Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Rorschach is giving me fits. She went to the vet today AGAIN for a blockage. I was terrified she had retained some eggs (it felt like eggs). The vet thought it was, until they took a radiograph. Idiot lizard ATE half her weight in SAND from her nest box. AGAIN. I seriously don't know what to do. She's well supplemented with vitamins and minerals including calcium - she just seems to LIKE eating sand. She's kept on reptile carpet, tile, and stone because of her substrate eating history. But what can I do when she has eggs to lay? She'll eat sand for sure, and I fear she'd also eat coco fiber or moss. What else can I provide for her to lay in?? The vet suggested maybe larger bark pieces and to hell with the eggs, but that sounds awful. Would she even lay in that? I don't know. Anyone have any suggestions?
-----
Torey
Eugene, Oregon, USA
1.1 Saharan Uros (Joe and Arthur)
3.0 Mali Uros (Spike, Turtle, and Tank)
1.1 Ornate Uros (Scuttlebutt and Shazzbot)
1.1 Collared Lizard (Ripcord and Rorschach)
2.0 Green Anoles (Bowser and Sprocket)
1.1 Chubby Housecats (Roscolux and Jenny)

Maybe some small fluffy towels wadded up in the corner? I don't know if she'd lay eggs in them, but at least they'd be harder to eat.
-----
0.1 2006 Western Hognose (Bebe)
0.1 age unknown Cane Toad (Hengo)
0.1 2005 White-Banded Sheen Skink (Minerva)
1.0 2006 Northern Diamondback Terrapin (Queequeg)
1.0 2006 Madagascan Speckled "Hognose" (Sigmund)
1.0 2008 Bullsnake (Winkle)
1.2 2008 Eastern Collared Lizards (Pancho, Lupe, and Chica)

Obviously with organic matter it would have to be replaced regularly to prevent mold, but maybe the question isn't "What won't she eat?' but "What would it be OK for her to eat?" Something digestible, perhaps even with nutritional value. How about ground moistened alfalfa pellets, for example? Or very finely grated sweet potato? Have a bunch of some type of herp-friendly vegetable fiber ready, and each night while she's not looking throw out the old stuff and put in a new batch.

Or... they'll lay eggs in the dark, won't they? I've heard of them using their hides to lay, but I have no idea how common it is. She won't eat in the dark though, right? Put a cave over the sandbox.

Just throwing some stuff out to get the ball rolling. Hopefully someone else will be along with better suggestions. I've had mine for a whole whopping month.
-----
0.1 2006 Western Hognose (Bebe)
0.1 age unknown Cane Toad (Hengo)
0.1 2005 White-Banded Sheen Skink (Minerva)
1.0 2006 Northern Diamondback Terrapin (Queequeg)
1.0 2006 Madagascan Speckled "Hognose" (Sigmund)
1.0 2008 Bullsnake (Winkle)
1.2 2008 Eastern Collared Lizards (Pancho, Lupe, and Chica)

Hey Jack, they are all good ideas, and you are one of us now, hehehehe, so never feel like you can't contribute anytime you want, we learn from EVERYONE no matter how long they have kept collareds.

Glad your jumping in, Hows yoru girl?
-----
PHEve / Eve

She finished her shed and went right back to eating voraciously. The frantic digging stopped after the shed, too. Still not showing any eggs, but the laying box is still in there.
-----
0.1 2006 Western Hognose (Bebe)
0.1 age unknown Cane Toad (Hengo)
0.1 2005 White-Banded Sheen Skink (Minerva)
1.0 2006 Northern Diamondback Terrapin (Queequeg)
1.0 2006 Madagascan Speckled "Hognose" (Sigmund)
1.0 2008 Bullsnake (Winkle)
1.2 2008 Eastern Collared Lizards (Pancho, Lupe, and Chica)

Thats what we like to hear FAT and Happy, sounds like ME, after I eat chicken wings, lol
-----
PHEve / Eve

I'm glad Rory will be okay! This girl is naughty I would have to do away with all sand. She will most likey lay her eggs anyway. I have some that won't use nests/sand they like to dig the sand but actually dig it out of there way and lay on the bare glass and themn do not cover anyway. Some females are meticulous about the whole process and cover them nicely, but then there are the sloppy ones .

