RIP pygmy. egg bound?

[nasi8one]

My female bearded pygmy passed away today when still living, half her body had started to turn white. ferretinmyshoes told me she had either pinched a nerve or that she was eggbound. She was housed alone for many months so i didnt think she had eggs. I decided i needed to learn something from her death so i decided to disect her. In the end, i found these inside. I have never seen eggs in person so i would like to know if these are in fact tiny eggs. there were about 7 in a small cluster. Sorry ahead of time if i am posting in the wrong section

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Those are follicles, which would eventually turn into eggs. I'm sorry for your loss. Once pygs show color change like that it usually means the end is near.

 

[szpond]

So very sorry for your loss, though I admire your want to dissect. It seems as though you have an explanation now, not taking the pain away, though relieving some of those "what if"s...So very sorry.

 

[nasi8one]

Those are follicles, which would eventually turn into eggs. I'm sorry for your loss. Once pygs show color change like that it usually means the end is near.

thank you, usually how many of these follicles are formed? if these were not fully developed, i would assume having so many inside is what caused the problem.

 

[nasi8one]

So very sorry for your loss, though I admire your want to dissect. It seems as though you have an explanation now, not taking the pain away, though relieving some of those "what if"s...So very sorry.

Thank you for your kind words. I thought I had done everything possible to provide proper husbandry, which is why I decided i needed to find the reason for her death. It helps a ton to know these kinds of things for future use.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

thank you, usually how many of these follicles are formed? if these were not fully developed, i would assume having so many inside is what caused the problem.

No I think this was just normal female anatomy and not the cause of the problem. They can make many follicles (like hundreds in some species of reptiles and birds) and just sit dormant waiting until it's time to make eggs and then a certain amount move into the uterine tract where they grow, get fertilized and gain a shell. Otherwise they don't cause any harm unless they rupture for some reason. Then a bad peritonitis can form and can lead to death. But the abdomen would have been filled with yellow sticky fluid if that was the case.