Help! My "male" chameleon laid an egg!

[Tdogmcfrog]

Not too long ago, about 6 months, I purchased a supposedly male baby veiled chameleon from PetCo but two days ago I found a white egg on the ground(it was a bit misshapen but it was indeed an egg). I put a 12" diameter 11" deep bucket filled with moist sand in "her" tank and she started digging. I didn't know what to do at first but after about a day I put a blanket over her cage 2x2x4ft but she just keeps digging, no eggs. I'm not disturbing her in anyway and she hasn't seen me but she keeps digging to no avail. I just don't want her to become egg bound. Also, before she laid the first egg on the ground, there was no where else for her to dig and she showed some yellowish and vibrant blue spots (if that's significant). Also, since she's in the bucket, I'm not sure if misting her is too disturbing. Please help if you can! I wasn't prepared for a female veiled cameleon at all!

 

[DavidBuchan]

Hello, welcome to the forum I had exactly the same thing happen to me! Except I was moving house the day I woke up to eggs . I never heard of it happening to anyone else yet though..........this should be fun....... Firstly, good work with the bucket. She could take a few days to lay, but digging is a good sign. Keep on not distubing her, leave her in there overnight. I expect she'll lay soon. When she is done she should look pretty skinny so you'll know. She'll want lots of food with plenty of plain calcium powder, and she'll want lots of water and misting.
Here is a great basic caresheet I always recommend to new people with Veileds - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/chameleonsinmyhouse/395-veiled-chameleon-care-sheet.html
Here is some fantastic laying bin info - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/jannb/345-egg-laying-laying-bin.html
The spots are her 'receptive' colours. She's a big girl now
Don't mist her in the bucket, she'll know you've seen her. Find a spot to peek through somewhere, just poke a spyhole to see when she comes out of her tunnel.

 

[Olimpia]

Digging is a great sign! So no need to worry yet. Typically females who become egg-bound are in a state of medical emergency, so they are lethargic, listless, their eyes are sunken, and they typically don't have the strength to do anything. But if she's active and strong enough to dig a tunnel for her eggs then you're still in good shape.

It might take her a few days to get everything the way she wants it, but just continue to leave her pretty much alone.

And don't feel too bad, I worked at a pet store recently that had a few wild caught veiled chameleons, among them an adult female. She came in so thin that I (ME, with all these female chameleons at home! lol) didn't notice that she really needed to lay eggs until I found one on the floor of her cage. I set up a bucket, dug a tunnel for her, and she went straight down and laid about 16 eggs, without even digging around. She's just lucky I was working that day, as my coworkers wouldn't even have noticed!

 

[Tdogmcfrog]

Thank you, this puts me much more at ease. I am kinda bummed that she won't be as colorful as a male would be though

 

[DavidBuchan]

Thank you, this puts me much more at ease. I am kinda bummed that she won't be as colorful as a male would be though

I do know what you mean, but my girl is just as good looking as my boy - here's a photo of one of Jannbs females looking very bright and colourful - http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?star...34&tbnw=201&ndsp=16&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:100,i:22

 

[pssh]

Like others said, just let her dig and dont let her see you. If she stops digging and returns to her normal activities WITHOUT laying eggs, take her to a vet. If she starts to act ill or strange, take her to a vet.

 

[sarahlynne]

Thank you, this puts me much more at ease. I am kinda bummed that she won't be as colorful as a male would be though

In most cases the males are prettier than females eg. ducks chameleons peacocks (not humans though) i wonder why this is??

 

[AngieL]

In most cases the males are prettier than females eg. ducks chameleons peacocks (not humans though) i wonder why this is??

Because the males are the competitive territorial ones. The biggest prettiest ones will be the first to score the females can just sit around and be faught over!

 

[DavidBuchan]

In most cases the males are prettier than females eg. ducks chameleons peacocks (not humans though) i wonder why this is??

Not humans? It's lucky for you I don't take things on the internet personally.....lol

Because the males are the competitive territorial ones. The biggest prettiest ones will be the first to score the females can just sit around and be faught over!

Yes, the generally accepted theory is that because females put more 'resources' into child bearing they are the ones who have to select their partners for quality (while the males have more reproductive success going for quantity ).
This actually does go for humans too - in theory

 

[cubanbee]

In most cases the males are prettier than females eg. ducks chameleons peacocks (not humans though) i wonder why this is??

If you think of body hair, I guess human males are more "decorated" than females. My back hair and I blame Hollywood and those Abercrombie & Fitch ads for the negative view of our inherent evolutionary beauty.

 

[DavidBuchan]

If you think of body hair, I guess human males are more "decorated" than females. My back hair and I blame Hollywood and those Abercrombie & Fitch ads for the negative view of our inherent evolutionary beauty.

I don't really think that counts, sorry In terms of evolution we are actually losing body hair in general.....even the males.