Oh great....a REALLY gravid female!

[Stitchex]

A week ago, I brought Amber to the vet. She had a sore in her mouth, so every day I gave her medicine for that. I brought her back today. Her belly was looking bigger, and I could see eggs. Sure enough, after requesting an x-ray to be done, she's gravid...with four eggs. I'm a little freaked out, I hope she doesn't get eggbound =(. I'm giving her soaks, and I put an egg laying box with moistened perlite in her tub for her. Any more things I could do for her, without stressing her out? Thanks

 

[M&I Gecko]

Four eggs a new record?

 

[Krow]

Wow, that's a lot of eggs!!

 

[BlackDiamondGeckos]

I've seen mine have 2 developed eggs and 2 follicles formed. They still only drop two at a time.

 

[Khrysty]

I've seen mine have 2 developed eggs and 2 follicles formed. They still only drop two at a time.

Mine too

 

[Shadraak]

same here my female was that way too 2 folicles and 2 eggs right before she laid, now the 2 are growing an dprobably gonna lay again in about 2 weeks if her track is still good and she's still fertile

 

[Stitchex]

I hope that's it...but the vet said that there were four eggs, he talked wayy too fast for me to barely hear anything =(. Do you guys think she will lay only two eggs, then?

 

[BalloonzForU]

Two folicles and two eggs are common to see. However what has me concerned is that four eggs came up on the xray. The question for me is would the folicles show up on an xray since they really shouldn't have an egg shell yet? Unless they are just starting to develope the shell and she's about to pop the first two out any day?

Good Luck, and keep us posted.

 

[ajveachster]

That sounds uncomfortable. Hope she is ok.

 

[Stitchex]

He explained to me that they would only show up if there was an egg shell. I hope she lays soon, I'll incubate the eggs in case. This vet has been doing his job for over ten years, so I don't think there was a mistake...? Thanks guys for the support, I'll keep you posted^^.

 

[Stitchex]

She's shedding tonight, hopefully it all comes off^^.

 

[Stitchex]

A quick question: after shedding, about how long will it take for her to lay?

 

[BalloonzForU]

Within the week, usually.

 

[Stitchex]

Cool, thanks Felicia!

 

[jakemyster44]

In the future (and now for your other females) I find it is beneficial to keep a lay box type humid hide in the cage at all times. I've gotten into this habbit, and that way if dont notice a female is pregnant atleast she will usually lay her eggs still (even if I dont find them in time, better her lay than retain them). I just use bed-a-beast or moss as the substrate, and have it like 3-4" deep. I even use this in the males' cages beacuse they seem to enjoy digging in it.
As hard as it may seem, I'd try not to touch her at all these next few days. I'd even stop with the warm soaks at this point. I think that les stressed females are more likely to lay, and taking her out a few times a day could be just enough to have her retain her eggs. Is she still eating? Mine usually stop a day or two before laying. Good luck, and you know I'll be checking back. Keep us posted!

 

[HugeGenes&LoLa]

Here is a post from a while ago. I'm not posting this to scare you! But just so you know 4 eggs is possible, and in this situation the gecko ended up being ok after a few vet visits. Hopefully, your little girl will be ok Good luck!!!

http://www.geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=38459&highlight=willie&page=2

 

[Stitchex]

Jake, mine hasn't been eating for about two months. That's one of the reasons she went to the vet in the first place. They've had humid hides in with them at all times, with wet paper towels. I find that with bed-a-beast, moss, or any other type of loose material, that they always mess up their tubs the first few minutes. She's horrible with shedding, so I had to take her out to get the loose shed off- one of the "trouble shedders."

Matt/Lauren, he didn't inject her with any oxytocin, but he said it was a possibility if she didn't lay soon. I assume that just helps the eggs move along, or induces laying? She wasn't really trying to get any shed off of herself either.

Thanks guys for your concerns, I'll keep you posted.

 

[BalloonzForU]

It's a labor inducer, even used on us humans to induce labor.

 

[Stitchex]

Okay, thanks Felicia. She's laying on the cool side right now, I have the laying box on the warm side.

 

[Stitchex]

She's inactive right now, sleeping. Amber hasn't layed yet, I keep the perlite moist and on the warm end for her. She's still not accepting any feeders, which I expected. Should I keep waiting it out, or take her into the vet again?

edit: Also, somehow she keeps hurting herself. I got the shed off that I could, but I think she may be trying to get the rest off. I keep finding what I believe to be blood in her tub, but it's very minimal. Do you think it could be from her nipping herself too hard? I want to get the rest of the shed off of her, but I'm not sure about doing that, because as Jake said, stress right now certainly isn't what is needed.