Can dubia roaches cause obesity?

[CamrynTheCham22]

I have a female veiled chameleon who eats 8 small dubia roaches every other day. Is this too often for her? I am worried that she is getting overweight. I will be buying a gram scale soon, so that I can find out. She is just under a year old. What is a healthy weight for her? Should I space the roaches out more, possibly every 2 days?

 

[Andee]

Anything can cause obesity with too much. However it sounds like she may be getting gravid.

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

That is what I thought. I have never seen any blue or yellow on her though, so I thought she wasn't capable of laying. Maybe it was too subtle . . .? I have a laying bin and sand/topsoil prepared for her in case she stops eating. She is eating like crazy, devouring the roaches the second I close the cage. I know that females load up on food when they are getting ready to lay, so now I am just waiting until she stops eating so I can put her in the bin.Thank you for shedding some light on this, I am such a stressed chameleon mom

 

[CJ's Exotics]

That is what I thought. I have never seen any blue or yellow on her though, so I thought she wasn't capable of laying. Maybe it was too subtle . . .? I have a laying bin and sand/topsoil prepared for her in case she stops eating. She is eating like crazy, devouring the roaches the second I close the cage. I know that females load up on food when they are getting ready to lay, so now I am just waiting until she stops eating so I can put her in the bin.Thank you for shedding some light on this, I am such a stressed chameleon mom

She definitely loves them, which could be a good problem, considering how many chams get bored of them. Pictures of her please?
Happy Chameleon Keeping, and Happy New Year!!!

 

[Andee]

Was just about to ask for pics XD! Someone's always one step ahead anymore. Not spending enough time on the forums XD

 

[kinyonga]

@CamrynTheCham22 said..."I have a laying bin and sand/topsoil prepared for her in case she stops eating"...don't rely on that as a signal that she's ready to lay. I'd put an opaque container at least 12" deep x 12" x 8" full if washed playsand that is just moist enough to hold a tunnel in the cage now and leave it there.

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

Okay. That sounds good. Right now, my bin is too wide to fit so I will get one that is the same height but something that will fit in my cage. Thank you for the feedback.