Xena Xena Xena

[Alara]

Xena's laid 5 eggs so far this morning in her enclosure.  I tried putting her in her laybox earlier this morning but she didn't want to dig.  I tried again a little while ago and she let me know quite strongly that she didn't appreciate me picking her up.  She must be in pain if she's resorting to biting me.  I'm hoping that the pain isn't interfering with her instinct to lay.

From the looks of the eggs I don't think that a lack of calcium is a problem this time.  I'll keep offering her laybox...hmm, I think I just came up with a way to get her into her laybox without picking her up which will make it less stressful for her.  I'll elevate her laybox and put it right against her enclosure so she can just walk right in, I don't know why I didn't think of this before (probably because she's never objected to me picking her up before).

I'm going to do whatever I can for her but I'm feeling worried about her long-term future.

[*~* ßêR *~*]

aww alara i hope everything works out ok.  i haven't had the pleasure of eggs yet, but im sure it's coming lol.

[Alara]

I got my dad to elevate the laybox since he's more handy than I am lol.  It worked but she could also jump out of the laybox and onto the floor since I also left the door to her enclosure partially open so she could go into it whenever she wanted.  I was in the basement on my computer when I heard a small thud and then the noise of claws on laminate flooring.  I went upstairs in time to see her poop under the table.  So I clean that up and put her back in her enclosure.  About 5 minutes later I hear another small thud and the sound of claws on laminate.  I go back up and put her in her laybox but she climbs out and goes back in her enclosure and gives me the evil eye.  I figure next time I'll let her run around a bit.  This happens a few times with me occasionally putting her back in her enclosure to soak up some heat and uvb.

Doors to the outside remained closed and the door to the basement as well but with no barrier to upstairs since I didn't think she'd bother climbing all the way up.  She also had some favourite spots and didn't think she could get anywhere we couldn't get to.  I was wrong.  We couldn't find Xena around noon on Monday.  We tore the house apart.  Even upstairs even though I highly doubted she would climb all the way up.  We moved bookcases and even checked the ducts (as much as we could at least) even though she's too big to fit through the vents.  I was in a panic.  We even searched the basement even though she couldn't fit under the door!

Neither my dad or I could get any sleep Monday night.  Tuesday morning I took a sick day and stayed at home.  I was too worried that in her condition she'd try to find a place to sleep through things and if she did move about I was afraid that I would only have one chance to hear her.  I stayed in the basement listening for noise.  Around 10:30am I heard something and rushed upstairs.  Didn't see anything so I started searching cupboards and then I heard another noise and found her.  I was so relieved but I didn't allow her anymore roaming.

Up until the time I got home from work today she laid a total of 9 eggs in her enclosure and on the floor, at least that we know about.  I'm still not sure where she was when she was missing because I found her where we repeatedly looked, so there might be more that we don't know about.  Not long after I got home today I got her to stay in her laybox for more than a few minutes and she laid 20 more eggs.  A big relief.

She didn't seem bothered about me picking her up afterwards but I'm not sure if that's because her tummy didn't hurt anymore or if she was just exhausted.  I'll see how she is tomorrow.

I'm going to let her mate in about 2 weeks since infertile eggs are harder on the body than fertile ones and hopefully I get the timing right so not everything gets retained and she stops laying eggs.  It worked last year.

[ladyknite]

hey Alara.......
Wow..........that girl really gives you a go huh?
Children.........they're soooooooo worrisome!  lol
Glad she was found safely and in time.  They don't normally disappear for long inside.  Hopefully the mating will prove out again this year and end her crazy cycles.  Poor baby.

For what it's worth, i've got a female that is absolutely wonderful every day of the year, except when she's gravid.  Then......hell hath no fury like a scorned female dragon.  Or so it seems.  Aggression is ALWAYS toward ME!
Ever think Xena just blames you cause she's got eggs?  lol

[Alara]

Well she seems to think that I'm responsible for her care and safety so she probably does blame me.  After she was done laying her eggs she poked her head out of her laybox to let me know she was done and patiently waited for me to get her bath lol.

[animalkingdom]

You are lucky! It sounds like your beardie is co-operative. Mine wont even go in her lay box, but its inside her tank. Im gonna try one outside of her tank.
Mine just lays her eggs on her basking logs??? She lays one a day lol. Not a clutch. Im worried about her! the first 3 were yellow, and today she laid one white egg. ughhhh