# Mountain Horned Dragon Eggs Question



## Red Cross Knight

Hello everyone, just came across this forum and figured I'd post my question here as well as continuing to research and calling the vet. 

My wife's MHD has laid 8 eggs this evening, we noticed she had been digging the last few week or more but didnt think much of it (though wife said at the start maybe she was looking to build a nest, guess she was right.. again...) 

Anyway, so now the question is if these eggs could even remotely be fertilized. We bought her from PetSmart about 6 months ago (end of april/beginning of may), she wasnt that big though cant remember the exact size now. I called PetSmart and they said they dont usually keep there MHDs together, but sometimes they do due to space issues, however they are typically young when they get them and not mature. 

We have two MHDs but they are both females and both in separate tanks atm. So I guess my question is should I look into a DIY incubator or assume these eggs are infertile and remove them?


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## Salazare Slytherin

I have kept both males and females separately equally I have kept them in pairs too, never once had a female cycle on me and drop eggs unless she was mated with a male. 

I would assume they are fertile if I were you, although admitedly the time raises question marks for me and I can only go by what I have expirienced with what I say, it isn't unherd of for reps to retain sperm.

Compared with many other lizard species, they are fairly good hatching at cooler temps, compared to water dragons and the like.

They are pretty cool and easy maintenance lizards, I would love to see more captive efforts on these lizards. 
I have been after some more myself for a while now, so I would give it a shot?


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## Red Cross Knight

Thanks for the quick reply.

Could you recommend any DIY Incubator links?


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## Red Cross Knight

*Update*

Wife just informed me that the lizard laid 9, then went and walked through the 'nest' moving the eggs around, and now she is head butting the eggs, which is shoving them under the substrate, but at the same time looks to be rotating the eggs. 

Really don't want to stick my hand in there to grab her, i like my fingers.


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## Salazare Slytherin

Red Cross Knight said:


> *Update*
> 
> Wife just informed me that the lizard laid 9, then went and walked through the 'nest' moving the eggs around, and now she is head butting the eggs, which is shoving them under the substrate, but at the same time looks to be rotating the eggs.
> 
> Really don't want to stick my hand in there to grab her, i like my fingers.


Interesting observation, mystypical observed a strange what seemed parental behavior with these also.

Tbh, I just used a poly box, there will be loads of links and guides around to set one up. : victory:


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## Red Cross Knight

Update #2:

She finished burying the eggs and is now sleeping beside them; picked up a container earlier, seems you cant buy a foam cooler in November, going to have to keep hunting for one, however I have a bunch of styrofoam I've been using for another project that I think I will just cut into a 'box' form and put the container in it, now just need to figure out heating. One post I read suggested water with an aquarium heater and some bricks; might be my best option atm.


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## tomcannon

Red Cross Knight said:


> Update #2:
> 
> She finished burying the eggs and is now sleeping beside them; picked up a container earlier, seems you cant buy a foam cooler in November, going to have to keep hunting for one, however I have a bunch of styrofoam I've been using for another project that I think I will just cut into a 'box' form and put the container in it, now just need to figure out heating. One post I read suggested water with an aquarium heater and some bricks; might be my best option atm.


I have heard that works well but only for eggs that require humid environments. I haven't a clue about MHD breeding so don't know whether this is suitable or not?


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## Red Cross Knight

Found the following on FroggieB's site:



> Once the female has left the nesting site, carefully remove the eggs without turning them over. Place the eggs in moist vermiculite or perlite in deli cups or Rubbermaid type sandwich containers. The only luck I have had with incubating MHD eggs has been to keep them at 64°-70° F with a humidity of 50%.


So I ended up just using a Styrofoam container and just placed it on top my entertainment center away from drafts. 

Side note, how should a lizard behave after laying eggs? Ours is currently lying on a log hasnt moved in the last 12 hours or so. She did have dirt in her eyes so we rinsed them with warm water. This morning she was still where we put her last night, refused to eat earth worm, cricket or meal worms and both her eyes remained closed. Wife worried now as she's holding her and she's not moving/opening her eyes at all. 

Is this normal behavior for a MHD/lizard?

Picture below:


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## Red Cross Knight

Forgot to add...Current concern is her eyes as she isnt opening either one. We've been rinsing them with water twice in last 24 hours and seems to be allot of dirt coming out, also noticed a bit of discharge from one this morning, I'm guessing this is normal as she was using her head to move around the eggs/soil and they will return to normal once she regains her energy and decides to go for a soak.


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## XtremeReptiles

If i was you i would maybe put her in the bath for a soak with some reptiboost to allow her to gain some energy and then just leave her be she must be quite tired. : victory:


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## Salazare Slytherin

Any reptile dropping eggs it takes alot out of them, their calcium and nutritional levels will be depleted, everything would have went into those eggs. 

It really can knock the heck out of females.

Feed her up mate as much as she can eat, keep her well hydrated (regular mistings) and dust all foods with a good multivitamin and calcium supplement. 
Just let her be otherwise.

MHD's are quite lazy by nature anyways, they don't really do anything apart from sit around the best part of the time. : victory:

I wish her a speedy recovery and good luck with the eggs.

Hope that helps.


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## mstypical

Salazare Slytherin said:


> Interesting observation, mystypical observed a strange what seemed parental behavior with these also.


