Egg Dropper

[Acham]

Have bred Chameleons for many years and have sucessfully catered to each females' layer bin preference. Encountered my first lady that refused to dig and bury her eggs. Yes, all tricks were played - privacy, various sizes and depths for the bin, laying substrate moisture monitored, temperature monitored and controlled, access to the bin acceptable for the lady's size, and everything she needed to drink and eat was made available. This girl still continued to drop eggs everywhere. None were buried.

She appears to be empty but without seeing the packed tunnel I'm still watching her for possible egg binding. She has ben cleaned, hydrated and is eating calcium dusted gut loaded crickets and roaches.

Has anyone run into this refusal to dig and bury and do you have any advice to pass along?

 

[kinyonga]

What species?

 

[Acham]

What species?

Ambilobe. This is her first clutch, there are 13 eggs.

 

[kinyonga]

It's not normal for that species to not bury the eggs. Are they infertile? Did she see you watching her while she was digging?

 

[Acham]

Gathered eggs last night, waiting to see if they are fertile. Did not witness breeding but the male acted as if the task was accomplished. Eggs were layed in the time frame expected given the possible breeding date.
The enclosure with the laying bin was covered on 3 sides to give her privacy so I only peek from above. She never attempted to dig. After the first egg was seen on the floor and no signs of digging were noted I made minor adjustments. Checked the laying bin's substrate and verified that it was still moist and safe for her to tunnel, checked the enclosure and laying bin's temperature, etc. Then she was given complete privacy again. More eggs began to appear on the floor and on top of the laying bin's substrate. Over the next 10 days I made 2 other minor adjustments.
I tried to not disturb her as much as possible but past experience tells me to make small adjustments at the first sign of trouble. Of course the eggs gathered are a little dry since they were not covered and I just need to wait to see if any will survive.
If this was an elephant or chimpanzee I would say cause was bad or no parenting. With chameleons - the proceess of covering the egg is just instinct.

 

[Link]

Gathered eggs last night, waiting to see if they are fertile. Did not witness breeding but the male acted as if the task was accomplished. Eggs were layed in the time frame expected given the possible breeding date.
The enclosure with the laying bin was covered on 3 sides to give her privacy so I only peek from above. She never attempted to dig. After the first egg was seen on the floor and no signs of digging were noted I made minor adjustments. Checked the laying bin's substrate and verified that it was still moist and safe for her to tunnel, checked the enclosure and laying bin's temperature, etc. Then she was given complete privacy again. More eggs began to appear on the floor and on top of the laying bin's substrate. Over the next 10 days I made 2 other minor adjustments.
I tried to not disturb her as much as possible but past experience tells me to make small adjustments at the first sign of trouble. Of course the eggs gathered are a little dry since they were not covered and I just need to wait to see if any will survive.
If this was an elephant or chimpanzee I would say cause was bad or no parenting. With chameleons - the proceess of covering the egg is just instinct.

I've had two females then have done that also. They'll drop eggs as if there moving your bowels. Usually happens after she already laid. But I don't think it's that uncommon for that to happen one time I went down and I was like Tic Tacs everywhere but they were infertile.

 

[Link]

Gathered eggs last night, waiting to see if they are fertile. Did not witness breeding but the male acted as if the task was accomplished. Eggs were layed in the time frame expected given the possible breeding date.
The enclosure with the laying bin was covered on 3 sides to give her privacy so I only peek from above. She never attempted to dig. After the first egg was seen on the floor and no signs of digging were noted I made minor adjustments. Checked the laying bin's substrate and verified that it was still moist and safe for her to tunnel, checked the enclosure and laying bin's temperature, etc. Then she was given complete privacy again. More eggs began to appear on the floor and on top of the laying bin's substrate. Over the next 10 days I made 2 other minor adjustments.
I tried to not disturb her as much as possible but past experience tells me to make small adjustments at the first sign of trouble. Of course the eggs gathered are a little dry since they were not covered and I just need to wait to see if any will survive.
If this was an elephant or chimpanzee I would say cause was bad or no parenting. With chameleons - the proceess of covering the egg is just instinct.

