Female Not Laying?

[AsaSpadeSS]

Okay, I am a new member, and pretty new to Chameleons. I got her back in July and I would say she was about 4-6 months old at that time, she has grown quite a bit. Sorry if this is a long post.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Veiled Chameleon, Female, About 11 months old. About 4-5 months
• Handling - I never handle her, last time I really tried was the day I brought her home.
• Feeding - Mostly just crickets fed with calcium and other cricket food. About 12 per day or every other day. Also horn worms.
• Supplements - Flukers, and about a few times per week.
• Watering - I have an ExoTerra Monsoon RS400, about 60-120 secs with two nozzles about ever 2-3 hours. I have only caught her actually drinking a handful of times.
• Fecal Description - Usually very solid looking but somewhat soft brown poop, unless is dried. I have never had her tested.
• History -

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Screen, ReptiBreeze XL; 24" x 24" x 48"
• Lighting - Zoomed UVA Basking Light 100W, and Nat Geo UVB 13W. 12 hours on, and 12 hours off, on a timer
• Temperature - I have an in-cage thermometer that can be moved around. Average temps during the day are about mid 70s throughout the cage, coldest spot, no less than 70 degrees. Basking spot is 85-90 degrees.
• Humidity - Around 40-50%, using the Monsoon RS400, and levels are pretty stable in my house.
• Plants - I have only 1 live plant at the moment the previous owner gave, I am unsure of the kind.
• Placement - In the corner of the room. Located on the ground since it is a 4' tall cage.
• Location - Connecticut, USA

Current Problem - Okay, now that that is all out of the way, I am very worried my girl may be carrying eggs, and may be egg bound. I am very intune with her behavior and actions, but last week I noticed a big change. Usually when it's feeding time, she gets super excited. I usually dump about 12+ crickets in and most of the time, shes running over to pick a few off while i'm dumping them in. So about last Sunday she ate a lot of crickets, maybe 15+. The next day I figured that was a lot, I'll feed her the next day. Tuesday comes around, I put a few crickets in, she was so uninterested, so I thought she was still full from Sunday, so okay I'll try later. Got home, offered her one by hand, at first she seemed interested, but left it alone. The next morning I thought alright, she should be starving, dumped in some crickets, probably 10. She didn't even budge, they were roaming all around the cage and by her face and she just watches them and turns her head. Her behavior besides eating has been the same. She still moved around the cage normal and everything. I got really concerned and decided to leave them in hoping she would get hungry. Come back home later, the crickets we all over the cage, I immediately removed them, she ate maybe 1 of them. I thought maybe she was tired of crickets. But I was really concerned so did some searching online, and noticed that she did have some blue spots on her but it was only for 1 day. I realized she might be carrying infertile eggs, and didn't have a laying bin set up. I tried to feed her 2 crickets the next day which she ate, but then became un interested. I got a 12" x 12" x 12" bin set up full of moist play sand. I have only seen her go down to it, fling her tongue into it 3 times and that's it. The other day she kept climbing on the cage screen, going back and forth. I was concerned so I kinda watched her because there was a lot of noise, and it felt like she was trying to get my attention, and she was near the cage opening, and I was going to open it, and she hissed, first time ever! I immediately backed off and left her alone. I thought she was fed up with crickets so I got her some horn worms, she loves these things. I hand fed her 2, she ate them, didn't want any more. I had the cage still open, and this is later after she hissed at me. She climbs down from her basking spot climbs to the cage screen door, climbs on the swinging door so I held it still, and she comes right up to my face, I was sitting on the floor and stares at me, like she was trying to tell me something. I didn't want to try to move to handle her and startle her by accident and have her fall so I sat still and looked back at her. She was there for over 5 mins. I had the container of horn worms next to me, so I slowly showed her, she looks down into it, watches them, but is un interested, since I never moved she eventually turned around and went back to her vine. It really bothers me that the laying bin hasn't been used and it's been 5 days since I got it. She also hasn't pooped since probably Thursday. At time she looks really big, like she is carrying eggs, and other times she slims herself down, I don't really want to handle her to feel and stress her out more. I also keep the cage half covered around the bin, if I'm around, but still nothing. Should I be worried?? Help Please

 

[Blang]

Try lightly feeling in front of her back legs on her belly, if she is carrying eggs you'll feel what feels like jelly beans in her belly! Use your thumb & index finger to lightly feel for eggs! Gently!

 

[AsaSpadeSS]

Okay, I will try later on, what if she tries to bite? Just let her? I'm sure it won't hurt too much. And could it be that she is still producing more eggs and that's why she isn't ready to lay?