I would toss in a big pile of oatmeal , maybe close to lay date mist it alittle , or wheat germ, something diggable so she has that fullfillment, but something that can not hurt her, and can just fall off the eggs.

Or ripped up paper towels, torn in strips and left in a pile , put on top of a few layers of damp paper towels that would line her nest.

Just anything safe and diggable or that she can think shes moving, with these kind of girls I try and be pretty precise on knowing when they mate, and when approx they will lay, so I can make the proper adjustments. lol
-----
PHEve / Eve

Thanks for the good ideas, you guys! I was so frustrated, I just couldn't think of anything. This gives me lots of choices! I'll have to think on it for a while. She was a very good momma - buried them fully and carefully in two separate piles.

She still hasn't passed anything, but she's got a third appointment tomorrow. She's an expensive little lizard after all this.

Here's yesterday's radiograph. What would make eating THAT MUCH SAND seem like a good idea??

-----
Torey
Eugene, Oregon, USA
1.1 Saharan Uros (Joe and Arthur)
3.0 Mali Uros (Spike, Turtle, and Tank)
1.1 Ornate Uros (Scuttlebutt and Shazzbot)
1.1 Collared Lizard (Ripcord and Rorschach)
2.0 Green Anoles (Bowser and Sprocket)
1.1 Chubby Housecats (Roscolux and Jenny)

My gosh!!!! I've never seen anything like that. How did you get her to pass it?? Was she given a laxative? Poor girl!

It hasn't passed yet. This is her third time doing this, and unfortunately this time it's more sand than ever before.

She gets warm soaks from me, then sub-Q fluids and enemas from the vet. He said it wasn't so hard today - felt like it was breaking up and moving down. She pooped a little bit today - actual poop, not the sand yet. But poop is poop and I'm happy to see it.

-----
Torey
Eugene, Oregon, USA
1.1 Saharan Uros (Joe and Arthur)
3.0 Mali Uros (Spike, Turtle, and Tank)
1.1 Ornate Uros (Scuttlebutt and Shazzbot)
1.1 Collared Lizard (Ripcord and Rorschach)
2.0 Green Anoles (Bowser and Sprocket)
1.1 Chubby Housecats (Roscolux and Jenny)

I always fret over rescues that come in with impactions, and I know what you mean. Its hard to explain being really excited over poop unless you are talking to someone whose been there! LOL!

What would make eating THAT MUCH SAND seem like a good idea??

A need for calcium.

This is caused by either a lack of calcium in the diet or UVB/Vitamin D3.

100% of these that we see in our stores is traceable to this statement. We question the owner andit turns up every time.

FWIW, I personally have observed, on two occasions, wild lizards eating bits of minerals in the "substrate". In this case the bits of minerals were bones of deceased animals. This was learned when I went to the site of the activity and found bones.

Insects lack a backbone and our cages also lack minerals. If the animal has a need for calcium he eats the bedding to fulfill the need. If the need is not filled they keep eating the substrate until they are "impacted".
-----
AMAZON REPTILE CENTER

How much do Collareds need substrate for laying? Can they get by with even no substrate at all?

I know for leopard geckos, it's fine.

Here is why I ask. I have a female Leo that is a real baby maker! She lays a clutch once a month like clockwork in the summer after mating. I had taken her out to be alone and have some rest away from any male, and had forgotten that she was due for another clutch any day. While I was cleaning and preparing a separate tank for her, she laid a perfect pair of eggs right on the floor of the plastic tub she was in temporarily. These turned out to be fertile, perfectly fine eggs. It actually made me wonder if I should keep my gravid geckos in clean plastic tubs with no substrate at all when they are ready to lay. No more searching for buried eggs!

I don't know if this can be extrapolated to collareds though.

BTW....here's a nice pair of Leo eggs cooking in the incubator.