My too laid an egg.

Question
Hi.  Thanks for this service!  Last night my UB2 laid an egg.  I thought she had been acting strangely for a week or so.

She is somewhere between 6 and 8 yrs., we believe, and has never had access to a male of any species, nor laid an egg before this.

Question(s): What do I do now to be sure everything is okay for her, mentally and physically?  She is guarding the egg, but will let me handle it.  She laid the egg in the play gym area of her California Cage, which we call her "cave" because we cover it with a blanket at night and she sleeps there.  That is her retreat.

Do I take the egg that will never hatch away?  Do I put in some kind of "dummy" egg?  Will she possibly lay more?  Is she possibly in danger of becoming "egg bound" and how would I know?  I'm worried about her.

Thanks so much!

Judy

Answer
Judy,

If you remove the egg, she might lay another one to replace it.

Here is an article on ways to discourage her from laying more eggs in the future (because it takes a lot our of her, and laying eggs puts her at risk for egg binding):

http://www.forthebirdsdvm.com/breedingbehavior.htm

I hope this helps.

-Maggie