Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all,

I have a nearly 3 year old cyclura lewisi hybrid (David Blair stock) that has eggs in her. She stopped eating for all intents and purposes on or around May 20. She has picked at worms/dog food only (wont touch veggies or fruit at all) a couple of times in the last month. She has probably consumed about 7 superworms and 10 small pieces of dry dog food in that time span.

Anyway, I had an xray taken by my dog and cat vet on 6/26 and you could sort of see masses in there but the guy took the xray from the side for some reason so it is hard to tell what they are. (lesson learned, take the time to drive to the herp vet)

After more weeks of not eating I took her to my herp vet for another xray on July 14. He took the "normal" xray from the top down and we can see that there are at least 5 eggs, probably 6 unshelled eggs.

She is acting normally except for the not eating. Her activity level MIGHT be up slightly. She has taken to wandering the house when we are home. I have 2 different layboxes in her room, of which she is afraid of.

The question of the day is, how long does it take to shell cylcura eggs? I can't seem to locate this information anywhere. My green girl went exactly the 61 days from mating to laying when she laid. I cant find this data on cyclura anywhere (and there was no mating anyway).

Anyone have a clue how long I have to wait to see some eggs or become concerned??

Thanks,
Carole

Call David Blair if you have not already. He has been very helpful to me in the past. I don't work with Nubila, but rhinos usually lay late the first year that they produce eggs. My first female to lay mated in late June and did not lay until the first week in Septmber. More typically they will mate in early to mid July and lay in Mid to late August. Your region of the country will effect that. Nubila typically do everything about 1 month sooner than Cornuta. Carl Fuhuri wrote an article on cyclura eggs a few issues back in IIS publication. He had a web site, Dragonglades ? He has answered email inquiries in the past, and he worked with Nubila. Make sure your ig stays hydrated, and active. Activity lowers chances for egg binding. A dandalion flower laced in neocalglucon might keep her nibbling. I can usually keep cornuta nibbling all the way up to a week before going into their nests. keep tempting her. Good luck and keep us updated.

Hi, thanks for the reply. I have been trying to get ahold of David Blair but the time difference is not my friend. I cant call from work so have to wait til I am home and things have been so hectic. The only times I seem to be able to get him are when he is on his lunch break! I will give it more effort. I might try and call him from work today even.

She HAS been picking at superworms now for the last couple of days. I know this is not the desired diet but at this point I dont care what she eats as long as she is getting something into her for some energy. I am giving her 2ccs of neocal a day to keep her calcium up.

I have also let her wander the house all day now. It is warm enough out and she is pretty good about it and since there is hardly anything going in she is not pooping all over the house or anything. She has taken up residence in the living room in the picture window by day and behind the couch by night. It works for me if she needs the exercise to get the eggs out.

My biggest concern is that she is deathly afraid of the lay box in her room. TERRIFIED is a good word for it. She will not go near it and hairy eyeballs it from across the room. I have a smaller one with a hole cut in the side that I snuck into the living room. This one is only lined with towels tho. She is not afraid of this one for some bizarre reason and I placed her in it yesterday but she came right out. I am hoping she likes it enough to get them out of there.

Thanks again and thanks for listening to me go on!

Carole

Terrified of nest box, never had that prob, but usually let them find it themselves. shoving them into an unknown place can have a negative effect, next time you offer a worm, try to use it as a bribe to investigate the box. With my rhinos, they get high energy hyper about 1 week before they lay, trying to get out of the cage -- looking for a perfect nest. Then one evening they go in their box, the next day or two, they come out skinny and thirsty.
Good she is getting neocal, Hope she is getting uv light, studies indicate d3 not absorbed via diet.
Another consideration, like greens, I believe some cyclura will reabsorb eggs. I own, and know of one other owner of a cornuta that lays every other year. The years mine does not lay her appetite will go way down at the time my others lay, but regresses back to normal when my others do.
Good luck

Well lets see... Danzig slowed her eatting around the first weeks in april and laid on July 6 AND GOOD GAWD WERE THE HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know i was told they were gonna be bigger than green iguana eggs, but DAMN! She dropped 6 eggs.
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Cindy
PHFaust
Email Cindy
Land of the Outcasts!

Hi Cindy, thanks for the response. Jane was telling me about that. Can you tell me if she started any digging activity at all and if so, when did it start? Like a week before? Two days before???

Thanks for any observances you can tell me about.

Carole