She's digging!

[Frigga]

It's been awhile since I've posted in here. So let me just say I've spent the last 8 months stressing about eggs since I rescued my female chameleon, Hela. I was honestly starting to wonder if she was ever going to lay eggs. But I got up a couple days ago and heard her digging! She's still very tiny, and she doesn't look like the lumpy potato I was expecting lol but she has spent the last 4 days digging up new holes. I have advised all my family to stay away from her cage so not to spook her. I'm still a bit of a nervous wreck and I don't even know for sure that she's ready to lay or not. Do they start digging before they're fully ready? She's still eating too, I've read they stop eating when getting ready to lay.
Also I was going to be taking her to the vet next week for a check up, now I wonder if I should keep that appointment or hold off a week or two to see what happens with all this digging.

Anyways, through all my stressing and worrying, I never anticipated the adorableness of her dirty face between digs! She seriously melts me heart

 

[alphakenc]

Any sign of eggs???

 

[Frigga]

Any sign of eggs???

No not yet. I took her outside for some sunshine today, and she's been digging in her lay bin since. But since you asked I went to go check if she actually buried the hole this afternoon. It's dark now, so I thought she'd be perched and sleeping, but she's still down there! I don't think that's normal, and hopefully I didn't spook her... She really stresses me out, and I probably over worry.
I didn't think she was really ready to lay, based on the pictures I've seen of gravid females. Now I just don't know what to think...

 

[Frigga]

After more reading on here I found it's common for them to lay eggs at night. So now I don't have to worry about that, and hopefully this is it!

 

[Brodybreaux25]

You told your family not to spook her but your taking her outside? Come on now, that was a silly decision even for a first timer.

Respectfully, You’ve got to back off. Definitely shouldn’t be interacting with her now. At this point your job is to back off and do not disturb her in the slightest. Maybe toss a few crickets in here and there, continue normal watering schedule.

Do you have the bottom of her viv wrapped up so she can’t be seen?

 

[Thehippie]

use a shower curtain and wrap the bottom of the cage, i would also buy a wifi based baby monitor to watch her while shes digging

 

[Frigga]

Ok, fair enough, I feel really stupid now and I can see now taking her outside could have be a mistake. But I truly thought this was maybe just some practice digging and some sunshine would be good for her.. I don't handle her ever except for vet visits, and even going outside I just bring the enclosure outside. She wasn't digging when I brought her out, she was up basking when I did, so I just thought it would be a good time to do so.

And yes, I do have a privacy screen across the bottom of her cage for her.

I like the idea of the baby monitor, I'll go get one today.

Now let me ask, she has a vet checkup coming up on Thursday, do you think I should I cancel that if I don't find eggs before then? I made the appointment before she started digging.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

We all make mistakes, I’ve made many publicly so if that’s the worst your still doing great.

Yes, every thing else takes a back seat until she lays. Why was she going to the vet?

 

[Frigga]

We all make mistakes, I’ve made many publicly so if that’s the worst your still doing great.

Yes, every thing else takes a back seat until she lays. Why was she going to the vet?

She was on antibiotics for an infection last year, so this was just a secondary check up. The last time she didn't allow them to take a blood draw to check organ function or anything, so I just worry that there was some other underlying issue we don't know. But she's feisty and mean and doesn't ever want to play by the rules.

I was also going to question more about egg laying while I was there and if she was ever going to, because at the time I made the appointment she still wasn't showing any signs, guess I don't need to ask that now.

She definitely slept in her lay bin last night, and she hasn't come back up this morning yet. Hopefully that's good. How long can this go on for before I should be (rightfully) worried?

 

[Brodybreaux25]

1 week would be time to worry but it’s normal for their first time to be a bit dragged out. You can QUICKLY glance in to see how she’s doing if you’d like. The actual egg laying process should take no more than 24hrs once she’s backed into her hole.

 

[alphakenc]

No not yet. I took her outside for some sunshine today, and she's been digging in her lay bin since. But since you asked I went to go check if she actually buried the hole this afternoon. It's dark now, so I thought she'd be perched and sleeping, but she's still down there! I don't think that's normal, and hopefully I didn't spook her... She really stresses me out, and I probably over worry.
I didn't think she was really ready to lay, based on the pictures I've seen of gravid females. Now I just don't know what to think...

Dont be stressed...I forgot to tell u its better to leave her along when she is digging cause she might abandon the hole n possibly get more stress n leads to the "egg bound" then that will be more stress on ur side.
So my suggestion will leave her along by herself and let her finish what she doing if nothing happened in one more week then I have some other idea for u.

 

[Frigga]

1 week would be time to worry but it’s normal for their first time to be a bit dragged out. You can QUICKLY glance in to see how she’s doing if you’d like. The actual egg laying process should take no more than 24hrs once she’s backed into her hole.

It's already been over a week of digging. We're at a week and a half now, so maybe I should keep that appointment for Thursday? I'm sitting in the room with her and haven't hear her digging at all, and she hasn't come back up. I don't even want to chance a quick glance, just in case she is backed in I don't want her to see me.

So to distract myself, I'm going to leave the house and go buy the baby monitor now, so I can try to sneakily set it up.
And I'm going to pick up some hornworms while I'm out so she has a tasty treat for when she does venture back up.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

There an echoe in here?

 

[Brodybreaux25]

If that’s the case absolutely keep the appointment. You can install the camera after she goes to sleep...

 

[Frigga]

If that’s the case absolutely keep the appointment. You can install the camera after she goes to sleep...

Ok, I'm keeping the appointment. also I just got home, and still didn't hear digging so I snuck a quick check in, and she looked like she was just sitting on top, but I can't be sure yet, I didn't get a good look cause I didn't want her to see me.
If she has buried the hole, how long should I wait to check if there are actually eggs in there?

 

[alphakenc]

U will know when u see her physically lost all that weight..patience my friend.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Yep, it will be obvious.

 

[Frigga]

So I think the deed is officially done!
She has covered the hole and climbed to the top. I just gave gave her a little hand misting, 2 small hornworms and a bunch of crickets. I'll wait till later to pull the bin out just to make sure she doesn't go back to it.
Not gonna lie, I was skeptical with the whole it's gonna be obvious thing, she was so tiny to begin with, she wasn't the giant lumpy pregnant I've seen pictures of, but you're right, it's pretty obvious lol she looks almost shriveled now.

 

[alphakenc]

Oh good she can try on her bikini now....
Now u will need to feed her n hydrate her....let her recover ...those labor egg push are so strenuous only one can imagine

 

[Frigga]

Oh good she can try on her bikini now....
Now u will need to feed her n hydrate her....let her recover ...those labor egg push are so strenuous only one can imagine

Yes I did exactly that, that's why I said I gave her an extra hand misting, hornworms, and crickets And she put herself to bed a little early tonight too.
I'm going to pull out her lay bin soon and see how she did.