ChameleonMom
New Member
So if any of you have been following my "laying" saga you will know that my year old veiled, Isis has been developing eggs which showed up (very lightly) on an x-ray on Nov. 22nd. My vet advised she would lay in 3 - 4 weeks, which put us at this past Wednesday. She had been digging in her laying bin last Sunday but the dirt fell in on her and after 5 hours with no digging sounds and me panicking, Ataraxia correctly told me to get her out immediately. When we got her out she was barely breathing - it was scary! She hadn't laid her eggs either. She didn't go near her bin for 2 days, but then on Tuesday (past) she again began digging. At lights out she was still in there and ended up sleeping in her hole. The next day when I peeked in on her she was sitting on a mound of dirt at the top of her bin, covered in dirt and looking very exhausted. I checked her to see if she was thinner - she wasn't so I quickly weighed her - she was still 147g's and FULL of eggs! I was SO disappointed. 
She hasn't been near her bin since, even though I've put her in multiple times - she climbs out immediately! I have offered food and she's been eating and drinking like a champ but hasn't been restless nor has she exploring her cage like before. WTF is going on with her?
So the last day and a half I have been watching her very closely (from afar..don't worry!) and I noticed her right front foot looked swollen and the toes elongated and painful. She was favouring it and letting it hang off the vine while basking. I was shocked and concerned, then a realization hit me! Could she have hurt her foot while digging previously and is now in pain and unable to dig?? I was devastated today thinking she was injured and unable to lay. This is what her 'paw' looks like:
Off to the vet we went! What I found out after another x-ray is that even though I have been extremely diligent in my supplementation of her feeders, the clutch she is developing (and which fills her entire body cavity!) has taken so much calcium out of her that it has begun to pull calcium out of her bone, right near the joint of her right front foot! I thought perhaps she had broke or sprained it but luckily it is only swollen and causing minimal pain. I was SO relieved but also shocked because I am freaky about my supplements and schedule, which I never waver from!
It gets worse!
The x-ray also shows eggs, eggs, eggs - and in order for her to survive this infertile clutch without broken bones and more calcium deficiencies, my vet gave her 48 hours. If she doesn't lay by Monday morning I have a standing appointment Monday afternoon for an emergency c-section/hysterectomy!
So...I'm asking everyone who has read this LONG post to please pray for my Isis, keep us in your thoughts or send us some positive mojo - whatever it is, please wish us luck as we try and get through the next few days. It's going to be tough....for us both!
She hasn't been near her bin since, even though I've put her in multiple times - she climbs out immediately! I have offered food and she's been eating and drinking like a champ but hasn't been restless nor has she exploring her cage like before. WTF is going on with her?
So the last day and a half I have been watching her very closely (from afar..don't worry!) and I noticed her right front foot looked swollen and the toes elongated and painful. She was favouring it and letting it hang off the vine while basking. I was shocked and concerned, then a realization hit me! Could she have hurt her foot while digging previously and is now in pain and unable to dig?? I was devastated today thinking she was injured and unable to lay. This is what her 'paw' looks like:
Off to the vet we went! What I found out after another x-ray is that even though I have been extremely diligent in my supplementation of her feeders, the clutch she is developing (and which fills her entire body cavity!) has taken so much calcium out of her that it has begun to pull calcium out of her bone, right near the joint of her right front foot! I thought perhaps she had broke or sprained it but luckily it is only swollen and causing minimal pain. I was SO relieved but also shocked because I am freaky about my supplements and schedule, which I never waver from!
It gets worse!
The x-ray also shows eggs, eggs, eggs - and in order for her to survive this infertile clutch without broken bones and more calcium deficiencies, my vet gave her 48 hours. If she doesn't lay by Monday morning I have a standing appointment Monday afternoon for an emergency c-section/hysterectomy!
So...I'm asking everyone who has read this LONG post to please pray for my Isis, keep us in your thoughts or send us some positive mojo - whatever it is, please wish us luck as we try and get through the next few days. It's going to be tough....for us both!
