Chameleon Died day after laying 50 eggs

[opheliaeatsbugs]

I live in Hemet, moved here from Vista about a year ago. I really miss Vista!, I hadn't really thought of getting a older Cham. I really love the idea of raising from a baby. Especially since I can't work anymore and am home most of the time. I enjoy my babies. I have two Yorkies that are service & Emotional support dogs, and I have a beautiful Reef Tank. Sydney was always right beside me in her screen home. She would come right up to the closest corner to me and watch what ever I was doing. She actually learned that if she lifted her head and open her mouth slightly that I would go right to her with a syringe of fresh water, instead of getting a drink from her dripper.

Babies are adorable - definitely not trying to talk you out of them sounds like @jannb could hook you up!

I can speak a little about growing them slowly - and I learned from @kinyonga so hopefully I reference her correctly - when I first got O, she was probably 4-5 months old and I was obsessed with feeding her. I mean, who doesn't LOVE to watch a cham eat?? I absolutely overfed her. I did have a vet (on a facebook group, so take that with a grain of salt I guess) tell me that she was very overweight (I had posted pics of her xrays showing her eggs). What I learned here, is that the development of eggs can be slowed (or even stopped - correct me if i'm wrong @kinyonga) by providing temps no higher than 83-83F and not feeding every day - feeders should be properly gutloaded/dusted with supplements and offer 10 items 3-4x a week. My vet (he's in Yorba Linda) said that the most important thing to watch for is body composition - not enough and they look lean and skinny... too much and they are puffy and fat. So depending on the size of my dubia, worms, etc. I may feed 5-8 items 3-4x a week. I definitely want to see a change in this next chapter for Ophelia. She had her first clutch of 54 eggs in May and was a tree cow at 164 grams, so I'm hoping to slow down the process and lower the number of eggs she lays this next time.

 

[kinyonga]

It's important that the "diet" be started soon after the chameleon lays the eggs or it seems they will IMHO produce lots of follicles which will mean lots of eggs. You definitely itely don't want to starve her but you don't want to overfeed her either. The main reason I keep the temperature a bit lower is to slow her metabolism so she won't be so hungry.

 

[jannb]

Could you explain what exactly you mean by grow them slow? I was definitely guilty of letting her be a little piggy. But if that was not healthy for her I feel terrible. Everything I had read said let juveniles eat what they will. I did supplement with Kale which she really enjoyed.

I use Lynda's method (Kinyonga) here on the forums. I feed them well until around 3 1/2 to 4 months old, depending on their size. Then I start cutting them back. I also keep their basking temps cooler around 82 to 83.
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/2007/12/keeping-female-veiled.html

 

[Socalcougar]

I was pretty much following that, problem was she started going on hunger strike a week before herself.
I'm still looking for a male, but no rush I will find a healthy guy