Is she dehydrated?

[malle000999]

Hey all so my Cham (Fiona) has been in my care for about 5 days.
I haven't seen her drink
her dripper is always on but no at night.
Is she dehydrated?

 

[malle000999]

Hey all so my Cham (Fiona) has been in my care for about 5 days.
I haven't seen her drink
her dripper is always on but no at night.
Is she dehydrated?

 

[Beman]

ohhh she is a big girl... You know she will lay eggs even if not with a male. They lay infertile eggs still. females are not my area but I am going to tag others in. Looks like those might be receptive colors or getting close to. @AmandaS @snitz427 @janjan20 your thoughts on this girl... She seems hefty in the belly.

As far as dehydrated eyes look good. How are her urates?

 

[malle000999]

ohhh she is a big girl... You know she will lay eggs even if not with a male. They lay infertile eggs still. females are not my area but I am going to tag others in. Looks like those might be receptive colors or getting close to. @AmandaS @snitz427 @janjan20 your thoughts on this girl... She seems hefty in the belly.

As far as dehydrated eyes look good. How are her urates?

I don’t really know what urates means but she poops and eat, she might just drink if the plants. Yes I know she will lay eggs but we had an discussion about her not being ready yet maybe in about 3 months or so. Is it unhealthy for her to be this big? I have already made her a nesting bin I just haven’t put it in her cage yet she just moved in it today her new terrarium.

 

[Ruthless]

Like @Beman said she dose look a little on the hefty side also doesn’t look dehydrated. And where are her horizontal branches? And do you have a lay bin for her?

 

[Camille the chameleon]

Lots of chams won’t let you see them drink. My chameleon, Camille, didn’t let me see her drink from her dripper until recently. I’ve now had her for around 3 months. Check her urates (they are the white/yellow things attached to their poop) and if it’s white then she is hydrated. She does look like she has eggs, how old is she? You should probably put her egg bin in.

 

[malle000999]

Like @Beman said she dose look a little on the hefty side also doesn’t look dehydrated. And where are her horizontal branches? And do you have a lay bin for her?

Her what branches she has plenty of branches in every direction. And as asked is it unhealthy for her to be hefty?

 

[malle000999]

Lots of chams won’t let you see them drink. My chameleon, Camille, didn’t let me see her drink from her dripper until recently. I’ve now had her for around 3 months. Check her urates (they are the white/yellow things attached to their poop) and if it’s white then she is hydrated. She does look like she has eggs, how old is she? You should probably put her egg bin in.

I have had her for 5 days her poop has the yellow/ white thing and it’s more yellow than white. And she is 9 months old.

 

[Camille the chameleon]

I have had her for 5 days her poop has the yellow/ white thing and it’s more yellow than white.

What ways do you give her water? Do you mist her? If so, how often?

 

[Gingero]

This video will help you understand more about urates. A chameleon's urates is one of the best ways to tell if a chameleon is hydrated since they are shy drinkers.




As far as your question, "And as asked is it unhealthy for her to be hefty?" Yes it is. She is more likely to produce a larger amount of eggs which can take a serious toll on females. A leaner female will lay fewer eggs than a chunky female. Not to mention leaner chameleons tend to be overall healthier and live longer. Similarly to how humans work.

 

[Ruthless]

Her what branches she has plenty of branches in every direction. And as asked is it unhealthy for her to be hefty?

Ok well based on the pictures it appears she is in it doesn’t appear to be any type of horizontal branches. And yes hefty is not a good sign for chams but if she is carrying eggs then she looks ok. If her urates are more yellow then white you can work on her hydration cycles. Do you only use a dripping system? We need more information. You can start here
Chameleon Info:
* Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
* Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
* Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
* Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
* Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
* Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
* History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
Cage Info:
* Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
* Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
* Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
* Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
* Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
* Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
* Location - Where are you geographically located?
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

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Please Note:
1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

 

[Gingero]

It's be worthwhile for you to answer these questions and post pics of her entire enclosure so that we have the full picture: https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/

 

[malle000999]

What ways do you give her water? Do you mist her? If so, how often?

