I think my chameleon is gravid

[monkeychildjake]

i bought a male and female flapneck chameleon about 5 days ago, and i just realized that the female has lumps on her sides. I did research and i believe she is gravid, i put a plastic container in the cage thats about 6 inches wide and tall, and i filled it with soil. The female is kind of aggressive to the male and hasn't really been eating. I think im doing a pretty good job, but what do i do from here? and then what do i do when she lays the eggs? do i touch them with my own hands and put them in separate containers?

heres a picture of the chameleons back

 

[jannb]

Welcome to the forums. She does look like she has eggs. You are not housing them in the same enclosure are you? I'm attaching my egg laying/laying bin blog for you below.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/jannb/345-egg-laying-laying-bin.html

 

[monkeychildjake]

how long do you think until she lays the eggs? and i need to separate the male and female? what if the eggs are not fertilized when they come out?

 

[jannb]

Yes they need to be in separate enclosures. Most species of chameleons are solitary animals and each needs their own enclosure. Since they have been together the eggs could be fertile. You'll want to keep them just in case. To incubate the eggs put them in a plastic Tupperware shoe box with about 3 inches of moist vermiculite and keep them in a closet where the temps with be around 76 degrees. I punch two tiny holes in the lid. To test for moisture, take a fist full of it and squeeze it, if no more than a drop or two of water comes out then the moisture level should be okay. Do not turn the eggs as you move them from where they were laid to the container. Lay them in rows about an inch apart in all directions in shallow dents made with your thumb in the vermiculite. Put the lid on and place them in a dark place where the temperature is between 72-78 F. Moisture will form on the sides of the container and underside of the lid. It takes about 8 to 9 months for the eggs to hatch. It they are not fertile they will mold over in a couple of weeks.

 

[monkeychildjake]

If the eggs are infertile can the male fertilize them or is it too late once they come out? Do I really need to put her in a huge container or is it ok if she has a container in her cage that she can dig into and lay her eggs ?

 

[jannb]

They would have to mate ahead of time for the eggs to be fertile. I would not use anything smaller than a 12X12X12.

 

[monkeychildjake]

Should I isolate her in a huge container or leave a big container in the cage?

 

[jannb]

I would first try a big container in the cage and see if she'll lay there.

 

[monkeychildjake]

And can the male be in the container ?

 

[jannb]

And can the male be in the container ?

Absolutely not.

 

[monkeychildjake]

If I don't have anywhere to put the male am I better off just putting the female into a huge container for her to lay?

 

[jannb]

They should not be housed together and they definitely shouldn't be together when the female is trying to lay. Take her out and put her in a large can like in the link in my blog and while she's in there buy another cage and get it set up. I would get the female in the lating bin ASAP.

 

[monkeychildjake]

If I have no container to keep the male should I just put the female in the big container and see if she will lay the eggs there?

 

[jannb]

They should not be housed together and they definitely shouldn't be together when the female is trying to lay. Take her out and put her in a large can like in the link in my blog and while she's in there buy another cage and get it set up. I would get the female in the lating bin ASAP.

 

[monkeychildjake]

ok so i put her in a large container and filled it with soil... what else do i need in there?

 

[jannb]

I use washed play sand and put in a short branch so she can get out of the sand but not the bin. If you check out my blog I have a link to a picture of mine. https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/jannb/345-egg-laying-laying-bin.html

 

[monkeychildjake]

are these the eggs???

 

[Dupontman2]

Those look like the little fertilizer pellets found in a plants soil. Those arent eggs.

 

[bridgofaith]

ok so i put her in a large container and filled it with soil... what else do i need in there?

What kind of soil did you use? Those look like fertilizer beads to me.

 

[jannb]

That doesn't look like eggs. Did you get her in a laying bin? She doesn't look good to me.