Eartha trouble

[Jam]

Oh, thanks for clarifying that! I didn't realize that pears themselves would help with impactions ... I thought it was just the idea of soft moistened food. That's very good to know!

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Update

Despite my not being able to detect any eggs ... (although a couple of days ago I did feel a hard mass when I was massaging her)
Eartha began digging this morning.
Her eyes are open and she is working very hard at the base of her potted palm.
She never paid any attention to the laying bin I placed in her enclosure.
Hopefully she will have success laying this infertile clutch and we can get her back to normal.

-Brad

 

[kinyonga]

My fingers are crossed for her, Brad. I kind of thought it might be eggs because of the spotting pattern to her.

If she doesn't lay and starts to go down hill...(as you will know) get her to the vets ASAP!

 

[Kent67]

Wow! Good luck to both of you! This would be her first clutch ever, no?

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Yes Kent, it would have been her first clutch.

I am sorry to have to post that Eartha didn't make it.
I was so encouraged by her color and behavior the last few days and then yesterday, when she started digging, I was terribly excited.
I was anticipating feeding and watering her today, getting her on the road, back to her old self, but she was unable to lay even one egg.
I came back from work in the afternoon to check on her progress and she had abandoned the tunnel. She was cold (from being in the dirt) and very weak. She was having trouble hanging onto her branch, I tried to help her and knew when I got her in my hand, she would not be going back into her enclosure.
I cupped her in my hands to warm her up and sat with her until she passed (about 10 minutes)
I know there was some kind of problem inside her, but I did not investigate.
I quietly wrapped her in tissue and buried her in our garden.

-Brad

p.s. I have to tell you all, what a strong and amazing girl she was: the tunnel she dug is easily eight inches deep. She used all of her remaining energy to dig it.

-B.

 

[bluegeorge]

So sorry for your loss she had the best of care with you....

 

[sandrachameleon]

Oh Brad I'm so sorry to read this. I was really hoping to read a success story. My condolences to you. Its so hard to loose them.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I have had a couple of conversations with Trace about this, and one with Kent.
Lynda also pm'd me concerning her suspicions that Eartha's eggs were "mummified" (I had sent a message to her about it).
I did feel a rather hard mass on Tuesday and I think Lynda may be right.
Another theory is that she could have had a tumor or some other mass that felt like eggs to her.
Lynda has not experienced or heard of a senegal cycling eggs in captivity without being mated.
Trace speculated that my husbandry may have been "too good" after I suggested that there must have been some problem with it.
Again, I couldn't bring myself to cut her open and see what was going on.
I probably should have, but that opportunity has passed.
I will be spending some brain power evaluating the conditions I created for her and see if I can determine anything I would do differently.

-Brad

 

[Julirs]

Sorry to hear this Brad-just goes to show us that you can do the best job possible and still not win in the end. My thoughts are with you.

 

[kinyonga]

Even the best of care can't always prevent problems. As Brad said she could have had a growth, or the eggs could have been mummified.

Sorry for your loss Brad.

 

[BocaJan]

I am so sorry for your loss Brad. Could someone please tell me what mummified eggs are?