userBandit
Member
Unknown of age, she was very small when I got her in early October, got her from a Petco. She seems healthy, but does she look gravid? Why is she green everyone elses chameleon gets yellow when it is gravid. Please help.
Gravid?
- Thread starter userBandit
- Start date
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Have you been monitoring her weights? Is she lumpy?
userBandit
Member
Already in there.
userBandit
Member
No and I don’t know just a little. Hard to tell completely
userBandit
Member
Natural. She eats like crazy still, all over her new enclosure, all that jazz.
userBandit
Member
She has a bin and she has investigated it before, but she’s never tried laying in it. She’s also never laid before.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
It’s sometimes hard to tell when they’re gravid, how close to laying they may be. Is why it’s a good idea to have a lay bin as a permanent part of your enclosure. Do keep track of her weights. While it may not help this first time, it will help next time to determine how close she is.
userBandit
Member
I have a tiny scale i think it only weighs so many grams though. How can I weigh her on it without her freaking out? She isn't the most handleable. She does have a laying bin as a permanent part of her enclosure, shes always had one
userBandit
Member
If i put her in a lay bin will she automatically start digging if she is ready? Or if she feels uncomftorable will she just not lay them? I have no experience with female veilds she is my first cham and I really love her and want her to make it through this!
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
You may need to get a kitchen scale that measures grams. I use a small stick stuck in the sides of a small lightweight box to weight my chams. None like being weighed...I weigh all of my reptiles at least once a month. As my girls start looking plumper, I weigh them every week or two.I have a tiny scale i think it only weighs so many grams though. How can I weigh her on it without her freaking out? She isn't the most handleable. She does have a laying bin as a permanent part of her enclosure, shes always had one
When she’s ready to lay, she may not eat as much or at all and will find the lay bin. Once you see her in the bin and starting to dig, you have to give her absolute total privacy. I use a light sheet and cover only the parts of the enclosure needed so she can’t see me. I have made some small peek holes in the sheet so I can monitor her progress without disturbing her. Some will dig a few holes until they find one they like. The whole process from start to finish can take a couple of days and she may sleep in her hole. You’ll know she’s done when she’s sitting on her basking branch and her hole has been covered over. You’ll feed and hydrate her very well for 2-3 days and then resume her normal diet.
If your husbandry has been correct, she shouldn’t have any problems laying. It’s always nerve-wracking for us, but is the most natural thing in the world for our ladies. The only problem I ran into was my own fault...I misjudged the moisture of her bin. Stella dig across and her tunnel collapsed. I dug her out, she basked the rest of the day and resumed laying with no further problems the next morning...after I added more moisture to her bin.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
After she recovered from laying, you’ll want to feed her 3 buggies 3 days a week (plus occasional small treats) and keep basking temp no higher than 80. It may take a couple of cycles and it isn’t anywhere near an exact science, but this should help reduce number of eggs produced as well as frequency of laying.
cham girl
Avid Member
This was outstandiing and thorough
userBandit
Member
Thanks everyone! Will she stop digging if someone walks into the room? My family isn't big on reptiles and they dont understand how serious it is. They run up the stairs and just barge in the room sometimes.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
That’s why you need to cover the parts of the enclosure that are visible so she can’t see people that may be around. Their hearing is very poor, so I wouldn’t worry about noise. They are sensitive to vibrations, so no jumping around or subwoofers. Do your utmost to stress to them not to disturb her. While they may not be into reptiles, let them know that disturbing her could lead to egg binding and either one massive vet bill for surgery or her death.
Kmotley425
Member
@Kmotley425 ...you should start your own thread.adding on to someone else's caused confusion.
She looks gravid to me.
@JacksJill @Kaizen should be able to help you.
She looks gravid to me.
@JacksJill @Kaizen should be able to help you.
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