start digging in their enclosure. The digging behavior has been the biggest give away for Ruth. Once she starts digging, it's 1 to 2 weeks before she lays slugs. You'll notice the fat stores on the top of their head will be depleted, they dig constantly, and with Ruth her vent swells a day or 2 before she lays (like dilation in women I suppose). The laying process can take a few hours to a couple days, but is usually rather uneventful. I cover up the enclosure for privacy and resist the urge to obsessively check on her haha.

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That's all really good to know, especially for all of us users with female dragons who haven't gone through this yet. Now I'll have an idea of what I need to watch for. Spyra is only about 5 months so I'm praying if that time comes I still have a little while longer.


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[Eavlynn]

Way to go, very good idea. I will keep this in mind for my girls. Couldn't get it right 20 years ago with my other girls and they ended up laying them everywhere but where I wanted them to. Both laid single clutches for two years and then no more.

I wish Ruth could stick to one clutch a year, that would be manageable. The first time she laid, she didn't use the box, but it wasn't as MBD friendly as this version. The second time I wasn't aware she was gravid until the first slug appeared (she didn't look big at all and it ended up being her biggest clutch thus far! That'll teach me..), and I didn't want to disturb her after that. This time I knew it was coming and the box worked like a charm I hope my experiences and trial runs can help others so that they can feel more confident in a situation like this.

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[Eavlynn]

That's all really good to know, especially for all of us users with female dragons who haven't gone through this yet. Now I'll have an idea of what I need to watch for. Spyra is only about 5 months so I'm praying if that time comes I still have a little while longer.


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You definitely have time! And that's if it even happens at all. It's good to research just in case, knowledge is power! But try not to stress to much. It seems waaay more scary than it really is.

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[Hdrydr31]

Awesome info Eavlynn I do know that you can also feel them if you gently palpate their bellies..

 

[Eavlynn]

Awesome info Eavlynn I do know that you can also feel them if you gently palpate their bellies..

You can. I couldn't feel any with Ruth until a week or so before she laid. And I only felt a couple even though she was carrying 16 this time around. They definitely feel lumpy when gravid, though I think it would be easier to feel with larger viable eggs, over the smaller and softer slugs.

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[Eavlynn]

Ruth's vet appt went well. I'm going to slowly reduce her photo period. She's in pretty good shape for laying 3 clutches of slugs in 3 months and I was told that I've done a good job.

The vet was very knowledgeable and gave me a mazuri gel formula to add to her salad. I'll get more info on it to share with all of you so that you can implement it into your dragons diet as well, if you would like to. I was very unsure at first, until he gave me the nutritional breakdown of her current diet, versus the nutrition provided by supplementing the gel. You just add it to their salad and it gives them a multitude of nutrients that they wouldn't otherwise have. The nutrients are derived from natural resources too, so it's not a highly processed empty formula. It's actually rather brilliant.

She goes in for surgery on November 22nd. I'll be sending stool samples out to Helena at doctor dragons to make sure she's clear of parasites before her surgery and that all issues are addressed.

I feel really good about this vet. He's personally kept a plethora of reptiles from iguanas, to amazon tree boas, Leopard geckos, monitors, he's kept them all. I finally found a good vet! I feel like I should have taken notes on all of the information he gave me. He even gave me pointers on some of the other rescues to help get them on the straight and narrow. Fantastic guy.

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