Feels like something is wrong

[mackenzieyeomans]

I have a veiled female chameleon that I’ve had for about 3 months now, she was the size of my thumb whenever I got her and now she’s almost as big as my hand. I have her humidity from 50-80% and her lights stay on for 12 hours and lately I’ve only given her superworms and her cage temp stays at 80.5 and I spray her cage every two hours. I’m worried right now though because every time she goes to eat she grabs onto the worm and it ends up being able to wiggle out of her mouth, and she’s always rubbing her head against the branch whenever she walks almost like she’s unable to pick it up, and she wobbles a little bit whenever she walks and she’s seemed to have gained a lot of weight and I just want to make sure nothing is wrong with her because it would hurt me terribly if there was. She hasn’t really eaten in the last two days.

 

[Dame of Thrones]

I'm not too familiar with females but...is she ready to lay eggs? I had heard that they gain more weight when they're about to lay.

 

[Chameleomom]

Seems like your girl is full of eggs and needs a laying bin ASAP

 

[mackenzieyeomans]

Seems like your girl is full of eggs and needs a laying bin ASAP

What would be the best thing for her? What does she need for her to lay eggs smoothly?

 

[mackenzieyeomans]

This is her as of right now she just likes to walk a few inches and then lay down and stay there

 

[Dame of Thrones]

Here's an older thread with a "how to" video for that.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/laying-bin-set-up-educational-video.77225/

 

[mackenzieyeomans]

What type of sand would be good for her?

 

[mackenzieyeomans]

Should I feed her while she is going through this?

 

[JacksJill]

Have you been giving her supplements regularly? She looks like she has MBD?
https://www.chameleonforums.com/thr...-like-how-it-happens-and-how-to-fix-it.95071/

 

[mackenzieyeomans]

Have you been giving her supplements regularly? She looks like she has MBD?
https://www.chameleonforums.com/thr...-like-how-it-happens-and-how-to-fix-it.95071/

no she hasn’t had any, what needs to be given to her and how much? How can you tell that she has that?

 

[JacksJill]

The shape of her joints and her weakness make me think MBD. Calcium is required for coordination and strength.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
"Supplementation:
Calcium and other vitamins are very important to your chameleon's health. Feeder insects should be lightly dusted with powdered supplement before being fed to your chameleon. Many keepers successfully use calcium (without D3 or phosphorus) at nearly every feeding, multivitamin once every 2 weeks, and calcium with D3 once every 2 weeks."
Because she is having problems you should take her to the vet to get liquid calcium and other care. Start her on Calcium With D3 today and regular calcium daily until you can get to the vet.

 

[mackenzieyeomans]

The shape of her joints and her weakness make me think MBD. Calcium is required for coordination and strength.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
"Supplementation:
Calcium and other vitamins are very important to your chameleon's health. Feeder insects should be lightly dusted with powdered supplement before being fed to your chameleon. Many keepers successfully use calcium (without D3 or phosphorus) at nearly every feeding, multivitamin once every 2 weeks, and calcium with D3 once every 2 weeks."
Because she is having problems you should take her to the vet to get liquid calcium and other care. Start her on Calcium With D3 today and regular calcium daily until you can get to the vet.

Could she be ready to lay eggs though due to her belly spread and the weight she has gained? Or is it more likely to be MBD. I’m just really hoping it’s not MBD.

 

[JacksJill]

I'm more worried that the calcium she used making eggs has pushed her over the edge into serious MBD. I would get her calcium ASAP and start on a laying bin. I'm sure without calcium supplements young growing chameleons will end up with MBD.

 

[mackenzieyeomans]

I'm more worried that the calcium she used making eggs has pushed her over the edge into serious MBD. I would get her calcium ASAP and start on a laying bin. I'm sure without calcium supplements young growing chameleons will end up with MBD.

Okay, what type of substrate would you recommend?

 

[jannb]

Okay, what type of substrate would you recommend?

I use playsand. Here’s a video by one of our senior members showing how to make a laying bin. I’ve also attached a blog about egg laying and the laying bin. Be sure to get your girl on supplements ASAP.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/laying-bin-set-up-educational-video.77225/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/egg-laying-and-the-laying-bin.345/

 

[JacksJill]

Many people have good luck with a 50/50 mix of play sand and eco earth. Follow the instructions in the links Jannb gave you.