Necropsy-4 month old veiled

[Dannysc]

Was asked to share this here
So I have heard all kinds of different things about what age Vieleds can become gravid. Heard 6-8 months mostly. Also heard "oh you're vieled can't be gravid, 3-4 months is too young." This was a vieled female I lost at just 4 months old. Didnt show bulk or egg shapes or even bumps. Woke up one morning and she was on the ground dead. Decided to cut her open to check her organs and such to see if it was possible to see why she passed when she seemed so healthy just the day before. This is what I found. They can deffinetly become gravid at 3-4 months so always be prepared with a female vieleds. Sooner is better than later. It had been determined that everything was healthy but her frame was too small and she probably passed from pressure on her organs.

 

[Remkon]

Sorry for your loss.
Did she show receptive colors? or did you not notice because you were not expecting her to become gravid at such a young age?

For a 4 month old she was pretty big, definately looks more like a 6/7 month old.
Then again, I'm no veiled expert and some mature faster than others.

Again sorry for your loss and this is a good reminder that you should always come prepared if you have a female chameleon (or any of the many other species of reptile that can become egg bound).

 

[Dannysc]

Honestly I never payed attention to coloring because being gravid wasn't even a thought to me being 4 months old. I had no thought until I cut her open and went wth? She was deffinetly alot bigger than normal 4 month old, I also had an almost 4 month old male at the same time and he was a quarter of her size, both raised under same conditions from 2 weeks old. Was very strange. Only difference was this girl was a low trans and the male was a normal.

 

[Peachypink]

Oh goodness! Poor girl. So sorry for your loss but also thankful for the insight this brings to other keepers.

 

[WAMBO]

So sorry. She was beautiful. Are you certain about her age? She looks older. An event, no signs until death just isn't fair. This is why I bought a male [panther], and will keep buying males.

 

[Theveiled]

She looks older to me too. You said you had her at 2 weeks old? Was she the same size as the male at that age?

 

[Dannysc]

She looks older to me too. You said you had her at 2 weeks old? Was she the same size as the male at that age?

Yes I'm positive of her age. She was normal size for a 2 week old

 

[WAMBO]

I wonder if her younger, smaller body could not tolerate the egg burden, preventing diaphragmatic movement resulting in respiratory failure with or without cardiovascular failure. There doesn't look like much room for lungs in there.

 

[Dannysc]

I wonder if her younger, smaller body could not tolerate the egg burden, preventing diaphragmatic movement resulting in respiratory failure with or without cardiovascular failure. There doesn't look like much room for lungs in there.

That was pretty much what the vet assumed either that or heart attack. There was more fat deposits on the liver than usual but the vet didn't believe that was a cause.

 

[WAMBO]

That was pretty much what the vet assumed either that or heart attack. There was more fat deposits on the liver than usual but the vet didn't believe that was a cause.

The cardiovascular compromise can be due to the blood return compromise and the respiratory as well. This truly sucks. I'm sorry my friend.

 

[Angelwolf]

Oh. Poor girl! Thank you for sharing this. In your first picture, where you are holding her, it does look like she has a little "paunch" belly by her back end, but otherwise, I would have never guessed she was gravid! I'm so sorry for your loss. But thank you for caring enough to learn, and teach!

 

[Marshmallows mom]

Oh no, so sorry for your loss. Poor girl.

 

[Alexander1]

Hey thanks for posting it on the forum, it's a great learning expirience for future keepers. See you on ig..

 

[ZacharyLeesWife]

She was beautiful, I'm so sorry for the loss! I honestly would have said that she was much older as well.