Unusual behavior

[acpart]

My 4 year old female beardie, who I got last summer, has been behaving a little oddly lately. She's been fascinated by something outside one end of her cage, I think. There is a leopard gecko cage right next door, but it's been there since I got her and she never paid it any attention before. She can't even really see the geckos because of where in the tank they hang out. When I've held her near the gecko tanks to see them she has no reaction at all. The only thing that's changed about the gecko tank is that I did put an "upstairs" on that side, so there's a 12"x12" tile raised about 5". I've checked to make sure she isn't seeing crickets in the next cage, but there are none hanging out there. She had been brumating to some extent but is definitely more active now. The only thing I'm worried about is that this is egg-laying behavior. I was told by the people who rescued her last year that she laid 3 clutches of slugs. I think they said she started in March. She doesn't look as if she's digging, more like trying to get at something outside of the tank. I hope she doesn't lay for her own sake (I only have the one beardie and don't plan to get any more; breeding the leos keeps me busy enough). Does this sound like pre-laying behavior, or something else? If she is getting ready to lay, will it be sufficient to put a large tupperware container with eco earth in her cage or does she need a whole cage for herself with digging substrate?

Aliza

 

[LadyGecko]

Aliza-sometimes Beardie behavior can be very perplexing
It is not uncommon for them to scratch at the glass of their tank to want out upon seeing their keeper entering the room but I'm not sure of exactly what is drawing her attention about the Leo tank if she shows no interest in them close up

As for being gravid-you can usually see eggs in the form of lumps in their sides when they get close to their lay date and you can usually feel them too

This is not true with all females-heavier ladies will be harder to tell if there are eggs or not

She should start digging /more restless and refusing food the closer that she gets to laying if she is gravid

Beardies really like a very large area of wet sand to dig and burrow in to make a cave in which to lay their eggs
If you can determine that she is carrying eggs then I would set up a spare tank with sand wet enough for her to be able to excavate a tunnel in
Use a tank large enough(30 gal.long) so that you can make a "sand hill" against half of the tank at one end
Pack the wet sand down so that it does not fall apart and some people even make a "starter hole" for their females to give them the idea
Usually this isn't needed-they instinctively know what to do when it is time

Good luck with her-just keep her well fed and well supplemented as you would any gravid lizard

Sandy