gravid

Question
hello-

my seven year old green iguana is gravid for the first time-at least far as i
know of...it's been at least 7-8 weeks.   i set up a dirt box based on the
recommendations from the vet and melissa kaplan  but she has not taken to it
at all and prefers instead to scratch a corner of the tub.  now it's getting to be
past the normal "gestation" period and i'm thinking maybe she's not going to
lay these eggs.  if she doesn't lay them is this dangerous for the iguana?-is it
absolutley necessary to take her back to the vet to remove bounded eggs?  
i appreciate your time.  julie.

Answer
Hello Julie,

Has your iggy had adequate UVB lighting & calcium supplementation? How old is your UVB light?  
Wow this is the first time she is laying huh, that is amazing.  
What type of mixture did you put in the laybox?  Dirt, vermiculite, & sand??  Is it moist?  
She was mated, is this correct?
Yes, if she does not lay & is pregnant, it is very dangerous for her to retain them.  If she does not lay them it will be necessary to take her to the vet for x-rays to determine what could be going on.
It could be a number of issues.  She could be low in calcium, there could be an odd shaped egg blocking her laying, or low hormones possibly.
If you feel she is past her due date, then you should probably take her in.  They can determine if she is in preovulatory stasis or postovulatory stasis.  This is important to determine exactly where the eggs are located, as they could possibly try to induce labor if her hormones are low & her eggs are already dropped.
Let me know how she is doing.

Tracie