My veiled chameleon looks really fat?

[reptileguy112]

Hi,I got a chameleon a couple weeks ago.He is an active one that looks about 4 and a half inches snout to vent (not tail).I feed him 5-6 crickets a day.He looks super fat like his ribs are about 1.5 inches wide.He is in a 20 gallon tall (about 18") with a fan, night light, compact uvb coil (for heat), and an 18" exo-terra uvb.I spray the tank a few times a day and have a dripper system that goes for 5 minutes a day.The temp at night is about 73-77 and day is 80-86.The humidity is always just at or under 60%.I dust the cricket every once in awhile with calcium and he seems to chew on my prayer plants leaves every one in a while.

 

[ZiggyStardust]

Hi welcome to the forum.

Can you post a picture of your setup?

Also, your chams feeders need to be dusted at every feeding rather than once in a while.

 

[reptileguy112]

Sure, I am at school right now so I will have to wait till I get home.He is temporarily in an aquarium with a fan.

 

[inlinefourpower]

Don't chameleons store fat at the base of their tail? Maybe he's just seeing a puffed up veiled for some reason? Pictures will reveal more.

 

[reptileguy112]

Here is set-up and cham.He doesn't always look fat, only sometimes.And he looks more deflated than inflated when he is.

 

[reptileguy112]

It says I can't upload the cage because it exceeds the kg alowed.It is an aquarium I an using with a fan while I build a screen one.It have a dripper system, and 18'' uvb and uva light, a compact uvb light, and an ultraviolet light.It has a real prayer plant in there he likes to nibble on, a fake vine, some low water dishes for humidity (sometimes he likes to crawl in them, is that because he is starting to shed? because he is.), repti-carpet, sprayer, etc.I also he a wooden bird playground perch thing he crawls on when he is outside.I also like to keep him in our small persimmon tree (if I put him in the big one I would probably never see him again!).I feed him dusted crickets and I am working on getting butterworms.I can't find any other food than super worms that are way to big and have herd of them eating through chams.He is getting board with crickets so I just hope I can get him something quick.P.S. he is always brown in the cage but green when I pick him up.Is that just his resting color?

 

[RyU]

Can you post a picture with a closeup of its hind legs. It might be a gravid female.

 

[nick barta]

My guess also is you may have a female with eggs.

Prayer Plants are part of the Nightshade Family and poisonous, I believe.

Nick

 

[reptileguy112]

I got it at reptile show and he said it was boy.I know how to sex them but honestly I didn't bother to.I will sex "it" and take pic.

 

[reptileguy112]

Ok, looks like female but not positive.I really freaking hope its not female.I will love it just as much but it will be kinda a bummer.Guy was busy and probably didn't put much care into looking for right gender.

 

[ChiefRedman]

Yep thats a female , you should get on making a egg laying bin asap. If she becomes egg bound it can be fatal
I attached a thread about making bins , best of luck with your girl!
https://www.chameleonforums.com/laying-bin-set-up-educational-video-77225/

 

[RyU]

Female. She may be gravid.

 

[RyU]

Funny because one of my veilds just gave me 42 eggs today ^^. You will want to get a clean tupperware container and some vermiculite for the eggs. I used to live out in Davis and I don't think you will need an incubator, but if you can manage to find one it couldn't hurt. Contact the seller first and see if she was housed with a male.

 

[reptileguy112]

Crap........do I just need a little plastic container with soil?She is only 4 inches snout to vent and 7 inches snout to end of tail.

 

[reptileguy112]

I live 20 minutes away from you in sacramento.I have vermicompost bin with a couple thousand worms.Can I use there crap??

 

[RyU]

I live 20 minutes away from you in sacramento.I have vermicompost bin with a couple thousand worms.Can I use there crap??

No, you will need pure vermiculite without any fertilizer. That is just for the eggs to incubate in. For a laying bin you can use moist play sand in a med-large pail or bin. Search for laying bin and egg incubating in these forums. Lots of info.

 

[reptileguy112]

OMG, I just realized I got her a couple weeks ago and maybe the eggs are FERTILE from being with other chams.I am an idiot.My vermicompost is pure and has no fertilizer.It is made in a wooden bin with worms and veggies.There are no chemicals.So will she lay the eggs in the prayer plant pot?It is 6" high.I will put the eggs in a plastic container with perlite.Are you SURE she is preggies?I could take another pic if you need.She doesn't look so thick when she stretches out to grab a far branch.When will she lay?She is pretty young.

 

[reptileguy112]

Oh, I thought you said vermiculture.....

 

[reptileguy112]

What about perlite??

 

[RyU]

Perlite can be used, but vermiculite works better IMO. If she was housed with other chameleons there is a good chance they could be fertile. Also may explain why she is producing eggs at such a young age. Try to cut down on her food as not to engorge her with eggs.