Gravid?

[Amanda S]

When a chameleon is gravid how long do they appear this way before they lay their eggs?

My chameleon has been climbing on the screen, walking on the bottom, playing in the dirt, and looks like she has a little belly. For the first couple weeks I've had her she was an angry brown and now she is light brown with mossy coloring. I keep catching her on the ground but she is perfectly fine and happy, she is just roaming. She also has 4 plants and lots of cover so she has no other reason to climb the screens.

I am just concerned I won't recognize the signs of it. I've researched it plenty but wondered if it is something where they start to show a little bit and get bigger and bigger until they lay eggs?

 

[Amanda S]

Here are some pics...they aren't great. She's small so I don't know how clear it would be anyway...or of it would be more clear.

 

[lbesok]

When a chameleon is gravid how long do they appear this way before they lay their eggs?

My chameleon has been climbing on the screen, walking on the bottom, playing in the dirt, and looks like she has a little belly. For the first couple weeks I've had her she was an angry brown and now she is light brown with mossy coloring. I keep catching her on the ground but she is perfectly fine and happy, she is just roaming. She also has 4 plants and lots of cover so she has no other reason to climb the screens.

I am just concerned I won't recognize the signs of it. I've researched it plenty but wondered if it is something where they start to show a little bit and get bigger and bigger until they lay eggs?

What type of chameleon are you caring for? Typically it takes about 30 days from when they become pregnant to release the eggs. You know it's almost time when they stop eating, but not all of them loose their appetite always. Usually their gravid colors are darker.... Do you have a container of soil/sand ready for her to lay in?

 

[Vegas Chad]

it may be the pic but your carpet looks REALLY dehydrated... When I think they are about to lay I will put them into a tub of only super soil with a hole already started for them. Feel for eggs... If she is getting close you can usually feel them.

 

[Trace]

Chad, why do you say that she is REALLY dehydrated? You mentioned that on another thread from Amanda as well - but with no explanation.

The pics aren't the most clear (and I'm on a crappy work computer) but that chameleon doesn't look like she's in terrible shape to me.

Trace

 

[Vegas Chad]

Looking at the head in the pictures it would seem that both the top and sides are badly sunken in. Like I said it may just be the pictures though...?...

 

[Eyal]

You can say it in a more polite way though.

 

[PantherVeileD]

I think chad did say it in a polite way. Remeber this is just messaging.. He is giving a statement...

 

[Vegas Chad]

I did not mean to rude or anything... Sorry if I sounded that way. With luck I will be wrong anyhoo.

 

[Eyal]

Sorry chad, but im a newbie with chams. Mine is 6 months about. And the first time I showed it , i was so glad i got one, everythings was working great until i got. wow, she EXTREMLY Dehydrated. Do something or she'll die, but point was that she always sinks her eyeballs inwards when Im taking pics...

 

[Amanda S]

She is not dehydrated but we did discuss that in a prior board when I was concerned she was. Her head is not sunken and her eyes bulge out. I did research this in depth and looked at various pictures of what dehydration looks like and all the signs of it. She has been showing a lot more color, has decent humidity, completely shed within two hours, is misted several times a day, and has a habba mister that doesn't mist of course but does drip and she does drink from it. I think you were right and before she was mildly dehydrated from shipping but she has recovered and is adapting to a cage well. She is even happy being held and associates it with being fed already.

She has a proper laying area and a plant to lay in as well just in case. She was recently WC and I was warned she would lay a lot of eggs, this is my first experience with that and I just want to make sure I don't miss any signs b/c I don't want her to die from impaction.

I am also wondering if any could be fertile since she is fresh from Madagascar. So I want to keep an eye out. I don't know how long gestation is or anything about their egg laying cycles..yet. There isn't any information like this about carpet chameleons online (but I did just buy a book)

 

[Roni013]

I dont know if you read this yet but I thought thier was some cool info and pics of gravid carpets on this page:
http://www.chameleonnews.com/new/?page=article&id=47

I've been trying to dig up info too! Its hard to find but I'll let you know if I find any more.

 

[Vegas Chad]

If she is a recent WC then you have a good chance at the eggs being fertile.

 

[opihiman]

I remember that some where in here there was a post that said you can tell fertile eggs from their color and shape of egg's I ll go look and see if cant link it here....

OPI


Check this link

https://www.chameleonforums.com/my-eggs-not-hatching-12373/

I hope that is the one...

Hope that helps and good luck


OPI

 

[Amanda S]

Roni that link is awesome thank you so much for finding it

 

[Amanda S]

I would also just like to add that that article about the carpets...the author went to Penn State and wrote the whole article about breeding them and caring for them in northeastern pennsylvania. I live at Penn State!!! That article really couldn't have been any better or suitable for me. Too bad there is no publishing info, I'd like to talk to the guy.