Please help! Is she gravid?
- Thread starter Karmiesmommy
- Start date
Flick boy
Chameleon Enthusiast
Hi how long is so long (poop)
Karmiesmommy
Member
Yes, this is how I learned how to make my lay bin! She stopped being interested in the bin and I dug a couple starter holes but haven’t seen her go down to look at it again in two days (today and yesterday) should I be worried?
Karmiesmommy
Member
I have been looking in her umbrella tree which is where she usually poops and only have seen urates. They may have fallen to the bottom of her enclosure but I have been trying not to dig around and disturb her but I would say maybe 4 days? Today she ate 8 tiny dubias dusted in calcium and last night she had 3 meal worms so I’m hoping since she has eaten she will poop. If she doesn’t by tomorrow I will be making a vet appointment.
Flick boy
Chameleon Enthusiast
Sure. Don't be doing anymore disturbing than needed . 4 days is ok imo. I would cut down on your feeding and feeders. At her age I only feed every other day and 3 feeders. For example 8 tiny feeders. If you have 1 small cheese cake may have more calories than I sensible main meal and not enough balance in nutrition if that makes sense
Karmiesmommy
Member
Yeah, I agree. I was misinformed and thought so was supposed to feed her as much as she will eat till she is an adult. The dubias I gave her today were the smallest size and she hadn’t eat in quite a long time which is why I gave her a few more but I am definitely going to cut way back.
I am not a vet and what I say comes from experience and what I have learned from reading.
As a hatchling and juvenile, a female veiled should be fed as much as she will eat in a couple of minutes at each feeding...properly supplemented, appropriate sized, well fed insects IMHO.
As she approaches full growth, the amount fed should be decreased IMHO. It should be enough to to allow her to continue to grow to full size without overfeeding her so that she becomes fat. By the time she gets her big girl colors she should be cut down to 3 to 5 insects every 2 or 3 days IMHO.
Feeding her too much once she is sexually mature, will make her obese and likely result in MBD, follicular stasis and/or egg binding and produce large clutches that will drain nutrients from her system. It can even lead to prolapsed in some cases.
I cannot find any studies on when the follicles are designated to be the next eggs...but I suspect that it starts as they reach sexual maturity (as they are getting their big girl colors) which is why it's so important to have the diet cut by then.
Now, once she is gravid....IMHO it's not the time to have the diet cut back. She needs nutrients to produce the eggs, which hopefully will be a small clutch....so she needs enough food to do this.
It's all a judgement game....when is she ready to be cut down as she approaches adulthood...when is it too late because the eggs are forming and so it's time to feed her the nutrients she needs for the eggs?
I don't expect that this will tell you exactly when to start the diet or if its too late...but I hope it explains what I think happens.
Studies have been done a few years ago and more will be done for sure concerning follicular stasis and eggbinding....but there is no answer yet to it all.
As a hatchling and juvenile, a female veiled should be fed as much as she will eat in a couple of minutes at each feeding...properly supplemented, appropriate sized, well fed insects IMHO.
As she approaches full growth, the amount fed should be decreased IMHO. It should be enough to to allow her to continue to grow to full size without overfeeding her so that she becomes fat. By the time she gets her big girl colors she should be cut down to 3 to 5 insects every 2 or 3 days IMHO.
Feeding her too much once she is sexually mature, will make her obese and likely result in MBD, follicular stasis and/or egg binding and produce large clutches that will drain nutrients from her system. It can even lead to prolapsed in some cases.
I cannot find any studies on when the follicles are designated to be the next eggs...but I suspect that it starts as they reach sexual maturity (as they are getting their big girl colors) which is why it's so important to have the diet cut by then.
Now, once she is gravid....IMHO it's not the time to have the diet cut back. She needs nutrients to produce the eggs, which hopefully will be a small clutch....so she needs enough food to do this.
It's all a judgement game....when is she ready to be cut down as she approaches adulthood...when is it too late because the eggs are forming and so it's time to feed her the nutrients she needs for the eggs?
I don't expect that this will tell you exactly when to start the diet or if its too late...but I hope it explains what I think happens.
Studies have been done a few years ago and more will be done for sure concerning follicular stasis and eggbinding....but there is no answer yet to it all.
Karmiesmommy
Member
Thank you. I honestly appreciate your input. I believe in my attempts to figure out what she likes I was feeding her too many “treat” bugs as she was playing me and refused to eat anything but meal worms and horn worms. I just wanted her to eat and be content but I realized now, the horn worms need to be limited. I also was feeding her morning and evening where as now I think I will feed her in one window with occasional treats. She hadn’t eaten in a week which is why I gave her quite a few dubias today because my worry was she was not being supplemented. She has perked up today and her main interest was water so I made sure to give her as much water as she wanted. I have had to guess her age, sex and what is going on with her as far as if she is gravid or not. I am doing my best with also doing what I feel is best. It can be hard when there is so many conflicting opinions but I appreciate everyone’s input, it has made me feel very supported with being a first time chameleon owner and I just love her so much, it can be stressful.
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