Recently my female chameleon has been showing signs of being ready to lay her eggs, she's been climbing to the bottom of her enclosure, and when I say bottom I mean ignoring her lay box and walking on the ground of the tank. I have branches and a plant going into the lay bin where theres plenty of room for her to lay and move around. I have been cutting her back on food so I feed her every other day for now. I keep her around 80 degrees at day and 50% during the day and 70% humidity at night, And 70 degrees at night. I've posted about this before and all I was told was some supplement tips and just to put more branches, and there are more branches now but she never seems to want to lay. I try my best to leave her alone. I've put a little barrier at the bottom of the enclosure to make her feel safer. I'm not sure what else to do. Her blue colorings have been coming in so I'm not sure if she's not fully ready or she's just holding them in. Please help.
Please help my chameleon not get egg bound
- Thread starter 2134bean
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I've read over a few replies to others and I think one thing that couldn't hurt would be to get a bigger lay box. I know mine I'd deep enough but I'm just using a decent size flower pot so I'm going to get a tuberose that is wider so maybe she will be more inclined to use it. Also here is a picture I just took.
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I've been using just play sand, would you think mixing organic potting soil might make her want to lay there. Also what Brand of potting soil should I get?most do not like flower pots... Using the plastic tubs works better.
Like in the image below.
View attachment 310013
I think the all play sand is better. That is what most of our female keepers use. If it makes you feel better I am not seeing the tell tell colors that females show when receptive or gravid. Can you post a picture of the entire cage top to bottom?
You said..." I have been cutting her back on food so I feed her every other day for now. I keep her around 80 degrees at day"...when she's producing eggs I wouldn't cut her back...you want her to have the nutrients she needs for the eggs. The time to cut her back is a couple of feedings after she lays her eggs. Don't change anything because I said this until you answer these questions.
How much do you feed her now in a week?
What do you dust with? How heavily and how often for each supplement? Do you feed the insects well?
How much do you feed her now in a week?
What do you dust with? How heavily and how often for each supplement? Do you feed the insects well?
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I feee about 5 large insects every 2 days. I dust calcium no d3 every feeding but Mondays, on Mondays I alter between multivitamin and d3. Just enough for a light coat. Not making them look like ghost bugs lol. And yes she loves her insects, I feed dubia roaches and occasionally superworms, waxworms, hornworms, crickets. And I can post a picture of my enclosure but our power just went out for whatever reason. I will mention the lighting I have so I don't get called out. I have a 6% arcadia uvb. Also a plant light and a basking bulb if it gets too cold. I also have the reptibreeze led deluxe and I use the only white lights from the enclosure. Sorry if the picture is hard to see. All I have is a flashlight illuminating the room. If yall have any tips of how to not overheat your reptiles during a power outage that would be awesome. Right now I'm using Popsicles and ice packs to keep them at the right temp. I'm also about to be replacing the lay bin with something wider and adding more horizontal branches to the middle and bottom.
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So she is going down all the time because you have her on the floor. Chameleons do not like being on the floor, since they are arboreal they want to be high up. This makes them feel safe. On the floor makes them feel like they are in danger. So she thinks she can go down and get to a taller "tree".
I would replace the lay pot with a bin. Pull the umbrella plant to the front in front of the bin so it offers her more privacy. But you need to get her up on a table. Her feeling stressed is not a going to help when it comes to needing to lay.
Per the power outage and heat... If temps are cooler outside open windows for a breeze otherwise IMO your really doing all you can with the ice packs on top to help cool the ambient temp.
I would replace the lay pot with a bin. Pull the umbrella plant to the front in front of the bin so it offers her more privacy. But you need to get her up on a table. Her feeling stressed is not a going to help when it comes to needing to lay.
Per the power outage and heat... If temps are cooler outside open windows for a breeze otherwise IMO your really doing all you can with the ice packs on top to help cool the ambient temp.
I will do all of this thank you so much! The power did just come back on so I appreciate all the help.
Your welcome.
You said you feed her "about 5 large insects every 2 days. I dust calcium no d3 every feeding but Mondays, on Mondays I alter between multivitamin and d3. Just enough for a light coat. Not making them look like ghost bugs lol. And yes she loves her insects, I feed dubia roaches and occasionally superworms, waxworms, hornworms, crickets"...dusting schedule is good. The insect number will be lower once you put her on the diet after she lays her eggs. While/if she's producing eggs now, I think I wouldn't cut it lower than 4 insects...but that's just my opinion. I'm not a vet.
Alright, in a previous forum I posted I was told I was feeding her way to much and as she gets older start feeding her 3 insects every 3 days so I've lowered my amount a bit. I just don't want her to have a huge clutch because she's not the most social cham and she gets stressed if I'm even close to her so I'm just trying to make everything as easy on her as possible. Thank yall for all the great info
5 large insects every 2 days is too much to keep her clutches small...but if these already gravid then it's not the time IMHO to cut her down. She needs the nutrients needed by the eggs so she can put them into the eggs and lay them IMHO. As I always say, I'm not a vet it's just my opinion for what I've learned over the years.
You might find this interesting...
http://www.chameleonnews.com/03OctDonoghue.html
You might find this interesting...
http://www.chameleonnews.com/03OctDonoghue.html
A little update, Cynthia has been getting her yellow colorings in and has not been eating food, she's been on a food strike for about 3 or 4 days now. I've added more branches towards the bottom. I have a full bin with plenty of room to do what she needs to do aswell as a few branches going in the side of it so she can get in and out. The bin if just wash play sand wet enough to hold its shape. I put my umbrella plant in front and I added some coverage to the bottom outside of the tank for her to feel more secure. Anything I can do to help her feel even safer or to make her start eating again. I'm getting a bit nervous. Thanks for you're help guys.
Lindasjackson
Chameleon Enthusiast
Just leave her be so she can lay her eggs. She instinctually knows what to do. You can put a sheet up around the bottom half of the cage and that will help her feel safe.
Another update. Sorry I'm a bit late about it but she ended up laying her eggs just fine! I wrapped her enclosure with one of those big picture background that I have been intending on using to make backgrounds for my enclosures. And one night she ended up starting to lay her eggs. Then her light went off and I was kinda scared cuz she was sleeping I'm the sand. But I looked it up and everyone said to keep the lights off so I did. Then she was finished by the time I woke up the next morning. She looked pretty "deflated" for a day or so but she seems like she didn't lose too much weight and she's been doing great! Just wanted to leave a little update for everyone who helped out. Thanks again!
How many total did she lay?
Lindasjackson
Chameleon Enthusiast
That’s great news!
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