12 inch Bin peat moss and sand is all I use usually works all the time

 

[Acham]

12 inch Bin peat moss and sand is all I use usually works all the time

Bin size, commonly used with other females, 14" deep with moist vermiculite filled to 9", 14" long and 9" wide. No problems with this in the past.
Will keep a close eye on her and consider not breeding her again. She is eating and pooping like normal. No egg bulges but with ambilobe it is hard to tell if some eggs remain inside. Easier with veileds but the panther's abdomen is much shorter and pudgier. Have read soooo many of the posts on this site regarding behavior observed with egg bound females.
My chameleons are pampered like you wouldn't believe.

 

[Angelwolf]

Being that it's her first clutch, maybe she's just too naive? Maybe her instincts and/or hormones aren't strong enough yet? I would be willing to bet she lays her next clutch like a champ.

 

[Link]

Bin size, commonly used with other females, 14" deep with moist vermiculite filled to 9", 14" long and 9" wide. No problems with this in the past.
Will keep a close eye on her and consider not breeding her again. She is eating and pooping like normal. No egg bulges but with ambilobe it is hard to tell if some eggs remain inside. Easier with veileds but the panther's abdomen is much shorter and pudgier. Have read soooo many of the posts on this site regarding behavior observed with egg bound females.
My chameleons are pampered like you wouldn't believe.

When I had a few that got bound up and started dropping the eggs then she goes and dig again and then you end up with strand eggs. Just had a clutch when half were all strand eggs.

 

[Link]

Bin size, commonly used with other females, 14" deep with moist vermiculite filled to 9", 14" long and 9" wide. No problems with this in the past.
Will keep a close eye on her and consider not breeding her again. She is eating and pooping like normal. No egg bulges but with ambilobe it is hard to tell if some eggs remain inside. Easier with veileds but the panther's abdomen is much shorter and pudgier. Have read soooo many of the posts on this site regarding behavior observed with egg bound females.
My chameleons are pampered like you wouldn't believe.

Do you have a picture?

 

[Acham]

She was removed from the enclosure and moved to one that provides the "after child birth" care. Laying bin removed and cleaned last night. No pics taken.

Link - How is your female(s) "egg dropper" doing and have you bred her(them) twice?

Love this group and am always reviewing posts. Everyone with chameleons becomes aware that a variety of issues can arise over time. Members contribute and a collection of information is most helpful. I recommend this site to all who adopt my chameleons.

 

[Link]

She was removed from the enclosure and moved to one that provides the "after child birth" care. Laying bin removed and cleaned last night. No pics taken.

Link - How is your female(s) "egg dropper" doing and have you bred her(them) twice?

Love this group and am always reviewing posts. Everyone with chameleons becomes aware that a variety of issues can arise over time. Members contribute and a collection of information is most helpful. I recommend this site to all who adopt my chameleons.

What I received already gravid. Pretty sure that was our second time I'm not that positive though. And the one that just dropped them I'm pretty sure that that was her first clutch. It's the little girl that's all my avatars to just drop them

 

[Link]

What I received already gravid. Pretty sure that was our second time I'm not that positive though. And the one that just dropped them I'm pretty sure that that was her first clutch. It's the little girl that's all my avatars to just drop them

On my picture I meant

 

[Acham]

My picture! Need to add this don't I. How to decide which beauty...

 

[Acham]

She dropped another egg sometime last night. This girl is very worrisome.

 

[kinyonga]

Link...what do you mean strand eggs?
Adcham...usually when this species is dropping eggs its an indication that there is something wrong.
You said you're using vermiculite??? That's what you use for incubating them in not for laying them in. It should be washed playsand for laying. Maybe she's doesn't like the vermiculite.

 

[Link]

Link...what do you mean strand eggs?
Adcham...usually when this species is dropping eggs its an indication that there is something wrong.
You said you're using vermiculite??? That's what you use for incubating them in not for laying them in. It should be washed playsand for laying. Maybe she's doesn't like the vermiculite.

Yeah I've had to the Had strand eggs. And then would drop eggs. .. there still doing fine one is actually receptive right now. I also use play sand with peat moss 4 to 1 ratio

 

[Link]

Link...what do you mean strand eggs?
Adcham...usually when this species is dropping eggs its an indication that there is something wrong.
You said you're using vermiculite??? That's what you use for incubating them in not for laying them in. It should be washed playsand for laying. Maybe she's doesn't like the vermiculite.

 

[kinyonga]

Link...that's what I thought you meant. Not sure what that is but I've seen eggs joined like that when I removed them from a dead female once many years ago. Do they lay eggs again after that happens?