Is she gravid?

[Jungle Jake]

1.She has been going up and down her enclosure for a week or more. Crawling all over the ground constantly going up and down

2.her belly has been looking bigger but I don't know if she is just growing.

3. She has not been eating much which was the first big sign because she has always been a good eater

4. She seems extra thirsty the last few days. finally pooped for the first time that I have seen in a week or so. and her dropping indicate a little dehydration.

I panicked because I have never owned a female and I didn't want to miss it so i transfered her to an enclosure with enough floor space for the lay bin and she has been in there for over 24 hours but I have not seen any digging, though I have been trying to give her privacy. But before I go any further, can anyone tell if she is gravid or not? I can take more pics in morning when I check on her if needed.
She is only 8ish months old.

Thanks in advance.

 

[cruz.m]

1.She has been going up and down her enclosure for a week or more. Crawling all over the ground constantly going up and down

2.her belly has been looking bigger but I don't know if she is just growing.

3. She has not been eating much which was the first big sign because she has always been a good eater

4. She seems extra thirsty the last few days. finally pooped for the first time that I have seen in a week or so. and her dropping indicate a little dehydration.

I panicked because I have never owned a female and I didn't want to miss it so i transfered her to an enclosure with enough floor space for the lay bin and she has been in there for over 24 hours but I have not seen any digging, though I have been trying to give her privacy. But before I go any further, can anyone tell if she is gravid or not? I can take more pics in morning when I check on her if needed.
She is only 8ish months old.

Thanks in advance.

She definitely looks big but she’s also puffing up so I’m not really sure. As long as you have a laying bin and correct husbandry she should lay when she’s ready. Can I see your enclosure lights included? @MissSkittles will know more
Also if those are exoterra vines I’d take them off the coating on them comes off too easily and if your cham rubs it’s eyes against it, it will go in her eyes

 

[Jungle Jake]

Okay thanks. I am using t5 6.0 ho uvb and just a regular basking light. My biggest problem is nighttime humidity( I live in Canada) and the winter has been dry so i bought a whole home humidifier last week. Hoping it helps. I guess I will just have to renovate her regular enclosure to make room for a laying bin. The enclosure she is in now is smaller and I don't want to keep her in it long if she doesn't have to be . Not much in there but a few vines and the lay bin.
I will take more pictures in the morning if that would help. She has just been acting very abnormal so I feel like something is up and not sure what else it could be.

 

[Jungle Jake]

Off to bed. I will post more pics in morning.

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi. Beautiful lady! Is this the first that you’ve noticed her being restless? About how long ago did she start showing colors and patterns other than mostly solid green?
It’s hard to tell from your pic where she may be in her cycle, but she’s definitely started. If she wasn’t restless or prettied up previously, then she may be in her receptive phase. You’ll definitely want to keep her lay bin in her enclosure and ready for when she is. As long as your husbandry has been good, all should go without any problems.

 

[Gingero]

This video should be helpful:

 

[Jungle Jake]

Yes, normally she would just stay up in her branches at her basking spot and seemed quite happy up there. But about two weeks ago, I started to notice her coming down more and around constantly and going back up. I even had her cage open, and was doing something right beside it last week, I can't remember what. And after 3 mins I turned around and she was climbing down the outside of the cage trying to make a break for it! I don't normally take her out or handle her so I was shocked lol.
As for colouration, It feels hard to tell for me. She does not seem like she shows gravid colors but I also don't have a great deal of knowledge in this.

Also I just realized last night upon cleaning out her regular enclosure that she has been doing some droppings behind her big branch where I couldn't see so I feel better about that. But checked her dropping from this morning and there is alot of yellow in the white. She has a tiny bit of yellow in it her poop often but this mornings is a bit concerning to me(I posted a picture below but couldn't get a great one) She also did not eata nothing today and only usually eats when I offer her superworms. Don't know if I shud be offering them to her more since she is accepting them because I have heard of them getting addicted.
I put her in a smaller cage and with the lay bin and she does not look very comfortable. Crawling all over the ceiling. I have had a blanket covering the sides. but I am working to have her home renovated for her by tonight or tommorow latest.

Here are some more pics of her this morning.

