Gillen's Monitor Egg Laying

[sp.michael]

I have a gravid female Gillens Monitor. She layed one egg yesterday morning however she still looks to be carrying more. She has stopped digging in the nest box and is hanging vertically on the back wall, and looks to be losing some condition. Is it normal to go this long between egg laying and is there anything I can do to help?

 

[Sdaji]

I used to breed swags of these critters. I think I did have it once or twice in this species, and the eggs were passed a week or so later all shrivelled up, the mother went on a bred normally after that.

I am firmly in the non interventionist camp on these issues. Most people want to intervene with surgery or a trip to the vet for a hormone injection etc. In my experience over the last 25 years, I've seen people having a much better ratio of success with the non interventionist approach when reptiles have problems passing eggs. Usually they manage to get them out, and surgery comes with a lot of risk. Naturally though, your lizard, your choice.