Problems with very 1st Cham...

[camimom]

Ok, wow! Thanks for all the information! I have orderd proper suppliments and have an Update-- She has eaten successfully today and is not very angry. I pulled a little tree from our porch and let her perch of that for a while supervised and I gave it little showers. She seemed to enjoy it!

My water dish is cleaned and refilled in the morning and at night to avoid bacteria.

Im glad shes doing better.
One thing, remove the water dish permanently
Chams dont drink standing water.
and even if you clean it every day, she can poo in it, or a bug can, and then she drinks it after you put fresh water in in the morning.

Chameleons drink dripping water. not standing water, not running water.

If you want her to have access to water while shes awake, get a little or big dripper.
they are called a little dripperm and you can get them at petsmart.

this way, you can regulat the water to dripping 1 drop every 2-3 seconds.

 

[Decker01]

I rigged a little dripper for her earlier. I havent seen her drink from it yetbut theres definatly some serious interest. She will go up to one of the leaves the water beads off and will stare at it, then get splashed and run away!

 

[carol5208]

I noticed you posted Reptisun 5.0 uva/uvb bulb. They are uvb only and do not provide uva. So do you have a seperate dome with a basking light then for uva?

 

[Decker01]

Yes my mistake. I have the the uvb bulb then a seperate basking bulb

 

[Decker01]

Can you take pictures of her and post them? also take pics of the back of the back feet, just to be sure.

Taken today, sorry theyre dark my phone doesnt take good pictures.

 

[camimom]

Ok.
im fairly certain thats a girl, probably around 8-10 months old. maybe a bit younger.
Do you see any tarsal spurs (bumpy/pimple/heel like things on the back of theback feet)?

I dont see any bowing of the arms or legs, no swelling of the joints, casque looks good.

So i think you dodged a bullet and you dont have a cham with MBD.
Though you need to make sure you without a doubt get the proper supplements together.

Also, make sure you ge ta laying bin together, as she can lay eggs anytime after the age of 6 months.

 

[Decker01]

I ordered the supplements you reccomended, and shes definatly got no bitty spurs. I looked around the house for a contaner and ive found a unsed trash bin or like a 10? gallon storage bin.. Do i really need a regular sized trash can? I know she'll dig but will they really go that deep?

 

[camimom]

I ordered the supplements you reccomended, and shes definatly got no bitty spurs. I looked around the house for a contaner and ive found a unsed trash bin or like a 10? gallon storage bin.. Do i really need a regular sized trash can? I know she'll dig but will they really go that deep?

some people use a trash can, others just use a five gallon painters bucket (cleaned out)
normally they need about 12 inches of sand, but some females get picky, about the depth, or what is used for digging.
there are a few females on here, who sort of, ignore the need to lay, until they are forced into a trash can that they cant get out of, and have nothing else to do but lay.
but thats not common.

 

[Decker01]

That was my next question. How long do i leave her in there and do i set her there in a dark place, or should I transfer the lights to the bucket.. And on average how long would it take for her to lay?

 

[camimom]

That was my next question. How long do i leave her in there and do i set her there in a dark place, or should I transfer the lights to the bucket.. And on average how long would it take for her to lay?

I would put a laying bin, or something with laying substrate in it, in her cage, o when she needs to lay, she can start to dig to show you.
Though most people put a laying bin in the cage withher 24/7.
if you cant, or dont want to, put a little bin in her cage so she can show you she needs to lay,
then you can transfer her to the laying bin you have set up.
i would place her lights on her bin when you transfer her, and turn them off at bed time.
though females have been known to continue to dig and lay well past their bed time,
it can take females a couple days to dig, lay, and be done.
some will dig, then change their mind on the hole, and dig another hole.
when shes digging, NEVER let her see you watching, this can make her stop, and she can become egg bound.
when she shows no interest in digging anymore, and is crawling onto a plant or so.. then you can move her backinto her cage.

I would place a branch or two in the bin (if your using a large trash can) so she has someting to sit on

 

[Decker01]

Ok, Ive got no space in the cage. I have a small starter cage its 18x18x24. I have a spare room where I can place her in her bucket for the day. Will she really become egg bound if i peek in the room and shes not on a branch? How shall I mst her?

 

[camimom]

Ok, Ive got no space in the cage. I have a small starter cage its 18x18x24. I have a spare room where I can place her in her bucket for the day. Will she really become egg bound if i peek in the room and shes not on a branch? How shall I mst her?

If she sees you, its possible.
YOu mist her without her seeing you. lol.
just kind of peek over the top and mist.

 

[Decker01]

Hmm... that will be fun considering their "googly eyes"!!

 

[camimom]

Haha yea. its always fun trying to be sneaky withthem.

 

[lindawaz]

Hello and welcome
here is a care sheet
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/chameleonsinmyhouse/395-veiled-chameleon-care-sheet.html

here is a link for gutloading
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html

here is FAQ's
https://www.chameleonforums.com/frequently-asked-questions-71620/

I leave my bin in Lily's cage 24/7. It is a round plastic planter that her ficus tree came in. It is black 18 inches deep 12inch Diameter. She used it no problems for her first an only clutch so far. I did start a hole for her on an angle about 4 inches down. She does have a vine that I have sunk a bit into the sand she uses to get in and out.

They can be very picky- I was lucky and she did what she had to do no problems even after I could not find her in the cage and put my hand in the planter and felt her tail...

Each Cham is different and personality too. Lily when she was gravid she became more aggressive blowing up and hissing- gaping. After she laid her eggs she turned back to her lovely self.

Best of luck with your cham and never hesitate to ask questions. Enjoy the links

 

[Decker01]

Yes shes definatly had a change it attutude. Getting better slightly. I made a egg bin for her-- Its a larger like bathroom trashcan. prolly 12 across and maybe 16 high? idk. i put her lights and tep gauge and a branch in it with a screen cover over top. unfortuanly it has to be out of her cage bc Ive got aboslutely no room in there. She was just trying to climb to the top and gt out. The temps about 75. Ive got to hang the lights over there when they normally sit on the cage. Is this good enough? how will i get her out without making her stop laying eggs-- if she even starts?

 

[Decker01]

Shes just circling the bin trying to get out. its been about 30 minutes....

 

[Elizadolots]

Can you give her something she can cling to? Like poke a stick into the sand? She might feel more comfortable if she has the option to get off the sand.

 

[Decker01]

Yes theres a stick in there. 2 litte ones thick enough to hold her wieght and one forks, the others just sraight up...