 

[cruz.m]

Yes, normally she would just stay up in her branches at her basking spot and seemed quite happy up there. But about two weeks ago, I started to notice her coming down more and around constantly and going back up. I even had her cage open, and was doing something right beside it last week, I can't remember what. And after 3 mins I turned around and she was climbing down the outside of the cage trying to make a break for it! I don't normally take her out or handle her so I was shocked lol.
As for colouration, It feels hard to tell for me. She does not seem like she shows gravid colors but I also don't have a great deal of knowledge in this.

Also I just realized last night upon cleaning out her regular enclosure that she has been doing some droppings behind her big branch where I couldn't see so I feel better about that. But checked her dropping from this morning and there is alot of yellow in the white. She has a tiny bit of yellow in it her poop often but this mornings is a bit concerning to me(I posted a picture below but couldn't get a great one) She also did not eata nothing today and only usually eats when I offer her superworms. Don't know if I shud be offering them to her more since she is accepting them because I have heard of them getting addicted.
I put her in a smaller cage and with the lay bin and she does not look very comfortable. Crawling all over the ceiling. I have had a blanket covering the sides. but I am working to have her home renovated for her by tonight or tommorow latest.

Here are some more pics of her this morning.

Oh wow yeah she definitely looks like she has eggs. I also see that she’s fairly chubby even without the stomach. How much do you feed her? If you feed her a lot and provide high basking levels she’ll produce too many eggs and could be a health risk. As for the enclosure she should be in a well branched, lots of foliage normal cage that she would even if she wasn’t gravid. If she doesn’t have any coverage she won’t lay because she needs privacy and coverage so she feels safe (even if she wasn’t gravid) in general. Can we see your entire set up please? (Poop should be either all white/cream or 50/50 white/cream and yellow but no more yellow than white/cream)

 

[Jungle Jake]

I wud usually feed her everyday as much as she cud eat in a sitting because that's what I was told to do up to 9minths then cut back to everyother day or so but I am learning that that may of been improper. I have also only owned her for 3 and a haf months. Thought I did enough research prior but I don't think that's possible. So much misinformation out there until I found reliable sources like this forum.
Also,Basking Temps are kept at 80-85.

 

[cruz.m]

I wud usually feed her everyday as much as she cud eat in a sitting because that's what I was told to do up to 9minths then cut back to everyother day or so but I am learning that that may of been improper. I have also only owned her for 3 and a haf months. Thought I did enough research prior but I don't think that's possible. So much misinformation out there until I found reliable sources like this forum.
Also,Basking Temps are kept at 80-85.

Basking temp should be 80°f max and yup usually for females you cut back at 4-6 months because of egg laying so you definitely have been feeding too much. She looks to be developing obseity and if you continue to feed her this much she’ll be severely obese and may have clutches that are too big for her to handle which will lead to being eggbound, and even death. I’d start doing 5 food items every other day. (Properly gutloaded and supplemented) This clutch will probably be a lot of eggs so you’ll need to do some stuff to reduce the amount. Once they reach adulthood you’ll reduce to 2-3 food items every other day or every two days. Food items must be the no bigger than the width between their eyes
Read through this if you haven’t already
https://chameleonacademy.com/veiled-chameleon-care/

 

[Jungle Jake]

Okay. I was not aware of the food intake being a big deal for a female at that age , just the Temps. but it makes total sense. I have been working hard. Sawing, cleaning, repairing, and I will be putting her back in her best home in the morning. I have a temp gun that I am going to start utilizing daily. And I will do 5 food items daily. That will b enough for her? Again thanks for the help. She hasn't done any digging but you say she looks big im just getting concerned that she cud be egg bound already at this point. I just don't wanna leave it too late. Stressful.

 

[kinyonga]

Signs of eggbinding...this is just some of the signs...sitting low in the cage...sleeping during the day...lethargic...sometimes breathing with mouth open.

 

[Jungle Jake]

I have seen none of those eggbinding signs in her. Ill keep an eye on it though. Going to move her back to her home in morning and ill check her out more. So looking probably already gravid is what you guys think?

 

[cruz.m]

Okay. I was not aware of the food intake being a big deal for a female at that age , just the Temps. but it makes total sense. I have been working hard. Sawing, cleaning, repairing, and I will be putting her back in her best home in the morning. I have a temp gun that I am going to start utilizing daily. And I will do 5 food items daily. That will b enough for her? Again thanks for the help. She hasn't done any digging but you say she looks big im just getting concerned that she cud be egg bound already at this point. I just don't wanna leave it too late. Stressful.

