How does one set up a laying bin?

[Nicholasdeaan]

I have about a 3 or 4 month old Veiled. When will she want to start layings eggs, how often, what does a proper laying bin consist of and how do I go about it? Sorry for all the questions. Just wana make sure I do everything properly Any help is appreciated!

 

[Lathis]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/entry/egg-laying-and-the-laying-bin.345/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/laying-bin-set-up-educational-video.77225/

I've heard by about 5 or 6 months, you want to have a lay bin ready for her, although she may not be ready to lay quite that young. Hopefully, a keeper with female experience will jump in.

 

[jpowell86]

IMO, once a veiled is around 8 months it is imperative to have a lay bin for her. Lathis is correct, there have been documented instances of veiled as young as 4 months old being sexually mature...thank goodness this is not the norm though. The links Lathis put in the post are great. Remember opaque container and at least 12 inches of washed play sand.

 

[Nicholasdeaan]

IMO, once a veiled is around 8 months it is imperative to have a lay bin for her. Lathis is correct, there have been documented instances of veiled as young as 4 months old being sexually mature...thank goodness this is not the norm though. The links Lathis put in the post are great. Remember opaque container and at least 12 inches of washed play sand.

Ok thank you. What do you mean by washed play sand? I thought they can't have sand?

 

[Nicholasdeaan]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/entry/egg-laying-and-the-laying-bin.345/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/laying-bin-set-up-educational-video.77225/

I've heard by about 5 or 6 months, you want to have a lay bin ready for her, although she may not be ready to lay quite that young. Hopefully, a keeper with female experience will jump in.

Thank you! When will I know she is wanting to lay eggs?

 

[jpowell86]

As a general rule of thumb, you don't want substrate in with your chameleons. The play sand will not be covering the entirety of the enclosure, it will just be in the laying bin. You want to wash it and slightly compact it in the bin. We use play sand because it will hold it's shape while the female is digging her tunnel. You don't want substrate that will collapse back in on top of her.

 

[Nicholasdeaan]

As a general rule of thumb, you don't want substrate in with your chameleons. The play sand will not be covering the entirety of the enclosure, it will just be in the laying bin. You want to wash it and slightly compact it in the bin. We use play sand because it will hold it's shape while the female is digging her tunnel. You don't want substrate that will collapse back in on top of her.

Ok. Do pet stores generally sell play sand?

 

[jpowell86]

Not in my experience

 

[wodesorel]

Home Depot or Lowes will have washed, screened and usually sterilized playsand where the cement mixes are, for under $5 for 50 pounds.

 

[Nicholasdeaan]

Home Depot or Lowes will have washed, screened and usually sterilized playsand where the cement mixes are, for under $5 for 50 pounds.

Oh dang that's cheap. Alright I'll get on it thanks

 

[SocialNumb]

My Veiled laid just shy of 6 months. Showed signs sooner of course. She became desperate to get out of her enclosure. Scratching at the entirety of the screen, every nook and cranny, as if she would find a secrete lever or button that granted freedom, daily. She paced pretty much non-stop during the day, up and down the enclosure. She got fat, though I didn't know the difference being new to this, it was very apparent after she laid. Now I'll know better. Her colors changed and became more intense, "mustard yellows" and "robin blues" started showing. She didn't want to eat and would go days without. This all lasted for weeks and it sucked because I didn't know for sure what was going on till I took her to the vet and got x-rays.

I'm not saying this is what's going to happen to yours, just some things you may want to look out for and a heads up so you don't freak out.

The play sand I got at Home Depot was filthy though it didn't appear to be so. This was the stuff: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Quikrete-50-lb-Play-Sand-111351/100318476 I washed the hell out of it by pouring the sand into a bucket and sticking the hose under the sand at the bottom. Letting the water flow over, occasionally using the hose itself to mix the sand around, till the water was clear. It turns out that my cham loves to eat sand, so I got some organic soil and mixed it with the sand. She stopped eating it after that and eventually did her thing in it.

Good Luck!

 

[wodesorel]

There are different sized grains in playsand - what you were washing off was the finest, almost clay-like dust. I've been using playsand for 6 or so years now with my hermit crabs, multiple fish tanks, and now my geckos. The only time I bother rinsing is if it's going to be used underwater. Once it's damp there is no dust.