My female veiled has not laid her eggs yet - all help is appreciated

[Peapod's Mom]

Hi everyone - My female, Peapod, is gravid. I took her to the herp vet in November, unbeknownst to me that she was not a he! The vet told me not only is she a female, she has eggs forming. I have followed all instructions, fed her extremely well, dusted all her food, added dubias, hornworms and silkworms a lot more than usual, and added a nesting box. I have potting soil, sand and coconut substrate in the nesting box. I bought her a fountain 2 weeks ago. She has all the privacy she could ever want - lots of vines, and a pothos ivy. She's misted morning and night. Still no eggs. She never mated, again, I never knew she was a female until November. I got her on Jan.14, 2017. She is so healthy, great appetite even. What is going on?? Should I take her back to the vet now?

 

[snortz21]

I am in the same boat. I will be following

 

[Peapod's Mom]

I am in the same boat. I will be following

Thanks - I just feel like if she hasn't laid them by Monday, I should take her back to the vet for another x-ray. I saw them forming in late November, but some blogs I've read state that they can absorb them.. it's all a mystery! I'll be changing her box to sand and coconut substrate only this weekend - maybe that might make a difference.

 

[Decadancin]

Some Current pictures would be helpful.

 

[Peapod's Mom]

Peapod

• Peapod's Mom
• Feb 1, 2018

Chillin on a summer day

Peapod, doing her thing!

• Peapod's Mom
• Feb 1, 2018

 

[Peapod's Mom]

Peapod

• Peapod's Mom
• Feb 1, 2018

 

[Stone Marshall]

I had the same problem two years ago. Make sure the soil is moist so she can dig a tunnel without it collapsing. I had to wrap a sheet around three sides of the enclosure to give her privacy. She dug a couple of test holes, then finally laid her eggs. I think it was about 2 weeks after I took her to the vet in a panic because she would not eat. After her first egg lay, she has no problems now laying her eggs about every 6 months or so. She does not even require the sheet. Lots of foliage and ways to get in and out of the bin are a must. Hope this helps!

 

[Peapod's Mom]

Thanks Stone! I tried that a couple of weeks back. I've seen her making her way down to the box, and I covered the cage, but left an area so I could peek at her. I actually mist the nesting box, so it will stay moist for her. I may have to set her on the soil itself, or sand, after I change the soil out. The closest she's come is to sitting on the side of the box for about an hour.

 

[Peapod's Mom]

Also, I saw this on another post so I thought I'd provide some answers about Peapod.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Veiled chameleon, female, purchased on January 14, 2017 - she was 3 months old
• Handling - Less now because the vet said not to stress her out. Maybe once a week.
• Feeding - Feeding her crickets daily - 10-12, dusted with Repashy calcium plus, silkworms, hornworms and dubias - all dusted. I always gut load, 1-2 worms every day, and dubias about every 3 days. I feed every evening by 7 pm.
• Supplements - Repashy, and daily - the vet said I needed to do this until she laid the eggs, and I've done it for 60+ days now.
• Watering - She has a fountain that drips, she loves it, has access all day to it. Misting in the morning and evening. Yes, she's drinking.
• Fecal Description - Never been tested for parasites. Droppings are white, sometimes watery yellowish white.
• History - She's a frequent shedder, but not since December. She has an appetite for everything but the dubias. I have to try to convince her on them. She is not overly friendly, nor is she a hellcat! She's crankier - but I'd be too if I had eggs for over 60 days...

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Screened enclosure - not sure of the dimensions exactly, but it's top of the line. The best out there.
• Lighting - 150W heat lamp, and Reptisun UV bulb. I can't say on the wattage, but it's what it's supposed to be. Her lights are on timers, on at 6:30 am and off at 8 pm, though she goes into her leaf canopy by 6 or 7 pm.
• Temperature - She has a thermometer on the side of her enclosure. Plenty of vines, leaves and branches to go on or hide under. She likes being under her light, but mostly hangs out at her fountain, which is not by the light, just close by. She's probably at 77° F right now, due to my setting in my home.
• Humidity - The humidity levels change, but is maintained by misting.
• Plants - I switch between a live pothos ivy and a live schefflera tree.
• Placement - The enclosure is in a corner, in my dining room. The dining room is not being used, so the only reason I go there is for her. The top of her enclosure is about 2.5 feet from the ceiling. The bottom of her enclosure is about 2 feet from the floor, and her enclosure sits on an old coffee table I no longer use, but can store her supplies in.
• Location - Just outside of Houston, TX - near the Gulf Coast

 

[kinyonga]

@Peapod's Mom ...
Why do you switch plants?

I'm not a fan of contains...they're hard to keep free of bacteria.

Did you always feed her a lot?

What's the basking temperature?

I don't use repashy (but I'm not saying there's a reason not to use it...I just stick to what I found that works and haven't changed) ...so can you tell me what the calcium to phosphorus ratio is in it? Does it have D3 in it and what kind of vitamin A is in it (bets carotene/prOformed or prEformed/retinol, retinyl, etc?

How long has she had her grown up brownish splotches on her?

