# Bearded Dragon Digging alot...



## Brat (Oct 7, 2007)

Ok, I know most people will have "Gravid!" in their head just reading this title...
Ok, first things, the environment, sex etc.

-4x2x2 Viv.
-Unsexed, housed with another unsexed BD.
-Correct temps.
-10-11 months old.

Yoshi has been digging for the last few days, 
digs down to bare viv floor then seems satisified and goes off to bask again. Next day, does the same, digs another hole in the sand etc.

First thing I thought was "Oh dear, possibly gravid?!" but to be honest, Yoshi doesn't look any bigger than normal and is very young although it's not unheard of.

I've seen no visual sign of them mating, and also I don't know the sex of either although I do think the other is male, after checking his undercarriage a while back. I've added a pic of Yoshi's "Bits" and the more I look, the more I think female.. so either way I'll have to seperate or introduce another female anyway.

Can anyone think of any other reason for the excessive digging lately? Or could it be down to boredom/something to do..

Oh, here's a vid...

YouTube - Bearded Dragon Digging


And the more I look at this pic, the more I think Yoshi looks fat..


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## PRS (Dec 31, 2007)

Might be gravid or just fat lol


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## Brat (Oct 7, 2007)

Helpful, lol.. 
He/She's definitely not overweight or chubby or anything.. I shall go and fetch my "Weigh in book" and post a few weights..


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## daz30347 (Aug 30, 2007)

not sure if she would gravid or not, but she looks to be female, 
I put a red circle round the lump which shows she is probably female,








As she is in with another unsexed Beardie, she could be gravid, but this is dangerous at such a young age
HTH


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## Catherine896 (Jul 27, 2007)

Looks female to me from that pic.
It does sound like gravid behaviour, especially considering you dont know the sexes...
You should be able to feel eggs inside of her. Obviously do it really gently.


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## Pleco07 (Aug 15, 2007)

Dennis had been the same for about two weeks. He's definetly male in a 4x2x2, temps are all good.

I think he just likes digging. I f i want him to stop digging i just let him run around the house for a couple of hours, usually sorts him out.


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## HadesDragons (Jun 30, 2007)

It looks like it's a female, in which case they need separating now - it may already be too late though...

Digging can be caused by them being gravid, or because they want somewhere to sleep at night. Sometimes they will just randomly dig because they feel like it.

Post up some weights - if there's been a sudden spike in weight gain (and not a spike in length) then it could indicate her being gravid. If she keeps on digging then put in a laying tray of damp sand and see what she does with it.


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## Brat (Oct 7, 2007)

Ok, weights are:

18/11/07 - 118.4 grams
24/11/07 - 135.9 grams
09/12/07 - 140.9 grams
16/12/07 - 164.2 grams
31/12/07 - 164.2 grams
13/01/08 - 174.7 grams
06/02/08 - 169.6 grams
15/02/08 - 166.0 grams

As you can see, it rapidly went up late last year but has slowly started creeping down again.


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## Brat (Oct 7, 2007)

Bumpy..


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## HadesDragons (Jun 30, 2007)

Hmmm....

If it was me, I would split them up now, just in case - she looks female, and if you think the other one is a male then it's better to be on the safe side...

Make sure she gets as much food as she wants for the next 2-3 weeks incase she is gravid, and make sure she's properly supplemented etc. If she's still digging in a week (before that if you want) then put in a laying tray for her. Mix some water in with playsand until it's damp. You want it so it's damp enough that you can dig a hole in it and it holds its shape, but not so wet that any tunnels/holes start slowly collapsing/sliding. Dig her a 6" deep starter hole, and put her head-first into it wach day. If she is gravid, she will probably adapt this hole and lay her eggs in it.

Keep massaging her belly (it's easiest if you do this whilst she's in the bath, so she doesn't tense her stomach muscles) to see if you can feel any eggs. If you feel any or she does lay, then get her to a vet to have her X-rayed to make sure that she has passed all of the eggs - at her age and weight there is a real risk of her becoming egg-bound, do it's important to get a vet to check her over if she does produce eggs.

Chances are she isn't - she would probably be far hungrier and gaining weight more rapidly if she was - but just be aware that there is the chance there, and there are signs that you should be watching out for.


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## Brat (Oct 7, 2007)

Thanks Hades, you pretty much said everything I was already prepared to do.. although at this moment in time I have no means of splitting them, I sold a couple of vivs a couple of months ago - D'oh.
If the worst comes to worst and I need to seperate her fast then I will move a Leo into a faunarium and she can pop in the leo viv temporarily.

I shall get pics of Fatty's "Bits" and see if people agree he's male and then I'll look into possibly adding another female dragon, as breeding would be on my agenda, obviously at a decent age though.


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## Brat (Oct 7, 2007)

Well she's been laying for an hour and a half and has currently popped out 14 eggs !!


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## HadesDragons (Jun 30, 2007)

Brat said:


> Well she's been laying for an hour and a half and has currently popped out 14 eggs !!


Wow...I would not have expected that at all - she must look really thin and haggard now??

If I was you I would get her to a vet in the next couple of days to get her X-ray'd to make sure there aren't any eggs left in there. If there are then she will need treatment to avoid egg binding / toxicity.


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## Brat (Oct 7, 2007)

Oh yes she's look extremely thin.. 133 grams to be exact! See my other thread..


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