Need help with gravid female veiled

[Cooper]

My female veiled is definitely gravid as she looks fat and has started digging in her lay box. Her box is a 20 gallon tank that is 12 inches deep. She started digging yesterday, and was literally digging for 10 straight hours, but has yet to lay any eggs. She is digging again today and has turned a dark green colour. Her appetite is way down and yesterday she only ate one superworm instead of her usual dubia.
I don't know what to do. Should I just let her get on with it? I don't want to take her to the vet as I feel this would stress her out more than anything.
She is my first chameleon, so I'm not experienced with this and don't know if it is normal or not.
Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[zsazsa85]

It is perfectly normal that she doesn't eat now. It is surprising she ate a superworm at all! Let her find the best place to lay her eggs,it takes sometimes 72 hours. Just give her privacy! She is digging so I think she will be fine. Just keep your eye on her!

 

[Cooper]

It is perfectly normal that she doesn't eat now. It is surprising she ate a superworm at all! Let her find the best place to lay her eggs,it takes sometimes 72 hours. Just give her privacy! She is digging so I think she will be fine. Just keep your eye on her!

Thank you so much! I was so worried. I will leave her alone and let her get on with it. I thought that with the amount she's digging she must need to eat more, but I guess not. I think owning a chameleon is one of the most anxiety inducing things I've ever taken on!!

 

[zsazsa85]

"I think owning a chameleon is one of the most anxiety inducing things I've ever taken on!!"

I agree! They don't hunt while they are laying eggs. And make sure the sand or what you use in the bin is wet,so the tunnel she diggs won't collapse!

 

[Cooper]

"I think owning a chameleon is one of the most anxiety inducing things I've ever taken on!!"

I agree! They don't hunt while they are laying eggs. And make sure the sand or what you use in the bin is wet,so the tunnel she diggs won't collapse!

Thanks! I'm using coconut fiber which i add water to so it is moist enough for her to dig tunnels. so far none of her numerous tunnels are good enough for her. She must be a perfectionist! I understand now why most people keep male chams, but of course, I wouldn't exchange her for 1000 males!!

 

[zsazsa85]

I know!
Males can have other problems though!
Some owner use wet playing sand in the laying bin. You can try that too.

 

[Cooper]

I know!
Males can have other problems though!
Some owner use wet playing sand in the laying bin. You can try that too.

She just came out of her laybin looking a lot thinner and I checked and there are eggs! I am so relieved! I'm now going to lower her temps and not feed her as much. I really don't want her to lay eggs again.
How often do you supplement your chameleons? I was spraying calcium on her food every day and calcium with D3 every 2 weeks, but i've heard this can encourage egg production? I was only doing this as she seems to avoid her UVB which is a T5 HO 5.0.

 

[zsazsa85]

Oh, that's great news! What a relief!
She will lay eggs whether you want or not...There are females who never lay eggs, but most of them do.
Supplementing: calcium without D3 every feeding; calcium with D3 and multivitamin with D3 twice a month. I use Zoo med reptivite and Zoo med repti calcium.
But for example I don't put calcium on butterworms, 'cause they are high in calcium anyway.
I wouldn't avoid calcium especially if I had a female, they need calcium for the eggs otherwise they take the calcium out of their bones and can cause issues...