Help, gravid female tail gone limp
 

So my gravid female is currently blue for her prelay shed. She laid one egg on the 14/4 then another on the 15/4 then one on the 17/4 she still had many eggs left which are all pretty close to her vent but I’ve just gone to check in on her and upon lifting her, her tail just dropped like a dead weight, she’s perfectly fine and moving fine right up to her vent at which point she completely limp and doesn’t react to my touch on her tail, which normally she has a very responsive tail and rattles it at me.
I’m wondering could the eggs but putting pressure on a nerve causing this or has she injured herself in some way? Hoping someone can help.
She’s drinking well, she hasn’t eaten in around 2-3 weeks. She’s in a rack so she doesn’t have anything high she could have fallen from.
Thanks!


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Do you have any pictures of the tail itself? Is there any lifting of the scales or redness of the skin?

No redness or lifting. I’m completely baffled she was perfectly fine yesterday. I’ll get a picture of her tail in the morning though.


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How odd! It definitely sounds nerve related. I'm reaching, but is there anything heavy in the viv that she could have shifted and somehow pinched her tail? Like a rock or big branch? I do see that you mention no visible injury.

If she's still like this tomorrow, I'd try and get her in to a vet. They lift their tails to expand the cloacal opening when they're laying the eggs. I'm concerned that a limp tail could contribute to dystocia (problems laying).

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I'm more concerned that something is cutting off blood flow. It would take a very great deal of pressure to affect the spinal cord, but the aorta runs right down the inside of the body cavity and a very large egg or a bunched up mess of slugs could cause pressure.

I also find it concerning that it's taken her three days to lay three eggs. That sounds like she may be having an issue getting them out.

That actually makes a lot of sense. Whatever is happening, she needs a vet at this point.

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Thank everyone for your feedback, what visually looked like a egg close to her vent actually seems to be a swelling after gently palpating. There’s 100% nothing she could have hurt herself on inside her enclosure. There’s no other visible signs of injury besides This swelling which looked like a egg.
I’m contacting vets locally to arrange for her to get a checkup. Fingers crossed for this lovely precious girl.

I’m still baffled as to what’s happened, she’s around 6 years, she has amazing bodily condition, she eats like a champ. But this is her first clutch. I thought she was perfect visually to breed, unfortunately you just never know. But I’m going to do everything I can to ensure she gets the treatment she needs.


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Poor girl. Good luck getting her seen asap. Please let us know what happens. Fingers crossed.

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Any updates?

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