Is my Veiled gravid?

[Jwalls]

I rescued her from a family that got her for their children for Christmas. They didn't want her anymore because she became less active (staying at bottom of enclosure not eating as much) basically they thought something was wrong and didn't want to deal with it they actually said they force fed her at one point because she wouldnt eat. I'm a first time chameleon owner but I knew she would be better off with me because I am willing to do what it takes to take care of her. I just got her on Thursday and after setting up her enclosure she climbed to the top. But on Thursday night she was back to the bottom. I called the vet Friday morning but the vet wasn't there and I couldn't find another in my area. I have an appointment for Monday at 5:00.

She did eat some crickets and meal worms Saturday and today. (4 crickets and 4 worms Saturday) 3 crickets and 4 worms today) After doing some research I believe she is gravid but I need someone to tell me for sure.

I did set up a lay bin in a 5 gallon bucket with a mixture of eco earth and sand but she just climbed back out of it. I don't know how long she has been like this or if the eggs are impacted from neglect or what's going on.


I did buy a brand new 5.0 uvb bulb just in case the one I got with her wasn't working

I'm sorry for rambling but I've been trying to post this since Friday and my account was just approved today I'm a bit stressed and probably not being very coherent. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Like I said she's going to the vet tomorrow and I'm sure the vet will give me all the info I need but if there's anything I can do until then please let me know

 

[Jwalls]

I'm new to this forum and I just wanted to make sure that everyone can see the pictures I posted?

 

[opheliaeatsbugs]

Hi Yes, the pictures are visible. I understand the stress of being a new cham owner - the learning curve is steep! But you said you are willing so that is a huge step in the right direction I'm sure she appreciates you caring about her. If you haven't already, please read (and re-read) the care sheets:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/chameleons/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

and fill out the "How to Ask for Help" form which will help you with all the details of keeping your cham (what's her name?):
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/

As for being gravid, it is a little difficult to tell from the picture - can you take a pic of her sideview? and a pic of her enclosure? you should make sure that her temp/basking area is around 82-85 (read the details in the care sheet) - she should be on a supplement schedule (care sheet) and a variety of feeders - what are you feeding her?

 

[Jwalls]

Her name was Otis when I got her (which I really liked) but Im not sure if I wanted to keep the name being she's a female. I have read those links you posted and will reread as suggested, the temperature is a bit low right now(79-80) I need to buy a new bulb, it seems it's just not getting hot enough, humidity is solid ranging from 50 at average and increasing when I mist. I still need to get a misting system, a bigger enclosure, and more vines/plants but this is what I have for now.

 

[Jwalls]

Here's another view

 

[Jwalls]

Also I forgot to answer one of your questions, I'm feeding her medium crickets dusted with the powdered repticalcium and meal worms. Since I believed she was gravid and I had read that they didn't eat a lot during this time I haven't been giving her a ton of food but 3-4 crickets and 4-5 mealworms per day

 

[opheliaeatsbugs]

She looks like she's had a couple rough months, but I'm sure you'll get her on track couple of things... if that is substrate on the bottom of her enclosure, I would remove that. A bare floor is easier to clean anyway. Also, I wouldn't bother with the mealworms - not as nutritious as other feeders, but I know those and crickets are easy to get at pet stores. I buy feeders online (trying to breed my own roach colony) to keep a variety. Right now we are feeding wax worms (variety), super worms (treat), blue bottle fly larva (variety), BSFL's (staple), dubia roaches (staple) and crickets when I feel like getting them at the pet store (I hate crickets lol). My girl is gravid, but I am trying to avoid a huge clutch, so I have been advised by members of this forum to feed every other day about 10 items and I use the Repashy Calcium Plus with every feeding. If you are using the calcium without D3 - use that every feeding and a calcium without D3 every 2 weeks and a multivitamin every 2 weeks. Every 2 weeks (approx.) I feed Ophelia as much as she will eat before getting bored and moving away, so she got a little more today, for example, than usual.

