Reptile & Amphibian Forums

One of our large monitors that we had accepted to be a male is bloated with eggs... This same animal we had believed to have become sick - for no good reason- the temps were 135 (basking), the cage is at 80 % humidity, and lots of deep dirt(2feet-I believe it could or should be deeper). Her tail has lost a little bit of fat around the base and she seems to be breathing laboriously (which is why we thought HE was sick)and is digging as well. She has just began to dig today and does not seem satisfied anywhere(Maybe because it's so hard for me to leave her alone). The anticipation and nervous stomach is killing me! This is our first gravid varanid and from reading hear we are not expecting a fertile clutch the first time around- but this is still great!!! Thanks to all who contribute here and to Frank for bringing Mary and I out of "Stone Age" lizard husbandry.

OMG!!!!! You allowed Frank near her without a chaperone?HAHAHAHA

Scott
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Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

If I helped, your welcome. The the hard part is ahead of you. Actually your in the hard part.

Once they are gravid. You have or should have ALREADY done your work. The cage conditions, the nesting area, should have already been provided. Now all you can do is sit back and enjoy(in some twisted way) any mucking with them or their cage now is deleterious to a satisfactory result. ANYTHING, you do now cause only cause harm.

IF he is gravid(at times i wonder why we even attempt to call them a sex)(it really doesn't matter, the real females will make eggs, no matter what we call them) He/she will reveal if you have prepared the cage in a satisfactory way. In not, hopefully you can try again. But keep in mind, you have a limited time in which to do so. Generally four or five failed attempts at breeding is about all you get. That is, unless your very good at being not so good.

By the way your off to a not so good start. A good start is, no frantic digging(that is a sign of no proper nesting) With good nesting, the hole was dug or known about a long time prior to this, then when the time comes, they simply "go down"(or in) and lay their eggs within a few hours, and are often back up and hunting with a REAL attitude.

So congrats, fasten your seat belts and enjoy this, no matter what happens. Cheers

p.s. even if you get good eggs the important event will not occur for months and months, you know, the one where the label "success" can be attacted too. Oh wait, those have to live to actually be called a success. Some here call dead babies a success, I cannot figure how you can do that. Its merely a near miss. but as much as a failure as no eggs, or infertile eggs.