 

[AsaSpadeSS]

Well I fed her 1 hornworm today, lost interest after that, tried to get a feel on her belly but once my hand gets too close she turns around real fast and seems like shes going to try to bite. I also noticed another symptom, she had her mouth open when she went under the basking light like it was hot, but she seemed to let out a small sneeze, and 1 exhale through her nose that seemed odd. Respiratory infection? Would that match her recent odd behavior?

 

[phantomchameleon]

Well I fed her 1 hornworm today, lost interest after that, tried to get a feel on her belly but once my hand gets too close she turns around real fast and seems like shes going to try to bite. I also noticed another symptom, she had her mouth open when she went under the basking light like it was hot, but she seemed to let out a small sneeze, and 1 exhale through her nose that seemed odd. Respiratory infection? Would that match her recent odd behavior?

When they have they're gaping when basking, it's their way of cooling off i think? For that sneeze thing, that's their way of getting rid of excess minerals, salts, calcium ect that they dont need. If it looks more like a human sneeze and she shakes her whole body, then that's a respiratory infection

 

[phantomchameleon]

@Decadancin @jannb Input???

 

[phantomchameleon]

@Decadancin @jannb Input???

also @Brad

 

[Decadancin]

I would try to dig a test hole for her and see if that stimulates her to dig. If she is ready to lay that may help. If you notice her showing any interest in the bin you may want to cover her so she has lots of privacy. That is the hard part because you will want to know what'she going on. There are a lot of recent threads about egg laying to use as reference that may help. Hopefully some breeders will be able to chime in to offer advice.
Could you post a picture that isn't through the screen so we can see if she looks ready?
Best of luck.

 

[AsaSpadeSS]

I dug a test hole when I put the bin in, and I noticed it filled in after a few days, but from what I have observed she has shown no interest in it. Sometimes, she looks like she is carrying but when she slims down, it doesn't. Her appetite has really changed, she has only eaten like 1 hornworm a day, and finally pooped a tiny bit this morning. I am really noticing her with her mouth open when she is basking and after she moves away from the light for a little bit, mouth looks clean and normal.

 

[alphakenc]

She looks gravid to me,did she pace up n down the cage? and I dont think she has URI at all....any weird noise?bubbles out of her mouth?

 

[AsaSpadeSS]

I only heard a weird noise twice, once when I misted yesterday, I think a drop hit her face and she kind of sneezed, and earlier today when her mouth was open, she was inflated and let out a deep breath, and I heard the air pass her nostrils, but that's it, no discharges or bubbles from her nose or mouth. She was pacing a lot late last week, but that stopped after I put in the laying bin, that's why I am kind of worried, now I want her to pace but I haven't seen her do it anymore.

 

[alphakenc]

I only heard a weird noise twice, once when I misted yesterday, I think a drop hit her face and she kind of sneezed, and earlier today when her mouth was open, she was inflated and let out a deep breath, and I heard the air pass her nostrils, but that's it, no discharges or bubbles from her nose or mouth. She was pacing a lot late last week, but that stopped after I put in the laying bin, that's why I am kind of worried, now I want her to pace but I haven't seen her do it anymore.

Have u try to cover her cage with towel or drapes to give her some privacy?
Also get a food scale to weight her in just to see if there is any fluctuations in her weight,scale will tell u she is not losing weight with all the eggs in her,even sometime she seems slim down.

 

[AsaSpadeSS]

Have u try to cover her cage with towel or drapes to give her some privacy?
Also get a food scale to weight her in just to see if there is any fluctuations in her weight,scale will tell u she is not losing weight with all the eggs in her,even sometime she seems slim down.

I have tried covering her cage for the first few days after I got the laying bin, but should I keep it covered during the day even when there will be no one around? I usually only cover it at night. I have a scale to weigh her with, but trying to touch her or pick her up is the problem. She doesn't run away, but turns her head towards me and arches up on her back legs like she's ready to bite, should I just let her bite me and pick her up? I'm not trying to stress her out

 

[alphakenc]

I have tried covering her cage for the first few days after I got the laying bin, but should I keep it covered during the day even when there will be no one around? I usually only cover it at night. I have a scale to weigh her with, but trying to touch her or pick her up is the problem. She doesn't run away, but turns her head towards me and arches up on her back legs like she's ready to bite, should I just let her bite me and pick her up? I'm not trying to stress her out

They are active during the day n sleep at night,so cover during the day just to give her extra security,and leave it on at night.
U can try slowly reach her underneath with open palm rather then grabbing her....at this stage,since u havnt weight her yet,I will leave her be since any movement inside her cage will stress her out no matter what,the sign of eating less n pacing up n down before ,its all the right indicator that she is in that laying stage.
Also make sure the sand inside the laying bin wont dry out by adding water accordingly,she will only dig the sand if its in the right condition.