# Bearded dragon infertile egg laying help



## Jez&Kayla (Nov 27, 2011)

Our max had dropped an egg a few weeks ago and we didn't know what it was as it was very yellow and squashed

A week later and she was glass dancing everyday, I thought she might be impacted so we bathed her everyday and tried to feed her some more "looser" veg to help her pass it but nothing worked, she hadn't pooped in a week and wasn't eating

Much research later showed us it was an egg she layed and that she may be ready to lay more eggs, not being with a male made us think they are infertile

Now to the hard part, we have put her in a lay box with a heat lamp and given her privacy but it's the second day and she just lays there (although as I write this she is digging)










My question is how long will it take for her to lay or have we already passed her laying time and now she can't pass any eggs?

Any help is much needed!

Thanks


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## jennas (Nov 6, 2010)

i would watch her closley she may be egg bound and if thats the case she will need to go to the vets asap. How long has she been digging for.


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## Bennewell (Apr 5, 2012)

Have you taken her out of her Viv and into a box?


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## Jez&Kayla (Nov 27, 2011)

She started digging/glass dancing last Monday

She is out of her viv and in a box, she was in there last night but fell asleep so I put her back in her viv today because I didn't want her escaping the box but now she is back in the box and making a cave


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## Jez&Kayla (Nov 27, 2011)

Oh! She's laid an egg!!!


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## Jez&Kayla (Nov 27, 2011)

She is digging some more, can I expect lots more, how long will she take?

It's white and shaped unlike a yellow flat one, could it be fertile? She met a German giant about 4/5 months ago and he bit her but I don't think they did the nasty


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## Jez&Kayla (Nov 27, 2011)

She seems to be burying it? Maybe there's more in there or maybe it's just the one? Shall I check?


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## Jez&Kayla (Nov 27, 2011)

Oh great, she's escaped after a 10 minute search she was under the bed, still only one egg and put her back in


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## Bennewell (Apr 5, 2012)

Is there any way you could put that tub in her viv or a tub in the viv? Some beardies like to lay at night, she may be more comfortable laying in her own viv


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## Paul P (Feb 10, 2009)

why is the laying box not in the viv, surely the stress of keep moving her won't do her any good?
If you suspect a dragons gravid then put a lay box in her viv giving her ample time for her to choose to lay in that box.


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## Bennewell (Apr 5, 2012)

And there should be a lot more eggs, 15-25


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## Rach and Io (Sep 29, 2012)

Olwen's just come out of this. We've not had her too long, she's 3ish years old, we are her 3rd set of owners, had her in August. 
Also never been around a male, never laid before either! (Must have made her feel right at home lol), not long finished taking her to the vets about another thing.

Basically we came home one day from work to find this: 









Basically she laid around a total of 20ish eggs. This was the first clutch. A week or so later she laid 2 in the bath. Then a week after that she laid some more in the viv and a few more in the bath. (We gave her a bath after she laid so we could remove them without upsetting her) We did give her tissue and leave her bury them first. 

I was on the phone having a review with the vet as it happens when she first laid and asked him about it.
He told us if she's not straining a lot and eggs are passing not to worry.
He also said she might go off her food for a bit (which she did) and come out of the viv a lot to "explore" for a new nesting place (which she also did).

I know it's really scary and you wish you could do something for her but the best you can do is keep feeding her (maybe add a extra live food or two depending how you feed her) and keep her hydrated. 
We used a sports bottle to drip water on her nose, she lapped when thursty, bathing is good for hydration too (as they take it up through the vent). Also calm her down and help her pass them.

Don't worry though, unless she seems in stress you shouldn't stress. Nature will tell her what to do 

If you want to ask any more questions please feel free to ask or PM me, alternatively if really in doubt give your vet a ring, I'm sure they will be more than happy to offer advice too


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## Paul P (Feb 10, 2009)

Bennewell said:


> Is there any way you could put that tub in her viv or a tub in the viv? Some beardies like to lay at night, she may be more comfortable laying in her own viv



Sorry m8, you had the same thought as me and we must have posted almost at the same time, lol

But seriously stressing her out while shes in the process of laying can lead to all sorts of problems, the eggs arnt fertile anyway so just let her be untill shes laid them in the box and back filled the hole, that way you know shes done.


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## Jez&Kayla (Nov 27, 2011)

Thanks for the help

I put her in a separate lay box because I saw a load of videos on YouTube so I assumed that's what you had to do 

I can put a smaller box in her viv with the sand and just let her get on with it? Thing is she laid one egg then escaped and I found her on the other side of the room asleep because it was too cold for her so now I've put her back with a lid on (vented)

Paul she did back fill the hole but she only laid one


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## Paul P (Feb 10, 2009)

ok she should be alright if left alone for whlie to get on with it, unfertile eggs are alot harder for them to pass than fetile rigid eggs, so it may take a little while.


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## Bennewell (Apr 5, 2012)

She's would of only layed one because of stress due to changing environment put her in her viv with a tub she can lay in and watch her carefully for the next 24hrs


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## Bennewell (Apr 5, 2012)

Paul P said:


> Sorry m8, you had the same thought as me and we must have posted almost at the same time, lol
> 
> But seriously stressing her out while shes in the process of laying can lead to all sorts of problems, the eggs arnt fertile anyway so just let her be untill shes laid them in the box and back filled the hole, that way you know shes done.


Great minds think alike :2thumb:


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## Jez&Kayla (Nov 27, 2011)

I just found it weird she laid one, covered it up and escaped! 

