|
Females become very restless and
refuse food shortly before laying. Disa didn't eat for over a week
before she laid. Have an "egg-laying box" or a "nesting box" ready. You
can't always feel the eggs in a gravid female, especially a girl with
good size and bulky fat pads on her belly. Even if she isn't ready to
lay, there's no harm in a nesting box being ready anyway.
I bought a big plastic box (with a lid), then I cut a big hole in the
side. I put duct tape around the edges of the hole so Disa, my bearded
dragon, wouldn't hurt
herself when she was climbing in and out. The box must be big enough for
the female to move around. Some females prefer a lid - some don't.
Then I made a moist mix of unfertilized potting soil, vermiculite and
washed play-sand. The mix shouldn't be to wet - and not too dry. It
shall hold together when the female digs, but shouldn't be soggy.
It is a bit difficult to know exactly when to put the box in with the
female. Disa started to get "restless" about 10 days before she laid her
eggs, but every female is different. It is better to put the box in "too
soon" than too late.
If the female doesn't have a good place to lay her eggs, she can "hold
on" to her eggs and get "eggbound". That is a quite serious condition so
make sure she has somewhere to lay her eggs.
At first Disa didn't like the box I provided for her. When she laid the
first clutch I noticed her strange behavior and put her in the box. She
started digging immediately and then laid her eggs in the hole. When she
laid the second clutch I didn't notice anything until she laid 20 eggs
in the middle of the cage in the rabbit pellets (I used to have that as
a substrate).
Some females are very picky where they want to lay their eggs and some
aren't. Some dig "tunnels", some dig holes and some choose a very
different spot. A friend's female laid her eggs under the bathroom
carpet...! That isn't such a good idea - the eggs didn't make it. So
watch your female closely when it is time for her to lay.
The Final Product!
|