I have a dripper on all the time, I mist about 3-4 times a day not for very long maybe 40 seconds and I mist her until she starts to puff up and that’s around 20 seconds.

 

[Beman]

I don’t really know what urates means but she poops and eat, she might just drink if the plants. Yes I know she will lay eggs but we had an discussion about her not being ready yet maybe in about 3 months or so. Is it unhealthy for her to be this big? I have already made her a nesting bin I just haven’t put it in her cage yet she just moved in it today her new terrarium.

Urates are the white part that comes out when they pass a fecal. That shows hydration level. A little bit of yellow is fine in it but you want it to be moist and mostly white.

She is showing weight in her belly. Casque looks good. That is why I tagged in others with female veiled experience.

 

[Beman]

I have a dripper on all the time, I mist about 3-4 times a day not for very long maybe 40 seconds and I mist her until she starts to puff up and that’s around 20 seconds.

Are you misting her directly or her plants? You should not be misting her directly. You should be misting her plants for at least 1 minute or so for it to trigger her to drink. Dripper should be dripping on leaves as well for her.

 

[malle000999]

* Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
- veiled chameleon
- female
- in my care 5 days
- age 9 month

* Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
- I haven’t Handel her only hand feed

* Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
- grasshoppers about 5-6 every other day
-I feed my feeders weeds from my yard or oats or cucumber

* Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting
your feeders with and what is the schedule?
-calsium and d3 2 times a week
-with nekton

* Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
- no I don’t see her drinking
- I have a dripper and it’s always on except at night
-I mist about 30 seconds 3-5 times a day

* Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
- I don’t know if she has been tested the seller did not tell me
-she is normally dark green with white spots
But know she is light green with orange/brown stripes
-her poop is fine with the little yellow/white thing

* History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
- she laid eggs 3 month ago

Cage Info:
* Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
-screen cage 61 cm 61 cm 122cm

* Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
-HID with a uv-b light

* Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
-a spot with 30° and the bottom 22° and the rest is 25°

* Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
- I don’t know the humidity

* Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
- I use live plants all chameleon safe

* Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
-located in my room by my door next to a window
- about 50 cm from the roof

* Location - Where are you geographically located?
-location is in Denmark

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
- eggs, dehydrated, and weight!

 

[malle000999]

Are you misting her directly or her plants? You should not be misting her directly. You should be misting her plants for at least 1 minute or so for it to trigger her to drink. Dripper should be dripping on leaves as well for her.

I don’t really mist on her just slightly I read you have to do that but I mist her plants mostly

 

[malle000999]

Urates are the white part that comes out when they pass a fecal. That shows hydration level. A little bit of yellow is fine in it but you want it to be moist and mostly white.

She is showing weight in her belly. Casque looks good. That is why I tagged in others with female veiled experience.

I just checked and it’s like white with a yellow kind of layer

 

[kinyonga]

You asked..."is it unhealthy for her to be hefty?"... Yes it is. If a female veiled is overweight she will lay a huge clutch instead of a normal sized one which means she needs more nutrients to put in the eggs and more calcium for he shell. Usually they develop MBD and can prolapse, become eggbound, lose muscle strength and have other issues....somtheynusualy die.

If you don't provide a proper place for her to lay eggs if/when she produces them she will likely become eggbound and die unless you catch it in time and get her spayed. It isn't always easy to tell when they are ready to lay the eggs so waiting until you think it's time might result in you missing it and her becoming egg bound.

Please answer the questions @Ruthless asked you to answer so we can see that you have your husbandry right and hopefully prevent problems from happening. Please be very specific about the answers...especially for the supplements and lists you are using.

Please include photos.

 

[Beman]

I don’t really mist on her just slightly I read you have to do that but I mist her plants mostly

Yeah avoid spraying her... hand held sprayers have a harder mist to them. They are not like a mist king automated mister that has a very very fine spray. Chams will go into mist if they want to. They do not like being sprayed directly. It is shocking for them. Also they are dry shedders so if you are spraying her and she starts a shed she will have issues shedding properly because it actually sticks the shed to their skin.