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Marilyn was getting ready to lay and would dig a hole. Both Red and her would lay in that hole for awhile. Yesterday I found Marilyn in a hole (you can see her tail on the left) and Red had covered her up then sat on top of her. When I moved both lizards I found eggs (10). I took Red out . Marilyn eventually covered the eggs but she still has at least 1 maybe 2 inside her. I'm giving calcium, warm baths and she's going for a ride in the car today. I don't know if my moving her or Red covering her caused her to stop laying.

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BONNIE

thats what disturbing do! try to avoid until shes compleatly finished next time.

I dough she will produc oxitocine hormones again even with a car ride.

I didn't realize she was actually laying this time or I wouldn't have moved her. Guess it's a trip to the vet.
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BONNIE

why the vet?

I have seen this many times with my lizards, both new imports and cb animals, this in most cases is not a problem.

Rgds

I figured she wouldn't lay them without some stimulation oxytocin). She has shown no nesting behavior today at all. She did eat though.

Also she wasn't with a male since about September 5th. If these eggs are fertile does that help prove sperm retention? Have these already proved to retain sperm? I think I've read both yes and maybe to that question.
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BONNIE

I have on many occasions removed females from the males and found that they would continue to lay 2 to 3 clutches of fertile eggs at 2 1/2 to 3 1/3 month intervals after the first clutch.

I am convinced that they will lay multiple clutches from one breeding as I have had this occur with multiple females! I had several in with one male, removed the male and yet all of the females that produced multi-clutched. To me that is proof.
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Marcia - FroggieB Dragons
www.froggieb.com/MHDHome.html

Pleas pay attention to nesting conditions, your options are way to wet for normal nesting behaviour, I am not saying this to be mean. I took this photo yesterday, my nesting is a lot more dry then yours, still 98% hydrated but not wet.

Lizards do not nest in wet substrate, they drop eggs in these condition but do not nest in them, theirs a big difference here.

They know when conditions are right, as I said before, in good conditions females often nest before we even notice they are gravid.

Such dramatic condition as seen on my photo, should never happen with captive raised females, hopefully better options will prevent this to happen again.
rgds
ps. Marcia is right about sperm retention.

I believe you said you don't mist. How do you hydrate but it still looks dry in the picture? This really has me stumped. When I mist I try not to wet the moss. I do have moss in there but she didn't seem interested. Like you said probably to wet. I lowered a basking light to warm the substrate and that seemed to interest her.

It's been 48 hours and the oxytocin hasn't worked. I'm soaking her and giving her calcium and electrolyte solution by mouth. I have massaged her belly lightly downward trying to stimulate her and today I gave her a dose of mineral oil. (That seemed to work once before). Is there anything else you could suggest? I really don't think I can do the aspirating thing. I'm afraid I would do it wrong and hurt her even more.
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BONNIE

The nesting biology of reptiles has been my main interest for several years now, having a pair cycle and reproduce is the acceptable minimum in modern husbandry, this is the easy part.

Egg incubation in itself is not obvious to many keepers, there still a lot of progress to be made in this field, even the latest documented research leaves room for improvement.

However the least understood part of herpetoculture is nesting, pro breeders have been turning in circles with this one for decades, playing with different types of media and all kinds of nest box, oddly they seemed to think box size or media type was the key to proper nesting, whoever my studies shows that any given specie can and do nest in many type of media, nesting is about egg survival, this is how females chose a nest site, proper choice of hydration and temperature are priority, type of media is chosen by its ability to drain or retain water, and by its antibacterial properties.

I guess we can say it very variable, a particular lizard c might as well nest in gravel, sand, dirt, leaf litter or even hollow tree where it will claw the interior and cover the eggs with saw dust, the choice of the alternative is mostly motivated by season and climate, obviously in flooded conditions tree nesting or drainable nesting will be favoured, while dry season nesting lizards will prefer more retaining media, however regardless of season one element that will no dough prevail over others is for eggs to reach optimum temperatures, a faster incubation allows grater chance at life, this females know very well.

So to make this short, a choice of higher temps is all you need for your lizards to nest in due time, the key hear is your understanding of heat, you see having a reflector and bulb 15in over the ground offers little choice, 4-5in will bake the ground deeper and create usable gradients, this is what your lizards need, but they need it before due date, after your faced with usual retention problems.

Rgds

Ps, I simply poor a jug of water when I feel the need for mores hydration, reptiles don’t need dampness, they need atmospheric humidity, think of them as newts with scales.

I have done the lamp over the nesting area thing. I figured it helps create a gradient in the, uh, media. But my MHD isn't close enough to laying yet, at least I don't think, so for now it remains a basking lamp.

Still though, I have been playing around with it taking temperature readings and whatnot.

By the way, it is "no doubt", not "no dough". Dough is pronounced "doe", like a female deer. The actuall word "dough" is refering to the stuff that turns into cookies when you bake it. I beleive in french it is called "pâte", as in "pâte de biscuit", or cookie dough!
(Aucun doute = No doubt, if I'm not mistaken)
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Ryan

Thank you Jobi. I do have a bulb about half way down the tank. I'm moving it closer to the substrate for the other 2 females that are gravid. They should be a week or two yet so it will do some good.
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BONNIE

Bonnie and Marcia

If you need anything pleas email me, I am deleting this site address and will not return.

In the past on varanids forum iv seen my share of trolls, and it seems like theirs a few on this board, not going to play with such idiots any longer.