Chameleon help!! This cant be right???

[lizgentry]

Hi

I have just read that 95% of female veileds die if they arent mated.

It says - females will become receptive between 3 and 5 months old. 95% of captive females that arent mated in this time will die from egg binding!

Im really worried now - my little cham is nearly 5 months old and i have no intention of mating her.

Can someone please tell me if this is true or not?

Thanks

 

[chambabysitter1]

Hi

I have just read that 95% of female veileds die if they arent mated.

It says - females will become receptive between 3 and 5 months old. 95% of captive females that arent mated in this time will die from egg binding!

Im really worried now - my little cham is nearly 5 months old and i have no intention of mating her.

Can someone please tell me if this is true or not?

Thanks

This information is false. Here is some reliable information.

Can I ask where you found the info at?

 

[eisentrauti]

That's complete false. Some die because of this but never 95%. If they are healthy they have normally no problems to lay unfertilised eggs

 

[lizgentry]

Hi - phew thanks!

I found it in a book that was reccomended to me by a reptile shop ( i have to admit it isnt the best shop though!)

The book is called:

Chameleons; a complete pet owners manual.

Published by Barrons

 

[Miss Lily]

Totally not true! I had read/heard that somewhere too while I was researching, although I already knew that it wasn't the case. The age at which they lay their first infertile clutch varies greatly. Lily laid her first at 14 months old - I did think that maybe I had conditions just right and she wouldn't lay, but she was just a late starter!

 

[lizgentry]

Here is some reliable information

I read this web site alot when i first bought her - and im trying to keep the temps right so she wont lay atall.

I cant believe how confusing it all is with chams - the book isnt the first place where i have heard that she will probably die.

Perhaps the people who say this arent keeping their chams properly?

Thanks again for stopping my panic!

 

[chambabysitter1]

I read this web site alot when i first bought her - and im trying to keep the temps right so she wont lay atall.

I cant believe how confusing it all is with chams - the book isnt the first place where i have heard that she will probably die.

Perhaps the people who say this arent keeping their chams properly?

Thanks again for stopping my panic!

How old is the book? Alot has changed in husbandry I guess as time has gone by. A dated book would have dated information.

 

[Miss Lily]

They can, however, suffer and die from eggbinding if a place to lay eggs is not provided. Also while digging and laying the female must have privacy, as causing her to abandon the digging and laying process if she sees you looking could lead to eggbinding.

Out of interest, how much/what do you feed her per day? I tried to prevent Lily laying - her basking spot is in the low 80's. She doesn't eat as much now, but at 6 months when I got her she was still eating a lot. That was before I found the info in Raising Kitty, so perhaps her appetite back then was the cause of her laying her large clutches.

 

[lizgentry]

It was origionally published in 1995 - the one i have is a 2005 edition.

 

[lizgentry]

Out of interest, how much/what do you feed her per day? I tried to prevent Lily laying - her basking spot is in the low 80's. She doesn't eat as much now, but at 6 months when I got her she was still eating a lot. That was before I found the info in Raising Kitty, so perhaps her appetite back then was the cause of her laying her large clutches.

Yeah, i read that too. Had her basking spot at around 80 but she did nothing except sit and bask all day so i have upped it a couple of degrees and she seems to move about much more now.

Having said that - with the weather being so crazy at the mo i am having to adjust it almost every day.

She is eating 12 medium locust a day at the mo.

I have changed so many things over the last two weeks - today was the first time i saw her with her proper colours so hopefully the changes are for the best! She also comes out readily now and eats when im watching - which she didnt do for a long time!

 

[Miss Lily]

I'm glad she's doing ok! They are very rewarding pets. I hand feed Lily every day and it always makes me smile!