Undersized pregnant HYBRID beardie???

[falconboy]

I knew the hybrid would get your attention!

Heres the story: I did a bit of a search on bloated beardie and couldn't find much specific - I have a 10mth old beardie, a bit of a pip squeak at only 16cm or so. Initially I thought 'he' was male, but now he is looking more like a she. Its also possible she is gravid. Its timing might just fit.

I'm hoping she isn't as I think she is too small for it to be safe (I thought unlikely, but possible, at her age too).

She is currently the only central beardie in with a bunch of 12 mth old Pygmy beardies. Her last time with a male of her own kind (ie a central) was 6 weeks ago. She has been eating a like a pig the last 2-3 weeks I'd say (seems to be eating more than the 4 pygmys put together!). She is also very bloated.

Initially I thought she was just hungry and it could have been impaction from the amount she is eating (since I have also put a sand box in - the pygmys had been going at it and I wanted to be prepared), I thought impaction was most likely, (she likes tasting sand) however I have experienced impaction previously and there were obvious hard lumps (of sand) in the guts - there isn't in this case, there are 1 or 2 quite soft 'lumps', but not obvious as eggs, could just even be gizzard. I have not seen her having trouble going to the toilet either, which is usually present in impacted beardies.

Do you think its quite possible she is gravid going by the time line? 6 weeks (and 2 days to be exact) seems the limit on gestation I think (maybe a goodbye copulation??), alternatively could I have HYBRID (oh god, not hybrid, please don't start the debate LOL) beardies?

I'm dusting crickets by the way as I think she will need as much calcium as possible.

Thanks.

[scorps]

can they interbreed like that?

[falconboy]

Originally Posted by scorps

can they interbreed like that?

Not sure. What if it was dark and the Pygmy didn't look closely? LOL

But I'm also wondering if the 6 weeks is too long for the gestation - theres a chance daddy (if she's in fact gravid) could be a central.

[JasonL]

they have interbred them in the US. If she lays any eggs, squash them.

[Miss B]

That's what I was gonna say

If my beardies laid dirty hybrid eggs, I would freeze them.

[falconboy]

Here we go, the hybrid debate.

Isn't it more likely, given the low chance of the interbreeding, that if she's been eating so much for a few weeks, and she's been quite bloated for a few weeks too, that if she happens to lay in the next week or so the father is just as likely the central she was with 6 weeks ago?

[scorps]

how about instead of squashing them i buy all the hatchys off you for 15 bucks each

[falconboy]

Hey, I could have one eyed uni-dragons and they'd be $1000 each thank you!

LOL. I have to see if she's in fact gravid yet. Lets not count our chickens (or beardies).

[Gecko_ProCs]

haha if they come out with 8 legs call it a bearded octogon!

[Australis]

Goanna Food.

[geckodan]

It is just as likely she has sperm stored from the central as it would be to be gravid to a henrylawsoni (in the states they commonly produce "vittikens" = vitticeps x rankins (their name for henry's)). The timing is about right for either.

[ponybug]

yes, they could be from the central bearded dragon,

[falconboy]

Thanks geckodan - thats what I'm after, genuine replies to my query, not hybrid rubbish replies, that can come later if and when it happens.

My research indicates gestation is about 28 days - the male left 5/9 (51 days ago) I know multiple clutches from the one mating is possible, but is it common for sperm to be stored before the first clutch is laid?

Although she didn't slow down much over winter (I didn't lower daytime heat, but they had lower night temps), its possible she could just be getting into her warmer weather feeding frenzy too.

Not the best pics, but a couple of her attached.

[Kirby]

because of her size she is lickely to get egg bound and have a series of problems, it would be great to get her to a vet x-rayed and have a definate answe, and to keep her seperated.

if its one you got off of me, she is well over a year (around 13-14 months) and its a shame this has happened. poor girl..

i guess its a lesson to be taught. my guess is if she were to be gravid it would be from the rankins, even tho its possible its fromt he male central (which if it was from me, was her brother)

good luck, and i hope that she isnt gravid, and she begins to grow

(by all means it could be a different dragon, im just figuring it out.. ) GOOD LUCK!!

[falconboy]

Different dragon Kirby. Notice the missing foot in the pic.