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Egg Laying

reptileszz Jun 25, 2003 06:45 AM

Hi all, I am 99% sure my female cyclura is carrying eggs. They are assumedly not fertile. She has hardly eaten anything in the last month. Can anyone tell me approx. how long they go off food before laying? She is driving me crazy. No digging at all yet. I have had experience with a green iguana laying eggs but not the cyclura. I think she produced them because Pete is here not because they bred.

Thanks,
Carole

PS I am getting her xrayed on Friday so we can tell for sure if there are eggs and how many.

Replies (3)

Mark M Jun 26, 2003 01:24 AM

generally cyclura females can go off feed for 2 to 5 weeks. The reason is, thier stomachs are so cramped with eggs, that if they did eat, the food couldn't pass through the digestive tract. Larger and older females may still eat if they have enough girth to hold both eggs and food. Watch the tail base, when they are getting ready to lay, thier tail base will get real "skinny" or emaciated looking. Make sue there is a nest box filled with substrate (I like to use pure perlite 1 to 1 by weight). Non-see through rubbermaid tubs with a whole cut out of the top at one end make good nest boxes. Screw the top down with some short screws, because when they start to do some heavy duty digging, they may push the lid open. Also, gently take your lizard and put her nose in the box, she may jump in and start digging immediately. Since she is probably infertile, wait for her to emerge looking like a deflated balloon. Collect the eggs and toss them so they don't have time to rot. Remember also, too much handling while carrying eggs my inhibit her from laying, so leave her alone unless she can't find her hid box. Good luck

reptileszz Jun 26, 2003 05:40 AM

Hi Mark. Thank you for your words of advice. It means a lot. She is due for an xray tomorrow just to be sure but this is what it looks like. I have the lay box in there but it is open on time. I will have to look around for the top or make one possibly. I have placed her in it several times only for her to eat some of the dirt and hop right out. No digging whatsoever. I believe we are well into the 4th week of no eating.

Thanks again,
Carole

rhino Jul 13, 2003 02:04 AM

What was your vets prescription ?

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