Read through the link I put if you haven’t already, if her enclosure, lights, supplements and all her husbandry fit in with what was said than it should be good. As for her being eggbound already, I honestly don’t know there’s no way I could possibly answer that. Make sure you’re gutloading and supplementing your feeders.

 

[kinyonga]

I have seen none of those eggbinding signs in her. Ill keep an eye on it though. Going to move her back to her home in morning and ill check her out more. So looking probably already gravid is what you guys think?

Is the egg.aying bin going to be in with her when she's back in her old cage?

Try not to handle her or disturb her ..she needs peace.
Just feed and water her and leave her alone otherwise.
Once she starts digging, don't let her see you watching her and only feed or water her if she's not digging or in the hole.

 

[Jungle Jake]

Yes the laying bin will be able to be permanently in her cage starting tommorow. I was thinking about trying to open both doors of the cages and put the open door sides up against each other and let her crawl out on her own into her new one if I can line the doors up right, as I don't handle her often and it would probably make it next to stress free.

 

[Jungle Jake]

Cruz, I have read through chameleonachademy fully twice now. Watched youtube video atleast three times(have watched all of her videos I think by now). I'm pretty confident what I need to dial in. I just hope it isn't too late is all. I will post pics of my enclosure tomorrow with the permanent lay bin setup.

 

[aleagueofherown]

Cruz, I have read through chameleonachademy fully twice now. Watched youtube video atleast three times(have watched all of her videos I think by now). I'm pretty confident what I need to dial in. I just hope it isn't too late is all. I will post pics of my enclosure tomorrow with the permanent lay bin setup.

How's she doing today?

 

[Jungle Jake]

Thanks for asking. she is looking happier in her new setup and I am very proud of myself for the work I put into it.

As for her activity, still going up and down in her cage a lot. very active. always popping her head out, looking around the corner at what me and my son are doing and what not. Have noticed she is pooping everyday. No digging in her lay bin at all. I only caught her eating sand one time in it today. I have been offering her 5 crickets but she hasn't eaten any insects in at least a week and only a few in the passed probably 3 weeks. Going to just give in and offer her super worms tomorrow. I bet she will eat one or two because I have never seen her turn at least one down.
I have improved her hydration(which is showing in her droppings), now that I have proper floor drainage in the enclosure, I made a dripping system which she seems to love. It was so cute watching her gravitate to it for at least 10 minutes this morning.

Temps and humidity are finally dialed in perfectly and I am content with the environment I have finally achieved for her. Just keeping a close eye on her the best I can now. Lucky that I am at home pretty much 24/7. Just trying my best to give her her privacy while making sure her habits are within reason. But if anyone has any further thoughts or tips that would help me resolve this issue, as I am not sure what to do if she continues to refuse food. Please let me know and any help is definitely appreciated.

 

[cruz.m]

Thanks for asking. she is looking happier in her new setup and I am very proud of myself for the work I put into it.

As for her activity, still going up and down in her cage a lot. very active. always popping her head out, looking around the corner at what me and my son are doing and what not. Have noticed she is pooping everyday. No digging in her lay bin at all. I only caught her eating sand one time in it today. I have been offering her 5 crickets but she hasn't eaten any insects in at least a week and only a few in the passed probably 3 weeks. Going to just give in and offer her super worms tomorrow. I bet she will eat one or two because I have never seen her turn at least one down.
I have improved her hydration(which is showing in her droppings), now that I have proper floor drainage in the enclosure, I made a dripping system which she seems to love. It was so cute watching her gravitate to it for at least 10 minutes this morning.

Temps and humidity are finally dialed in perfectly and I am content with the environment I have finally achieved for her. Just keeping a close eye on her the best I can now. Lucky that I am at home pretty much 24/7. Just trying my best to give her her privacy while making sure her habits are within reason. But if anyone has any further thoughts or tips that would help me resolve this issue, as I am not sure what to do if she continues to refuse food. Please let me know and any help is definitely appreciated.

Can we see pictures? As for refusing food I’m not really sure I’ve never gone through expect when I first got my baby. Here’s a video though https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=waCeIkQE1hw