Reptile & Amphibian Forums

ok this is the second ive come home today and found my lizards dug under a heavy rock, luckily they are ok, but im wondering why they would be doing this. my guess is thats its too hot, and i may need to lower the heat,but it scared me because ive lost a lizard before to being crushed by a rock so im trying to figure this one out. its partially my fault for not putting it on the bottom, but i wondering why the are resorting to digging.
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Guy LoPresti
3.2 collared lizards (Lizzy,Stevie 2,Ike,Rocky clarice)
1.1 firebelly toads

Whats your heat? It's pretty normal for them to try and dig under rocks if there is enough sand to dig. I ahve heard so many horror stories about rocks squishing them, be careful. As you know , you always put the rock down first then the sand.

Do you have other females in there doing some of the digging? Maybe they are trying to prepare a nest.
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PHEve / Eve

it was actually the same female that just laid the 7 eggs, and i was wondering if maybe she wasnt done, but it was atleast 16 hours after she laid her eggs, so maybe she was just trying to keep cool. today i found one of my males and her digging a hole under a rock, he was all nestled up down there, she was trying to join him. i placed that rock on the bottm glas of the tank, they cant dig under it now.
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Guy LoPresti
3.2 collared lizards (Lizzy,Stevie 2,Ike,Rocky clarice)
1.1 firebelly toads

temps were 115 in the basking site so thats pretty normal, maybe a little too hot, but ill try and lower it.
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Guy LoPresti
3.2 collared lizards (Lizzy,Stevie 2,Ike,Rocky clarice)
1.1 firebelly toads

You did not say it was the female that just layed that was digging under the rock. The Moms can sometimes try and cover their eggs(they think they are there) for a week after. She knows she has eggs and is trying to keep them safe, but I would think since they are gone , she may be confused, and trying to make her nest area. So she does not get streesed just put a pile of sand / damp near the rock or where she wants the nest and let her dig. Or give her something SAFE she can get under and put the sand under there for her.

I do not know how you do it but when my females lay ( when done) I take them out of tank briefly, I dig up the eggs from her spot, take them and put the pile of sand back the way she had it, that way for the next few days she can continue to try and cover them and protect the nest thinking they are there.

Your girl can't find her nest it seems, so shes attempting to make another.
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PHEve / Eve

i thought it was something maternal, ill try and do make a alternative sight. ohhh and can someone please tell me what the proper humidity is for egg incubation????
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Guy LoPresti
3.2 collared lizards (Lizzy,Stevie 2,Ike,Rocky clarice)
1.1 firebelly toads