Question regarding one retentioned egg...help needed really!

[NS exotics]

I had one topic going for a while...it is about breeding and egg laying in Veiled chameleons...I have bred my female and she didn't lay any single egg till today, which is about 55-60 days after breeding.

My concern is: I can feel, something that I think is the egg left in her, that she didn't resorb and I want some oppinions and advices... She was obviously bred before 55-60 days, she didn't lay, she didn't dug anything, never was on the floor, is feeding as usual, is acting as usual, has laying bin full of moist sand and a bit of coco fiber in her tank, never show anything related to laying, no digging, no venturing, no anything. BUT, I can feel something strange in her belly, something like an egg, although I don't have experience with that, there is something hard, not so soft to say, in her belly, a bit rounded and I can only think it is an egg, can it be something else? I am thinking of getting her to a vet, but the vets here are very inexperienced and do not know much about reptiles in general. Should I have some X-ray done? Can she live normally for some time with one egg maybe left in there and lay it after with some another clutch? All advices are more then welcome. Hope to hear from all of the experienced keepers. Thanks in advance!

 

[spencer k]

i have the same exact problem with my female. she has been acting completly normal since she laid- eating, drinking. some input on this subject would be really nice.

 

[lbesok]

Sometimes when you are palpating for eggs you can feel their pelvic bone, which will feel like a BIG hard egg. Most likely when you feel multiple little bumps they are eggs. If she does have eggs stuck in her she would be come egg bound, and you would notice immediately it taking it's toll on her body. How does her health seem? If she were egg bound you may expect her not to eat, she would become lazy, look dehydrated and her eyes would become sunken in. Have you noticed any significant weight loss or weight gain?
So did she lay eggs today, and if so how many? Your post wasn't too clear about that fact.
Oftentimes when you catch them egg bound before it's too late and take them to the vet, the vet will recommend a shot of oxytocin, which would help induce labor, if the female was well enough to push them out.
Hope this helps a little.

 

[NS exotics]

I know what you are talking about. She is not acting strange at all as I wrote. She is active, normal behaviour and eating habits. Looking great, abit plump due to her great apettite. I did feel something harder and not so big, like 1cm in diameter(I didn't see cham egg in person, so what is the size?) so it may be that pelvic bone. Can I feel that bone on different areas when she is movng, I mean, can that bone be felt sometimes on different side of her body, when she is palpated in different possitions? She is looking great as usual and no any significant weight loss or gain. I don't want to stress her to the vet cose vets here aren't experienced with exotic animals. Any other thoughts?

 

[lbesok]

I know what you are talking about. She is not acting strange at all as I wrote. She is active, normal behaviour and eating habits. Looking great, abit plump due to her great apettite. I did feel something harder and not so big, like 1cm in diameter(I didn't see cham egg in person, so what is the size?) so it may be that pelvic bone. Can I feel that bone on different areas when she is movng, I mean, can that bone be felt sometimes on different side of her body, when she is palpated in different possitions? She is looking great as usual and no any significant weight loss or gain. I don't want to stress her to the vet cose vets here aren't experienced with exotic animals. Any other thoughts?

The eggs would be pretty small, about the size of a jellybean maybe a bit larger for a Vieled but not much initially when they are laid. Yes, you should be able to feel the bone from both sides. Check out this picture from Steve Husky of a Melleri skeleton, and look in the pelvic area to imagine what you may be feeling:

From this site:
http://bioweb.wku.edu/faculty/Huskey/

 

[NS exotics]

Thanks for your effort.

I would like to get an answer to my next question: can female resorb all eggs apart from one that left and then lay that egg with others in next clutch if she has it(retaining sperm or by another mating)? She is normally active and is eating normally and everything usual, so I would not stress her to the vet to hear his oppionion,cose they are not experienced as I said before...

 

[spencer k]

same here, mine is eating, drinking, poopin ect normally. i do think is an egg, but i could be wrong. it is round and egg shaped about the size of a large jelly bean, but unfortunatly so is thier poop. just have to wait and see. mine layed her infertile clutch about 3 weeks ago, when would be a good time to mate her for the next clutch, and when can i expect the next clutch?

 

[boothy]

if she is acting fine and not declining her intake of food and water then i think she has reabsorbed the egg or eggs , if you feel that she might have a blockage (egg bound) then go see a vet and if there is they can induce them with a shot of something i cant remember right now and it relaxes them to reabsord the eggs or lay wats blocked in them sometimes 3 or 4 shots needed to be given but iv heard of it working with a few ppl i talk to on other forums so good luck and hope that helps you out some

 

[NS exotics]

I know what you are talking about it is called oxycitin or something like that. I wouldn't give her anything if that egg can't make any difference to her well being so I am asking is that possible in chams(to lay some eggs that left later on in upcomming clutches?)?