New Female Chameleon Owner

L

Laurenbear8

New Member
Hi,
I’m new to the forum and a brand new owner. My veiled female chameleon was changing colors when I got home from a bright green to dark and swampy. She was not pacing her cage or digging and ate all her crickets this morning. But I took this as a sign for possible laying. She’s in a 12x12x12 container with organic soil- covered. How long do I wait to check on her and see if she’s digging? I don’t want her to see me and stop if she is. Help please!
 
Please fill this out and post pictures of your chameleon, her enclosure, and her laying bin.

Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

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Please Note:
  1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
  2. Photos can be very helpful.
 

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Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - Female Bowles chameleon- 1 week
  • Handling - Only once to clean and add vines to her habitat
  • Feeding - 6-8 crickets every other day- misting 2x daily- using calcium powder on crickets
  • Supplements - Repti- Calcium on crickets fed every other day
  • Watering - Misting 2x daily- she licks water off leaves
  • Fecal Description - Large- brown- not tested for parasites
  • History - Previous owner said she was 2 years old- only 1 egg laying episode in a bucket- dig holes, but no eggs

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Screened- 16x16x36
  • Lighting - Zoo med- UVB and heat bulb combo
  • Temperature - Zoo med digital- 76- 68
  • Humidity - misting 2 x daily- keeping between 50 and 70
  • Plants - Plastic/silk plants
  • Placement- spare bedroom- on top of desk, next to fishtank- fan is not on- not a high traffic area
  • Location - Where are you geographically located? Oklahoma City, OK
 
Current Problem - worried my chameleon is laying. Not sure how long to leave her in the laying bin before checking on her. I don’t want to keep her in there if she’s not digging. But if she is and I check on her she may stop.
 
You said..."She’s in a 12x12x12 container with organic soil- covered"...what's covered??? The container ??
The container is supposed to be in her cage and the container should have NO lid. The cage can be covered so she will have privacy.

You said. "Previous owner said she was 2 years old- only 1 egg laying episode in a bucket- dig holes, but no eggs"...how long ago was that?

I would set up a dripper for her as well as misting and make sure to run it long enough that she drinks well.
 
Last edited:
You're not trying to trap her in the container...only provide her a suitable place to dig so you know when she has eggs to lay. Don't let her see you watching you if/when she's digging.

How long ago was the egglaying episode that produced no eggs? Do you know if she filled the hole in?
I'm hoping she's not eggbound.

Can you please post some photos if her.

Welcome to the forum BTW!!
 
I did read a lot about female chameleons on this forum and other blogs. I do not have any further details about her previous “digging experience.”
I simply put her in a large container so she would have enough space to dig in private- covered with a towel.
I am mainly asking about symptoms for egg laying. When I checked on her just now she was sleeping and is back to her brilliant green.
I’m sure I was overreacting to her changing colors.
 
I'm home...the towel and confined space and likely slightly cooler temperatures may have encouraged her to sleep.

Her colors can be an indication as to whether she's producing eggs or not....which is why I asked for the photos.
If she's gravid she should have put on girth in the back end in particular.

As for symptoms of impending egg laying...If she is and she's close to laying she will likely drink more, may eat less, will roam the cage looking for a laying site, should eventually dig a hole or even several test holes, settle on one hole and dig it until she's happy with it.

Then she should lay the eggs... often in the evening... and fill the hole in after she's done laying and return to the branches hungry and thirsty.

If it doesn't go this way...if she sits low in the cage, sleeps during the day, digs but doesn't lay, fills the hole in but didn't lay...then she may be eggbound and will need to see a vet asap.

When they sleep they usually go back to their green colors....gravid or not.
 
Thank you! I was using the orange cubes.
I have read in the forums that some people allow access to a laying bin or potted plant at all times.
But then you’re not supposed to let your Cham eat the dirt. So, then they say- cover the dirt with large rocks. So, if she needs to use it as a laying bin the rocks are in the way. How are you supposed to give access but also make sure she doesn’t eat the soil?
 
Good catch about the orange cubes @bobbydigital ...I saw the cubes in the photo but then forgot to mention it. I use dandelion greens, kale, endive, escarole, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, squash, carrots, zucchini, etc and a small amount of berries, melon, apple, pear, mango, papaya, etc.

@Laurenbear8 said..."I have read in the forums that some people allow access to a laying bin or potted plant at all times.
But then you’re not supposed to let your Cham eat the dirt. So, then they say- cover the dirt with large rocks. So, if she needs to use it as a laying bin the rocks are in the way. How are you supposed to give access but also make sure she doesn’t eat the soil?"...there should be a laying bin in the cage of egglaying females at all times IMHO to give them a place to dig when they need to lay them. I would cover the soil in the pot making sure the rocks are definitely too big to swallow. I would use an opaque bin at least 12" deep x 12 " x 8" full of washed playsand that is just moist enough to hold a tunnel. She will likely try to eat this too..but there's a kind I buy that seems to pass through them produced by Kings...it comes in a white bag with red, white and blue sand toys on it.

Hope this helps!
 
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