Should i lift her out of the sand?

[Farmers]

Hi everyone

My female veiled is preparing to lay her second batch of (unfertilised) eggs, and has been digging in the sand for alot of today, although I can't be sure when she started as I was at work. She was digging when I got home at 3.30 and was more or less covered in sand, and is still digging now. Her light will turn off in about 30 minutes - should I lift her out or leave her in there for the night? I'm worried she'll get cold in the sand overnight, but don't want to upset her by moving her. I would also need to ruin all of her digging to get her out.

I did dig her out last time and she laid her eggs a few days later, but even now I'm still not certain I did the right thing!

Any advice would be gratefully received

Thanks

 

[ataraxia]

As long as she is not buried. Leave her be

 

[Farmers]

But I can't see whether her head is buried or not. All I can see is her back legs and tail, and not much movement from them. And of course just because the sand hasn't collapsed around her back now, doesn't mean it won't collapse overnight.

I'm in the UK and it's not exactly warm at the moment and her heat lamp turns off when her uv one does. I have a red heat lamp - should i put this in and leave it on overnight (turning the thermostat down a bit if course) to stop her getting too cold?

 

[ataraxia]

Temps, how low is low?

No lights..

 

[Farmers]

Well at the moment my lounge is 17 degrees C, and the viv will probably cool down to lower than this once the temp drops outside. She doesn't normally have any heat at night, but she's not usually surrounded by sand!

I thought that they can't see red light? It's a spare that I've got for my crested geckos.

 

[pssh]

Down to 10 C is fine. They prefer a night time temp drop and it can help keep them from laying clutches or to help them produce smaller clutches. That in turn lengthens their lives.

They can see red.

 

[Farmers]

Ok so I'm going to leave her in the sand.

I've been following the regime of feeding less often and lower temps since her last clutch as she laid 54 eggs in October! That is something I never want to put her (or me!) through ever again. She doesn't look as bloated as last time so hopefully it'll be slightly less exhausting for her.

Thanks for your help

 

[Farmers]

Phew I just checked in on her and she's turned herself around and has gone really black so i'm not sure if she's laying or not. I think her eyes are open but can't be sure as i don't want to shine too much light in.

At least I don't need to worry about her suffocating now.

 

[richpass6]

i wouldn't worry. she will sleep where she is, if she were uncomfortable she would have moved herself. dont interrupt her cause she may just ditch the operation

 

[kinyonga]

When a female is digging her hole, you shouldn't let her see you watching her. It will make her abandon the hole and if it happens too often she can become eggbound. I wouldn't disturb her when she is in the hole either. Good luck with her!

 

[Farmers]

I do try not to let her see me. Obviously when she had her head in the sand she couldn't see me! I only look in on her occasionally just to make sure she's not suffocating, and even then I use a camera or mirror if possible. My husband keeps laughs at me cos i creep up to the cage and it looks like I'm playing peepo with her if it's too dark for the camera to work without the flash!

Now that she's turned around I'm not too worried as she won't suffocate where she is now. Is it likely that she'll lay her eggs overnight? Or is it more likely that she'll sleep in the hole and lay in the morning?

 

[Farmers]

Thanks for your help last night. Felicity laid 37 eggs overnight which is much better than the 54 she did last year. She has been eating today and has made it up to her favourite sleeping spot tonight and is her usual light green sleepy colour (with a few specks of sand in places) so I think we're out of the woods until next time.

Thanks again

 

[Texas Panther Man]

I'd wait til tomorrow & then let her have a nice long warm (not hot) shower session for at least 20 or 30 mins. Just leave her in there and let her clean those turrets & fully rehydrate. It does wonders for their recovery process.

 

[Elizadolots]

Congratulations! It's good to get that over with.

 

[RunCode3]

congrats! How old is your veiled? at what age did she first lay? I think I too have a female veiled and I just put a egg laying bin in her cage.