First Clutch

[Ophelia]

I think my veiled is ready to lay her first clutch of eggs, and im super anxious and worried D: (And by mine, I really mean this is my bfs veiled and I joined the forum because I worry more than he does :/ )

The past week and or so we've had her in an indoor cage, and the past couple of days she's been restless like ive never her seen her before. She was crawling all around the tank, even going on the bottom, which ive never really ever seen her do.. Normally we'd have her outside in a 4x4x5ft enclosure we made, but it was in need of serious repair after a series of tornadoes blew through, and of course its not ready for her to go back in yet :/ So as of now she's in her little screen tank that we keep her in when it gets cold/wet/etc its only 2ft tall and 1.5x1.5 around so its not the biggest... I put a 5 gallon bucket in the tank filled with play sand, and I made sure it was moldable so she could tunnel through it. She's got a foot of sand in it. She stopped being so anxious after I put the sand in the tank. How long does this normally take? Oh and she seems to have lost some of her appetite. We'd normally feed her about ten lg crickets a day, and I think the bfs started feeding her super worms... She still eats, but only about half as much. I dont think he's ever weighed her? If he has I dont know. I weighed her today and she's 93.3 grams.

SOS

- very worried mommy

 

[kinyonga]

When she's ready to lay the eggs she should start to dig. Once she is digging do not let her see you watching her or she will abandon the hole. If it happens often enough it can lead to eggbinding. However, the female may dig several test holes but should finally settle on one and continue to dig that one until she is satisfied with it. Then she should turn around butt down and lay the eggs. It usually happens in the evening. She should cover them up and tamp the sand down and return to the branches...at which point she should be hungry and thirsty.

 

[Ophelia]

Shes digging Super excited, and relieved <3

 

[Ophelia]

Ok so what now? She dug a hole, but I dont know if she laid any eggs...
Is it ok to disturb the sand?
Im included four pics -
The first is her the other day, she's been very very dark lately...
The 2nd is her today
The 3rd is the hole she dug, it curves to the right rather than going straight down. Is that normal?
The 4th is a picture of the outside enclosure we keep her in

This is my first time with all of this and im really trying to go about everything the right way. Thanks for all of your help!

 

[jannb]

Once she starts to dig she will need complete privacy. If she sees you looking she may abandon the whole. If this happen it could cause her to become egg bound. My egg laying/laying bin blog is attached for you below. Hopefully you will fing it helpful.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/jannb/345-egg-laying-laying-bin.html

 

[Ophelia]

I did read that, and she's had a foot of playground sand in her cage the last three weeks now. I went out this morning about 9, to feed her and I just happened to see her tail sticking out of the hole, so I left her alone and went back inside. I got home from work at 7p, and could see her from my door at the top of her cage. I saw that she didnt pat the sand down but she does look thinner.. How do I know if she laid her eggs? I dont want to disturb the sand at all if she hasn't... Will it bother her? Should I take her out of the cage if I disturb the sand? Should I give her another day or so before I whisk her off to the vet?

 

[Ophelia]

Update -

Shes still digging, but no eggs. I havent set one foot near her cage until I saw her crawling up her cage just before sundown, so I went over and misted her for several mins. Poor girl was so so thirsty I tried feeding her, but she wouldnt take anything. There are now two large holes in her laying bin. When should I assume that she is egg bound? Should I go ask her vet for oxytocin?

 

[Miss Lily]

Is the sand damp enough? Sometimes they dig test holes for several days before picking the best spot. Both my females dug around a bit for 3 days before getting on with the real thing on the fourth day.

 

[kinyonga]

This is what should happen....the female may dig several test holes but should settle on one and dig it until she is happy with it. It could take several days. She should then turn around butt down (usually in the evening) and lay the eggs, fill the hole in and tamp the substrate down...and then return to the branches, hungry and thirsty and thinner. If it goes like that its all normal. You can dig the hole up once she has returned to the branches.

However, if she suddenly doesn't dig anymore or digs a hole and fills it in but there are no eggs in it when you dig it up or if she becomes lethargic, sleeps during the day, sits low in the cage, etc. she is becoming/has become eggbound. The problem is that by the time you realize she is eggbound the only solution is spaying.

As has been said...do not let her see you watching her when she is digging.

When she is up in the branches, you can feed and water her. You can mist the sand while she's asleep or up in the branches to keep it moist if you need to.

Hope she lays them for you!

 

[Ophelia]

Thanks for the advice!
We found her asleep in her hole this morning, she looked dead the way she was laying and we were afraid the hole had collapsed on her, but upon further inspection, she must have just fallen asleep after covering her hole - she is thin like a pancake! I gave her a good misting and left a couple of dusted super worms near her favorite perch, but she seems more interested in going back down into the sand and making sure her hole is buried to her satisfaction. This is normal right? I mean the hole is completely buried but she seems to feel the need to move half the sand in her bin to cover her eggs. I havent moved since she went back down into the sand. Im hopeful she'll come back up soon and eat for me, and even more excited at the though of eggs (even if they're not fertile).

 

[VeiledChams]

Keep her hydrated and leave some food in there for her. She will cover the hole until the is no trace of her actions (like turtles).

 

[Ophelia]

Ok. Great.
Ive been feeding her dusted super worms lately, and she has a hibiscus plant in there she likes to gnaw on from time to time, but is there anything I can (or should) add to her diet that would be more beneficial at this time? Ive also been reading up on some other post, and some have said it would be good to spray her with warm water? What does that do as opposed to room temp?

This is the link ive been reading from, of course I found it after all of this, but it has been very helpful on top of everyone's advice to me here https://www.chameleonforums.com/what-do-after-eggs-laid-49458/

 

[VeiledChams]

Give her crickets.I think, if properly gutloaded, have better nutritional value that super worms. I believe warm water incites the cham to drink (not positive on that though).

 

[Ophelia]

We have some problems with crickets slipping out of her outdoor cage, but we'll do our best
Just fed Chloe and gave her a nice long mist bath which she seem to enjoy quite a bit. Dug up her eggs for a grand total of 41 :O

 

[wendyeeeo]

For what it's worth - I've had 2 female chams become egg-bound, but neither one of them ever showed any signs of digging. I had lots of sand available, but it's like they 'knew' they couldn't lay them. I know it's stressful!! But it's a positive thing that your female has been digging at all. Good luck!

 

[copten]

Hey Ophelia, my veiled just laid her first clutch of eggs yesterday!!! (and by mine i mean my gfs, got it for her but im the one who takes care of it...lol) Her total was 46!! so exciting!