Get a new bulb, bring her temps up a little and make sure she has a new UVB bulb. Make sure she is getting enough water. Ophelia is misted 3x a day for 10-15 mins (or longer). You should definitely have a laying bin in her enclosure.

 

[Jwalls]

Thanks for all the info, I didn't know about the substrate I'll get it removed asap, as for the laying bin I followed some online instructions to make one out of a 5 gallon bucket, I had it in her enclosure for 2 days and she never once attempted to dig or even get in it(I placed her in it twice) I had a vine in the bucket so she was able to get out and she did get out both times, so do you think she is gravid or just overweight?

So you mist for 10-15 mins? I just give the enclosure a good mist to make sure everything is coated which only takes 2 or 3 minutes is that not enough? Do you have a drain for any excess running water that accumulates after spraying that long?

Also I have a small to medium sized corn named Dewey a few feet away from her. Is this a bad idea? The snake is out of view most of the time and is way too small to be a threat but could this cause stress anyway? The people at petco said that it was okay but after reading some of these forums it seems like petco workers are grossly incompetent when it comes to reptiles.

 

[opheliaeatsbugs]

Thanks for all the info, I didn't know about the substrate I'll get it removed asap, as for the laying bin I followed some online instructions to make one out of a 5 gallon bucket, I had it in her enclosure for 2 days and she never once attempted to dig or even get in it(I placed her in it twice) I had a vine in the bucket so she was able to get out and she did get out both times, so do you think she is gravid or just overweight?

So you mist for 10-15 mins? I just give the enclosure a good mist to make sure everything is coated which only takes 2 or 3 minutes is that not enough? Do you have a drain for any excess running water that accumulates after spraying that long?

Also I have a small to medium sized corn named Dewey a few feet away from her. Is this a bad idea? The snake is out of view most of the time and is way too small to be a threat but could this cause stress anyway? The people at petco said that it was okay but after reading some of these forums it seems like petco workers are grossly incompetent when it comes to reptiles.

There is some great info if you search laying bins on this forum. I'll be honest, though, it has been overwhelming for me. This is O's first clutch, which she still hasn't layed and I'm getting impatient lol I think, from what I've learned, is that you should have a permanent laying bin in the enclosure until she lays her clutch. She probably is gravid, as that is a natural occurrence for the females and she looks old enough. You don't want to overfeed while they are developing eggs b/c that can lead to HUGE clutch size (harder on female, etc.) which is why I feed every other day. I also weigh her once a week to keep track of her weight.

 

[Jwalls]

what about the spraying?
You mist for 10-15 mins? I just give the enclosure a good mist to make sure everything is coated which only takes 2 or 3 minutes is that not enough? Do you have a drain for any excess running water that accumulates after spraying that long? I do have a dropper set up but right now I'm just using a hand sprayer and a dripper.

 

[opheliaeatsbugs]

what about the spraying?
You mist for 10-15 mins? I just give the enclosure a good mist to make sure everything is coated which only takes 2 or 3 minutes is that not enough? Do you have a drain for any excess running water that accumulates after spraying that long? I do have a dropper set up but right now I'm just using a hand sprayer and a dripper.

oh sorry, I didn't reply to that one. So ummm... my spraying/drainage has been a journey. I started with a dripper (which I tried to aim to a drip container and a spray bottle misting - it wasn't enough and her urates were orangey-yellow. I upped the spray bottle misting to 5 mins and that helped - but it gets tiring after a few mins, honestly and she still wasn't hydrated enough. Part of my issue was the drainage and I had all kinds of work arounds (none worth mentioning as they were mostly stop-gap). I made getting a proper enclosure a priority so I saved up and bought a reptibreeze off craigslist and it came with a monsoon rainfall system (the systems that are talked about most on the forum are the mist king or climist). I'm actually pleased with the monsoon (a few things I wish were better). So the drainage became top issue at this point. I was hoping that the potted plants would help, but no way could they absorb that much water a day - mostly it all drains out to the bottom of the enclosure. You can search for drainage and see all different kinds of solutions - some of them are pretty cool! I have my reptibreeze on a stand. Homemade wood frame. Like a little table, except that the top of the table is a grate. Then the cage sits on top of that. I drilled holes into the bottom of the reptibreeze flooring so the water drains to the litter pan which I can slide out and dump. On the back of the reptibreeze, I have put up a piece of plastic and that wraps down the back and under the cage so that any spray is funneled under the table and into the little pan (don't laugh... it's what I had on hand lol).