She hasn't eaten or passed poop in a week, she will eat one locust a day but normally she's a right pig!

Scared the shit out of me when I got back home and she had legged it! I have a big room (25/30 ft long) and she managed to climb a big step and get to the other side

Ok I'll put her back in the viv with another box when I get home (20min) 

Should I put the box under the lamp or middle or cool side?


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## Bennewell (Apr 5, 2012)

If no more eggs by sat then a trip to the vets is needed but hopefully they will come soon.


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## Jez&Kayla (Nov 27, 2011)

Ok thankyou, do you know if they charge alot? Wrong time of year for vets bills! Lol


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## Bennewell (Apr 5, 2012)

Not sure but if she's egg bound she will need a op otherwise it will be bad news, what a lot of people do is have a rep fund a little bit away each month covers stuff like this

That's if it come to this, lets hope she lays plenty more tomorrow


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## Jez&Kayla (Nov 27, 2011)

Well we have 17 little critters to care for lol

Just paid for a holiday in 2 weeks time and Xmas coming up I hope she lays!


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## Paul P (Feb 10, 2009)

Have you had her from a baby, the reason I ask is the last pic of her shows an egg that to me doesnt look infertile, could she have had contact with a male within the last couple of months or so, she may have retained sperm you never know. That could also be why she has expelled an infertile egg before laying the rest of the clutch.


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## Bennewell (Apr 5, 2012)

Yeah that is bad timing! Keep us updated and anything else just ask


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## Jez&Kayla (Nov 27, 2011)

We had her from a baby yes, she met a German giant about 4/5 months ago but I'm pretty sure he didn't do the deed, he went to bite her and Kayla rescued her

Thanks for all your help, I'll get a box setup when I get in and not move her again, although she loves attention and being handled so I hope it doesn't cause too much stress


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## Paul P (Feb 10, 2009)

Jez&Kayla said:


> We had her from a baby yes, she met a German giant about 4/5 months ago but I'm pretty sure he didn't do the deed, he went to bite her and Kayla rescued her


Were they housed together long?


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## Jez&Kayla (Nov 27, 2011)

For about 45 min lol


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## Bennewell (Apr 5, 2012)

Good chance that could be a fertile egg! Do you have a incubator?


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## Paul P (Feb 10, 2009)

That maybe all that was needed, so I would suggest you put whatever eggs are laid in an incubator if you wanted to hatch some or freeze and dispose of them.

If on the other hand she continues to have laying problems a trip to the vets doesnt always have to result in surgery, they may well be able to manipulate them or give her an oxytosin injection which speeds things along.


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## Jez&Kayla (Nov 27, 2011)

We don't have an incubator 

She is back in her viv with a lay box


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## Bennewell (Apr 5, 2012)

Any update on her? She layed more?


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## Jez&Kayla (Nov 27, 2011)

No more been layed but she has done a small poo and is a bit more active


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## Jez&Kayla (Nov 27, 2011)

shes laying now! can see about 6/7 but theres more under her and shes still going!

i know she will be done when she burys them, what shall i do after? let her rest and just leave her loads of water and goodies covered in calcium?










do they loo fertile?


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## Rach and Io (Sep 29, 2012)

We use to give Olwen around 30-60 mins to make sure she was done then we'd give her a bath (Make sure there was no gunk on her and to relax her) while she was in the bath one of us would look after her while the other cleaned out her eggs and give her viv a quick clean (but they were in her viv not sure if she's laid in the viv with you this time). 
Then we'd put her back in the nice clean viv and feed her some goodies ^_^


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## Jez&Kayla (Nov 27, 2011)

27 in total!

we let her rest a bit, gave her a little bath and now she is chasing food about the cage lie before!

i want to thank everyone for your help for helping us in this we couldnt have done it without you lot!


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## Bennewell (Apr 5, 2012)

That's good news she layed them all, are incubating them?or freezing?


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## Rach and Io (Sep 29, 2012)

Glad she's getting back to her normal self 

Thank you too, you reminded us of when Olwen started laying and we think we figured out why. We read online infertile eggs can be triggered by a female encountering male beardie hormones, well we just clicked reading your thread that just before she started to lay we had taken her to the vets, and the vet was saying "Olwen's the second beardie we've seen today, the other one is getting ready for an op to remove an impactation, poor GUY" *ping! light bulbs come on*

That's what clicked with me, the other beardie could have very well been examined in the same room, x-rayed on the same table or even passed her while she was there.

Thank you for jogging our memory!


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## Jez&Kayla (Nov 27, 2011)

Ok 1 month later and she just dropped another 18!??

Is this normal?

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2


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## Rach and Io (Sep 29, 2012)

Not sure about that one, ours stopped after her lot and ain't had nothing since. But yet again she's not come into contact with any males/male scents (which we think set her off last time).

It could be the same clutch though, beardies can pause laying for weeks between sessions maybe she was just making some more?


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## Bennewell (Apr 5, 2012)

Yes completely normal to lay a 2nd clutch should stop after this lot for another year.


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## Jez&Kayla (Nov 27, 2011)

Everyday shes laying she dropped a couple yestersay and i found 3 this morning

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## Rach and Io (Sep 29, 2012)

Is it possible to give your vet a ring? If your worried about it a little piece of mind is usually a good thing. 

We were just curious when Olwen started laying, the vet was busy at the time but he made the time to phone us back and everything, he's well good!


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