New reptile owner, not sure if my cam is about to lay eggs for the first time...

lbragg

New Member
Cage Info:

* Cage Type - Zoo Med 36" x 18" x 18" screened cage
* Lighting - Reptisun 5.0 UV light & 75W halogen basking bulb, 12 hours on/ 12 hours off (8:30am-8:30pm)
* Temperature - I use a ceramic heater to keep the ambient temperature at 70-75*F during the day, 60-70*F at night. Basking spot is around 100*F
* Humidity - Humidity is around 40-50% during the day, dropping slightly at night. I use a humidifier next to the cage and a dripping system. I also spray the cage twice a day with room-temperature water.
* Plants - I use a large schefflera and a small pothos in the cage. I also put a fake vine in her cage that she uses to bask and climb on.
* Location -Cage is in my apartment bedroom, a low-medium traffic area.


Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon - Samantha is a female, Veiled Chameleon. I've had her 4 months today. The pet store couldn't tell me how old she was but she was about the length of my index finger when I bought her.
* Feeding - I feed Samantha mostly crickets. I give her 10-15 large crickets every day (but she would eat as many as I give her). I give her 5-7 of them at 11am and 5-7 more at 2pm. They are gut-loaded with Fluker's High-Calcium Cricket Diet (powder) and Fluker's Calcium Fortified Cricket Quencher (orange gel). I occasionally swap a feeding of crickets for 5-6 medium-sized mealworms.
* Supplements - I dust one feeding every other day with Rep-Cal Calcium with D3. I recently started giving her Rep-Cal Herptivite Multivitamin once a week.
* Watering - I use a Little Dripper bottle on the top of the cage that drips 79oz throughout the day. I spray the leaves twice a day with water. I don't see her drink much but I also have class all day, so I don't have a lot of time to watch her.
* Fecal Description - Droppings are long and brown with occasional white in them.
* History - No history of illness. I took Samantha to the vet about 3 months ago and she was given a clean bill of health.
* Current Problem - I don't know how old chameleons typically are before they start laying eggs. She has gotten significantly larger in the last month or so, and she is just now starting to show some darker colors. She has been eating normally though. This is my first reptile and I'm not sure how to handle the egg-laying process. The only thing I have done to prepare is put a large bowl of dirt (about 8" deep) in the bottom of her cage.

Here are some pictures of my girl, she's a little camera-shy:
IMAG0213_zps281c3afc.jpg.html

IMAG0217_zpseca60c1d.jpg.html

IMAG0216_zps59add8a0.jpg.html
 
Hello and welcome!

A couple things with your husbandry that can be changed. You don't need the ceramic heat bulb. Your temps are fine without it.

Lower your basking temps, 100 is way to high. She needs a light that produces heat in the mid 80's, most likely a 40-60 watt regular house bulb.

Supplementation: your gut load is not ample. The flukers products are not recommended. You should be using fresh fruits and veggies or buying a prepackaged product like cricket crack or bug burger.

You should not be giving calcium w D3 every other day. Calcium with D3 is recommended 2 times a month. Your multivite is also 2 times a month. You should only be using calcium with out D3 everyday or every other day.
 
Thank you for the tips, I will make the adjustments to her cage and diet.

I'm not sure why the pictures aren't displaying properly; I'll check to see if it's on the photobucket end. But the main reason I'm posting is to get some clarity on the egg-laying process.
- Could somebody please explain what gravid coloration looks like?
- What other signs should I look for that indicate she's about to lay eggs?
 
Thank you Laurie, I must have skipped over your post. That answers my questions. With all the information out there, it can be a bit overwhelming for a new reptile owner.
I tried uploading my pictures again so hopefully this works. Thanks again for the help!
lbragg-albums-samantha-picture26933-imag0213.html

lbragg-albums-samantha-picture26934-imag0218.html

lbragg-albums-samantha-picture26938-imag0216.html
 
I can't see pictures again...
My cham's colours didn't change before laying. She ate until the day she started to dig.
Mine didn't like the bin she had in her enclosure, so I had a backup plan: big garbage can with about 12" deep playsand in it. Just make sure the sand is wet enough not to collapse. She is still in there, it's her 4th day...
 
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