concerns about early pregnancy for my vield

[DcabMEX]

Hey I finally have pictures to show now by using my phone, idk if u can see them but there u go.
the first should show my cage setup
2nd should be evrything i use that relates to Ellie's (my chameleon) well being
3rd shows the lighting i use
4th is a pic of Ellie yesterday
5th shows a pic of her today

any questions?

 

[DcabMEX]

hey evryone im back again. so no my vield is a lil older and lil bigger now. and she is now acting strange once again. whenever she goes to sleep now, she sleeps at the bottom of her cage and during the day she seldom goes to the top if only to bask. is she gravid this time around?
o and she is starting to show blue dots as i think they appear to be. id apprecciate feedback please, and thank you =)

 

[Elizadolots]

I'm sorry we let this fall off our radar. Your pics are very clear and easy to see.

If it were me, I'd have vines going up to within a few (maybe 5) inches of the roof of the cage. Vertical climbing is a big thing for chameleons.

You can create good climbing vines using soft garden tie material like this:

You should be able to find it at any place with a substantial garden department.

Do you have a laying bin in there for her? I think that's essential and I don't see one in your picture.

Is the green bowl to catch water or is it acting as a feeder cup?

I think 90 degrees is pretty warm for a female. I think you can drop that down to 80-85. It might increase her desire to spend time at the top and it will help reduce the size of the egg clutches.

When you say she is sleeping "at the bottom" is she on a branch near the bottom or is she actually sleeping on the floor of the cage?

I sort of think your night time temps are too hot and that's why she's staying low. If she's actually on the bottom, that would be a different story.

Based on what I've read here, your cage temps should drop significantly at night and there is no reason for a temperature gradient at night. Don't put any heat at the top of the cage at night. The only reason to worry about night time heat is if your home gets unbearably cold at night. Like, under 50 degrees.

One thing chameleons seem to be is good sleepers. They find their spot and stay there without moving for the night.

 

[ChamChick]

Hi there, I would definitely post some new pics of her, as she is a little older now, and things change quickly.... also, I saw before that you said you couldnt figure out a way to get a digital thermometer inside your screen cage. Have you considered getting a temperature gun?

Also, are you still using a light for heat at night? She needs a temperature drop at night! I would do away with any bulb used for night time heating. She will be fine as long as your temp doesn't get below the mid 60's.

 

[melric]

Can you let us know what changes you have made since you lasted posted? I'm reading a lot of good info that was given.

 

[DcabMEX]

hey so im certian that my vield is more mature now and has eggs. she is showing the blue dots all over her body and stays at the bottom of her cage. also, i have seen her stay awake at night when she shuld be asleep. and more than once that ive picked her up she has hissed at me and opened her mouth at me. in one occasion she did all that and also turned black all over. so with that said i jus need to know what to use and at what time is best to do it? thanx again =]

 

[dagy24]

A link to all the info about how to make a laying bin and what to use was already posted earlier in this thread.
Other than that, at this age she may be large enough to be moved to an adult size cage. You should make an effort to put more vines and branches, like Elizadolots said. I'd say they should go up 6-8" away from the top (away from the basking and uvb lights), but 5" or so is probably good too. You just don't want her to get too close and bump her cask on the top as she gets bigger or burn herself, or to be too far away to recieve the proper amount of UVB and heat. You must get a digital thermometer or temp gun when you do this to make sure you don't cook her.

Please read the information that was already provided about laying bins and make one and put it in there.

 

[laurie]

If you live in the San Fernando valley, I would guess she is way to hot. You are going to have to check temps. When it hits 100 your cham will not do well.

 

[DcabMEX]

ok so i will do the laying bin for sure. now about the adult cage; im sure it is more money to buy one and i dont think ill have that kind of money to go to a petsmart. does anyone noe a good site to buy wholesale cages or anything like that?
o and i do live in the valley, wat shuld i do when it does hit 100?

 

[DcabMEX]

also, at what time of the day is it best to have my vield lay her eggs?

 

[kinyonga]

You can't make her lay them...she will lay them when she is ready (as long as there are no reasons for her not to lay them). They most often lay them at night but they will dig the hole during the day as a rule.

Be sure that you don't let her see you watching her when she's digging.

Here's the way it should go...
a female may dig several holes before she selects one and digs it until she is happy with it. It can take more than a day to do this. She will then turn around butt down and lay the eggs...fill in the hole, tamp it down and then return to the branches, hungry and thirsty.

 

[DcabMEX]

thank you. that really helps me understand much more clearer.
so i set a bin filled with a kind of dirt made from cocunut husk(zoo med brick of dirt i guess) and the thing is that evrytime i check up on how she is doing, she gets out and jus lays there. its cuz i have her separated from the cage...... ill supply you with pictures soon. thanx again

 

[DcabMEX]

gee wilickers! i havent gotten a response? can anyone help me answer my recet questions please?

 

[Texas Panther Man]

If your female is truly gravid she will start roaming her whole cage. She will also start moving her body in strange contortions while walking. Almost like shes trying to shed and remove her old skin. The final stage she will go to the bottom of the enclosure and look for a suitable nesting site. She will need a bucket or a pail with about 12" of clean play sand mxed with some organic potting soil. I use about 75% sand and 25% organic potting soil. Make sure the mixture is moist and that when you start digging a tunnel can form with out caving in. The cocunut husk crap aint going to cut it. You wasted your $$$ on that stuff. There are tons of threads on here about making laying bins. Just go to the breeding section and do a search. Make sure you mist the crap out of her for the next several days. When she aint digging make sure and give her every oppurtunity to drink. She can go weeks without food but she needs water every day to survive the birthing process. Oh yeah and while shes in the bucket LEAVE HER ALONE. Do not check on her every five mins it will take about a day to a day and a half for her to dig and cover the eggs so leave her alone to finish the job. Or she'll get freaked out abondon the bin and could become egg bound.

 

[DcabMEX]

Ok thanx and i appreciate the help. ill have to go n see how ill go about putting the bin in her cage, she has a 16x16x20 i think, which is small