Help!

[BbyK4y]

I have about a 10/11 month old, female, veiled chameleon. I've had her since she was 7 months old. She has a variety of different foods in her diet, misted throughout the day and is all green most of the day but today I've found her on the ground of her cage TWICE.

I don't know if something is wrong with her. She doesn't look like she's grasping for air or dehydrated. She goes for her food and her eyes aren't sunken in.

I don't know what this means and I'm very concerned. If you have any input or have had this happen please reply!

 

[christineacero]

Do you have a laying bin set up for her? To me it sounds like shes looking for a place to lay her eggs. I'm not sure how experienced you are with chams but just so you know, females will lay infertile eggs even if there is no male present. Sounds to be around the right age too! I'd get one in there ASAP and give her some privacy. Becoming egg bound is common enough and is fatal without surgery.

 

[BbyK4y]

I just set one up so I hope thats what she's needs. Thanks for the input / help.

 

[christineacero]

no problem. What material did you use in the laying bin? Sometimes it helps to start a little tunnel to help them out too

 

[BbyK4y]

I looked up a couple and copied and she refuses. She picked her corner of the cage and started moving the substrate. But now she sits like this and I'm just really worried because if she doesn't lay the eggs I don't have the money to get the eggs surgically removed

 

[kinyonga]

She is definitely in trouble imho and needs a vet ASAP if you want her to have any chance to survive.

Can you post a couple more photos of her please?

 

[BbyK4y]

I tried feeding her and she goes for the food but she can't hold a grip. So I fed her smaller worms in a bowl and she ate a few. She's been drinking water off the wall of the cage from the misters I have and she moves around just weirdly. Everyone keeps saying she's just getting ready to lay eggs but she refuses to go in the lay bin, she picked a corner of the cage she likes and won't go anywhere else. If I move her she moves back over there. I've never had a female chameleon so I'm not use to this kind of stuff. She was very healthy before any of the happened. She does seem bigger so she might have eggs but I'm not 100%

 

[BbyK4y]

Besides her recent laying on the ground thing she's healthy and still eats and drinks she isn't refusing food or water. She doesn't have MBD. I called a vet and they said she's most likely trying to lay eggs but either I'm over reacting because she's my baby or she's sicker than everyone keeps telling me. I know this forum isn't a replacement for a vet but even the vet is saying she's trying to lay eggs. I just don't want it to kill her [emoji17]

 

[BbyK4y]

Update: she moved here and fell asleep once her light went off for the night

 

[Alick]

Howzit man,can't you remember when you first noticed the blue spots on her body?

 

[junglefries]

Try covering up her enclosure so she can't see anyone. I would.recommend a sterlite bin (walmart) 12-18"l x 12"w x 12-18"h. Fill will organic soil 3/4 ($1.96 @ home depot) and playsand 1/4 ($3 @ home depot). Mix thoroughly and lightly moisten, just enough to hold shape. Leave her be. Most of the time, my females will work thru the nite depositing. If she doesn't lay soon, oxytocin from the vet may be your only chance. If she is slow to no eating recently, then she is definitely in position. Good luck.

 

[BbyK4y]

She doesn't have any blue spots on her body. I look her over everyday to make sure she's okay. I made another bin she liked better in her cage and.i covered it like this and she turned green instantly so I think she feels more comfortable.

 

[Cait0420]

Try putting her in a garbage pail with 12 inches of dirt/plays and and one stick. Just leave her in there and see if she lays. She may dig a few holes before picking one to lay in. When she's done she should climb up the branch and will need lots of food and water. Make sure you don't disturb her at all once she's started she could stop and become egg bound. Hope this helps

 

[Cait0420]

Sorry didn't read the one where she found a bin she liked good luck!

 

[BbyK4y]

I'm just worried about her. She's my first female chameleon and I'm doing everything to help her. She won't eat crickets or worms but she let me hand feed her favorite romaine lettuce which she likes. She didn't eat a lot.

 

[BbyK4y]

ended up doing this. Hope it works.

 

[SycoSquirl]

keep us posted on how she is doing, hope she is well

 

[kinyonga]

You said she moves around weirdly...what do you mean?
You said she can't hold a grip....what do you mean?

 

[BbyK4y]

Like she will go for the good start to bite to swallow and then she can't keep it in so it falls out of her mouth. Only thing I've seen her eat is lettuce since I hand fed her that. And she crawls on the ground or she'll hang from two legs and have her back on the ground like one of my photos show.

 

[kinyonga]

I still feel that she needs to see a vet...a good exotics vet. Don't wait too long.