Hope this helps

 

[Jwalls]

I was reading about lighting on here an I couldn't find anything about the type of bulb to use, I have a blue bulb that came with her and j understand the temperature I'm looking for but what about color? Red? Blue? White? Which is better or doesn't it matter?

 

[opheliaeatsbugs]

Many of us prefer using a long tube type fluorescent light instead of the CFL bulbs for UVB exposure. They provide a larger area within which the cham can get its UV exposure. The brand matters however. While the basking light only needs to provide heat, the UV bulb must be correct. I haven't used the ReptiGlo UV bulbs but have read that they are OK for about 4 months of use. The ZooMed ReptiSun bulbs are better, up to 6 months of daily use. The newest brand out there that more people are using are from Arcadia.

This might help. I know that some members use a blue light because it looks cool but I don't think the color matters to the chameleon. No light on at night, though.

 

[Jwalls]

I see I wasn't sure if spraying her too much directly was a good thing or not but i get it now, I'll definitely make or invest in some type of automated system and install some sort of drain pan.

Did you see my last reply on the lighting? I couldn't find anywhere which color was best to use.

Thanks for all the help I really appreciate it.

 

[opheliaeatsbugs]

I see I wasn't sure if spraying her too much directly was a good thing or not but i get it now, I'll definitely make or invest in some type of automated system and install some sort of drain pan.

Did you see my last reply on the lighting? I couldn't find anywhere which color was best to use.

Thanks for all the help I really appreciate it.

No problem, happy to help as much as I'm able yes, I answered your question about lights... honestly, Im coming up on needing to buy new ones and i'm going to invest in a higher quality lighting system, so I haven't fully explored this topic or come to a solution/conclusion for myself yet.

Most chams do not like to get sprayed directly... O definitely does... she's funny. But they do need extended misting sessions, sometimes it takes a few mins to stimulate them to drink. I really haven't seen them do much in a fast manner - slow and deliberate creatures (most of the time lol).

 

[joshuadh2310]

Can't answer if she's looks Gravid or not but I can say ditch the substrate and add more plants for her to hide in and a lore more branches. You can keep those vines in there but you need way more branches for her . She needs more horizontally branches to just relax on. I would also set up a horizontal branch for her to bask on so it's easier on her. You can mix in some vertical branches for her to get up and down as well. Also I would see if you can get a lay bin in there for her and just have a branch of something going into it so she can go in and out. Also if someone says she is gravid make sure to give her privacy and try not to spook her or she can get nervous and not lay her eggs and die. Good luck!

 

[kinyonga]

Weldome to the forum and the world of chameleons!

Is she sleeping during the day?

You talked about a light ...for a basking light you can use a regular incandescent household bulb in a hood. White light is best.

 

[Jwalls]

It's on and off, she slept during the day the first day I had her, could this have been because of the stress of a long car ride? Because ever since then she'll only sleep during the day for an hour or two and then she's ready guy to the top of her enclosure.

I have to take her to the vet this evening does anyone have tips for a long car ride? About 90mins

 

[Jwalls]

***She's right to the top***

 

[joshuadh2310]

It's on and off, she slept during the day the first day I had her, could this have been because of the stress of a long car ride? Because ever since then she'll only sleep during the day for an hour or two and then she's ready guy to the top of her enclosure.

I have to take her to the vet this evening does anyone have tips for a long car ride? About 90mins

put her in something like a shoe box or something where she does not have a lot of room so she can't get tossed around. If you want you can secure a stick for her to sit on if not she will be fine as well. if whatever you put her in is see through or she can see out of it in any way try and cover it up for her and make it dark so maybe she will go to sleep. what i use for a vet visit is a cricket box with paper towels all over for padding and i have a stick glued into it and i cover the top with a paper towel too.