Yes I did, unfortunately my female was WC and had been acquired already gravid (I didn't know this at the time) and all of her eggs were infertile. However she did seem to want to stay with the eggs, showing visible distress when I removed them, so I tried for maternal incubation (obviously before I knew they were infertile), whereby I simply put them in a moss box in the warmer half of the viv. The male and female both seemed to understand what was going on, she spent most of her time sat on the egg box, and he refused food until she had eaten and stopped, i.e. she'd had enough; then he would tuck in. I may have photos somewhere i'll try and dig them out.

Here are my two


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## mstypical

Red Cross Knight said:


> This morning she was still where we put her last night, refused to eat earth worm, cricket or meal worms and both her eyes remained closed. Wife worried now as she's holding her and she's not moving/opening her eyes at all.
> 
> Is this normal behavior for a MHD/lizard?
> 
> Picture below:
> 
> image


Look familiar?










As already said they are quite lazy when they want to be, mine would fall asleep on me to the point where I could wiggle them around and place them back in their viv without them once waking up. Just make sure they are not too warm, especially if you have just started using the central heating in the house again? If the viv is near the radiator MOVE IT, I made this mistake fatally with a juvenile I bought last year.


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## Salazare Slytherin

xtreme must have replied just as I was typing, I didn't see his post, yeah that would be a better idea tbh if she isn't moving (which for some reason I missed that part too? it will be a huge and much needed energy lifter, it should help encourage an appetite too.

I would be tempted to use luke warm water, not too hot or cold, hot temps kill these guys! 

Good luck for her.


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## Red Cross Knight

Good news, about an hour ago went up to check on her and she was hanging from the mesh on the top of her tank (her usual night time spot). When we approached she came over to the side of the tank (which is a little odd) anyway, wife took her out and cleaned her eye again, gave her some Repti-Boost (Turns out we had some unopened from the ppl who gave us our first MHD) she wasnt thrilled with it, but ate it. Probably would have eaten some meal worms but we're currently waiting on what we have to grow feeding 1mm or smaller meal worms is difficult (yet alone finding them). 

Thanks for the help everyone, guess now its a wait and see with the eggs.


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## Red Cross Knight

Hey all, 

Follow up question to this thread. Due to the her using her head to move eggs/soil one of the lizards eyes is still closed. We have been rinsing it out last few days but she is keeping it closed still. not sure if its getting stuck from discharge from her eye or still some residual dirt in her eye. She also is still acting fairly weak and not moving around much, but seems to have regained her appetite as she devoured about 20 sm/med meal worms this evening. 

Wife wants to get some eye drops in case it has turned into an infection.Any thoughts/experience that could be helpful? 

Our other MHD has a lump above her eye, had in before we got her and we haven't been able to get rid of it, and vets only recommendations where $600 surgery or putting her down. But she seems to be happy enough and not in pain, so letting her be for now. Anyway, that's off topic.


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## mstypical

Red Cross Knight said:


> Hey all,
> 
> Follow up question to this thread. Due to the her using her head to move eggs/soil one of the lizards eyes is still closed. We have been rinsing it out last few days but she is keeping it closed still. not sure if its getting stuck from discharge from her eye or still some residual dirt in her eye. She also is still acting fairly weak and not moving around much, but seems to have regained her appetite as she devoured about 20 sm/med meal worms this evening.
> 
> Wife wants to get some eye drops in case it has turned into an infection.Any thoughts/experience that could be helpful?
> 
> Our other MHD has a lump above her eye, had in before we got her and we haven't been able to get rid of it, and vets only recommendations where $600 surgery or putting her down. But she seems to be happy enough and not in pain, so letting her be for now. Anyway, that's off topic.


 
Are you supplementing her food with calcium and nutrobal? Also I fed mine waxworms after she'd laid, fattens them back up a bit and is a bit of a treat after all their effort. Some people say they get 'addicted', i've never seen any lizard get addicted solely to waxworms so not sure how true that is. If she still shows no improvements though i'd go to the vet. Reptiles don't show pain so you have no way of knowing that they're pain-free or not.


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## Salazare Slytherin

Red Cross Knight said:


> Hey all,
> 
> Follow up question to this thread. Due to the her using her head to move eggs/soil one of the lizards eyes is still closed. We have been rinsing it out last few days but she is keeping it closed still. not sure if its getting stuck from discharge from her eye or still some residual dirt in her eye. She also is still acting fairly weak and not moving around much, but seems to have regained her appetite as she devoured about 20 sm/med meal worms this evening.
> 
> Wife wants to get some eye drops in case it has turned into an infection.Any thoughts/experience that could be helpful?
> 
> Our other MHD has a lump above her eye, had in before we got her and we haven't been able to get rid of it, and vets only recommendations where $600 surgery or putting her down. But she seems to be happy enough and not in pain, so letting her be for now. Anyway, that's off topic.


I agree with mystypical, get some supplements into her and feed her up as much as she can eat as long as she is eating something, my guys used to go mad for earthworms! 

Reptiles don't show illness very well, so yes they will seem all "happy and like nothing is wrong, this is how they have evolved, sick and weak animals make for easy targets, they can't express emotion, feelings like we can so an ill animal can seem perfectly healthy and act like nothing is wrong, us as keepers often need to draw a line between that small detail. : victory:

With the eye, I am not sure what that is and it is difficult to to try and make a guess without a pic I can't say I have ever had that happen? is it possible some small particulate form the substrate could be traped in there? if that was the case I suppose some rinsing might help to flush it out, when we get something in our eyes we often keep our eyes closed as a reaction, and if not removed can become swollen?


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