 

[Peapod's Mom]

@Peapod's Mom ...
Why do you switch plants? Just so the plants can get the appropriate sun and air outside.

I'm not a fan of contains...they're hard to keep free of bacteria. Her enclosure is screened on all 4 sides. She now has privacy on 3 sides of it, and the 4th side is against a wall.

Did you always feed her a lot? Each evening, she is fed 6-10 crickets, and the variety I add is hornworms or silkworms. No superworms at all.

What's the basking temperature? About 86° to 92°

I don't use repashy (but I'm not saying there's a reason not to use it...I just stick to what I found that works and haven't changed) ...so can you tell me what the calcium to phosphorus ratio is in it? Does it have D3 in it and what kind of vitamin A is in it (bets carotene/prOformed or prEformed/retinol, retinyl, etc? There is no phosphorus in the calcium. Not sure about all the other things you've asked me. I imagine it would be shown on the side of the container if I looked.

How long has she had her grown up brownish splotches on her?

Most of her life. The herp vet told me it is where she may have hurt herself at some point.

 

[Peapod's Mom]

UPDATE on Peapod - for all who may be wondering - she now has full privacy. All 3 of the 4 sides of her enclosure is hidden. The 4th side is against a wall. I will be adding more sand to her nesting box, and possibly removing the soil altogether by tomorrow. I am prepared to take her to the vet by the weeknd, because it does not seem possible that this time is natural - is has to be about 79 days by now! But her appetite is great, she sleeps well, she still hunts for the crickets, and loves her fountain - the picture of perfect health right now. Every single food given to her is dusted, and has been since the last vet visit. The mystery continues....

 

[kinyonga]

You said..."Most of her life. The herp vet told me it is where she may have hurt herself at some point"..
What was that in answer to?

I asked..."Did you always feed her a lot?" and "How long has she had her grown up brownish splotches on her?"

 

[Peapod's Mom]

Good day everyone - I wanted to share my information with you guys, in case you were a part of this thread a couple of months ago. As of Friday, April 6, Peapod STILL had not laid her eggs. I took her in to the vet on Friday, because her eyes were so swollen, and the vet told me she was experiencing metabolic issues due to the decreased blood flow that her eggs are putting on her organs. She hasn't eaten in a week, and the blood flow caused her eyes to swell. I was told by the vet she needed to be spayed ASAP, as she was not going to pass her eggs after all.
Five months of watching her, 3 trips to the vet, numerous waxworms, hornworms, silkworms and crickets - my girl is a spoiled princess!

This morning, I dropped her off at the vet's office, for her to be spayed and to remove her eggs, non-fertile by the way. She was never bred. She is 1 1/2 years old. It will be a long road, and it is not cheap. I got so little sleep last night, worrying about this day. I will be picking her up either this evening or tomorrow.

Please keep Peapod in your thoughts - I love her so much, and all I can hope is that she makes it. And if she doesn't, she's been loved and cared for as best as I could have ever loved her. Thanks all for your time. xx

 

[JacksJill]

Best wishes for her speedy recovery.

 

[Peapod's Mom]

Thank you! The vet called about 30 minutes ago to say she's being kept overnight and the surgery will take place in the morning. Fingers crossed all goes well!

 

[Lennoncham]

Sorry to hear of your problems with peapod. I suspect you may have been feeding her way to much which resulted in a large clutch size that caused her problems. Also feeding her in the evening isn't good. She should be fed in the morning so she has time to bask and digest her food.

 

[Peapod's Mom]

Thanks for that information. I was told by the herp vet to keep her diet as high in protein as possible. Considering I wasn't aware that I even had a female until I took her to the vet for another issue, all of this is a miracle to me.

 

[Lennoncham]

Thanks for that information. I was told by the herp vet to keep her diet as high in protein as possible. Considering I wasn't aware that I even had a female until I took her to the vet for another issue, all of this is a miracle to me.

To much protein can cause excess Uric acid to build up in the blood stream. Excess uric acid and salts can build up in the joints and lead to gout.

 

[Peapod's Mom]

It's been about a week since my last post, and I am finally at a point of closure. Hard, when I see pics that remind me of my Peapod. After picking her up from the vet last Wednesday, antibiotics, pain meds and food in hand, I went home with her. I believe she was struggling. I held her, talked to her, and put her in her enclosure. I went to make her food and when I was ready to get her out to feed her, her color seemed extremely dark. She scared me, and all I could do was talk to her and comfort her. Her breathing was shallow. I later spoke to the herp vet, and we believe with the issues she was dealing with, the surgery proved too much. She passed that night.
I loved that little one. My Peapod... she had the best care, love and comfort I could give in her last week with me. It was just too much.
I'll always be Peapod's mom, but it killed me to look over at her castle, all her plants, vines - even her timer coming on, and of course I'd look over there.
There was a reptile expo on Sat. 4/14, and I bought myself a beautiful boy. He has helped to get me through losing her, because I will love him and care for him, as I did for Peapod. I'll post pics eventually, but I'm allowing him as much time as he needs to feel at home.