My veiled is not eating and acting strange!

[Ethan00]

Over the past week or two, my veiled chameleon (Charley) has gone off her staple food of locusts and wont take nothing else besides the odd morio worm. In result of this, I have therefore been giving her about 1 or 2 morio worms a day, since she wont have anything else! Should I buy something else like crickets because shes got bored of locusts? I dont really know, so I need someones help. Also, within this time too, Charley's sleeping spot has been changing to mostly on the floor of her cage, where as she slept on her plant before, and when she does sleep (mainly behind her plant pot where she is for a good amount of the day too) its a kind of layed down slump like shes really tired, rather than her normal up right position. Could this mean anything!? Finaly, one last thing ive noticed about Charley the chameleon is that her colours have changed. From her original greeny colour, shes now got orange spots and spodges on her and sometimes some bluey bits on her back.
So would be very greatful and pleased if anyone could tell me whats happened/happening to my veiled, since she cant keep not eating and doing this forever!!
All the best, Ethan

 

[LilBlue]

Hi Ethan, how old is your female veiled? Your description sounds like she is gravid. All female chameleons will lay eggs whether they have bred or not. Not eating as much, colour change and sticking to the bottom of the cage are sure signs of being gravid. Does she look like a bag full of jelly beans, really lumpy from looking at her from the top? Does she have an egg laying bucket? If not give her one ASAP. An ice cream pail, rubber maid or small garbage can will work fine. Fill half to 2/3rds full with a mix of soil and sand, mixed with water, just enough that you can form a cave without it falling in.

If you don't give her an egg deposition site, she can become egg bound, and you don't want to deal with that...Make sure when she does start eating again that she is getting higher calcium foods like butterworms and silkworms(to name a couple). She needs to recover calcium from the eggs she made.

Keep a close eye on her, if she isn't using the bucket there may be something else up. Pictures and enclosure info are always a bonus when asking for help

Remember to not disturb her while she is digging, you could scare her away and she will have to start digging all over again, or she won't lay at all.

 

[Ethan00]

Hi! And thankyou so much for replying and the information! My chameleon is around a year now and is kind of begining to look a bit lumpy. Urmmm how do you post photos on here?! Sorry, i just joined..
She just has a standard enclosure with a main basking spot on her log where she is at the minute, a plant whereshe would normally sleep on and some greenery around.
My dad has just put a shoe box full of damp soil in the bottom of her cage, would this be big enough? Or does she need to go in an other enclosure like an actual bin? If so, how would she get her heat and light, and how long would she be in there for?
Sorry for any inconvience, I should really look this up, but I found your a great information option!
Also, one last thing, what would happen if she does get egg bound? And hopefully she'll start eating again soon!
Thanks again, Ethan

 

[LilBlue]

Here is the link on how to post pictures.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-post-photos-video-3609/

And here is a care sheet for Veiled Chameleons

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

This one is good to fill out too

https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

Have a read over the care sheet and let us know if anything about your chameleon or enclosure/set up doesn't match up, then we can fix it

I'm thinking a shoebox will be too shallow for her to dig in, but at least it's a start. When she is finally happy with the hole she has dug, she will turn around and back tail in first, lay her eggs, and then crawl out and cover them. If the shoe box isn't deeper than the length of her body, I would consider a different container, BUT, if you see her using it, let her, don't want to disturb her. You can put a different one in when she is done.

Most people just put the egg laying box in the enclosure. I, and many others, just keep it in there all the time. Some will use a large garbage can half full of dirt, with a couple sticks and plant in it, with a basking lamp clamped to the edge and aimed down inside - usually breeders do this though.

Egg Bound. Probably the two most scariest words to reptile owners. This condition requires a vet trip. If she's in good shape, then surgery is required to remove the eggs. Becoming egg bound is very serious, and most times results in death. That is why an egg box is so very important.

I really encourage you to fill out "How to ask for Help" so we can make any needed adjustments

 

[Ethan00]

Thanks a lot! Ive read the caresheet-very helpful.
Yeah I dont know whether that shoe box would be that great, maybe I should use a bin, but do not have a clamp light..
We'll see, she hasnt used it yet so I dont know.
I just dont want her to get egg bound! Do you know how long it would be for her to get eggbound? And how to tell if she has or not?
This is the image with her basking and box in botom right! I think I might change it.. because doesnt it need covering and that?.
Anyway thanks again for the info and stuff!