Advice

[jbc]

Hi.
I have a pair of veiled chams ( not in same vivarium as they are brother and sister ) question is how do I know when my female will be ready to lay eggs?.
I have a nest box with 20%sand 80%Eco earth mix.
I don't want to breed them but I don't want to lose her over not knowing what to do.

Thanks.
John.

 

[Julirs]

At 4-5 months I simply put a laying bin in the females cage. She will start to dig and hang around the bottom as well as usually stopping eating when she is ready to lay.

 

[Miss Lily]

Females can lay infertile clutches from around 6 months of age onwards. How old is she? You are already providing what she needs - just make sure that you check the sand/eco earth mix and make sure it doesn't dry out. It needs to be moist enough to hold a tunnel. Amy is 10 months old and hasn't laid yet, and my first female didn't lay until she was 14 months old - they all mature at different rates, just like we do! When she is nearing laying time she may wander around and hang about near the bottom of the cage and check out the box you have put in there. Also, you may see egg shaped lumps under the skin just above her back legs when she is resting. They often go off of their food for anything up to a week before laying, although they will still drink and their thirst may increase somewhat in the last couple of days before she lays. They can also dig several test holes for a few days before hand - once she starts digging, it is best to cover the front of the cage so she cannot see you or she may abandon her hole if she is disturbed. Here's a link to my blog - it charts Lily's behaviour from being receptive up until she laid her first clutch:https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/miss-lily/

 

[kinyonga]

Its very hard to know when a veiled female is going to lay eggs for the first time. She might lay eggs as early as 5 months but she might never lay them (depending on your husbandry to some extent).

All I can say is to keep a suitable set-up in there for her to dig in and watch for the signs. The signs may be but are not limited to these...roaming around the cage/restless...depending on the size of the clutch she may stop eating or slow down...drinking more...showing more girth...grumpier than normal.

If she sits low in the cage, sleeps during the day, acts lethargic...then she may be in trouble.

Once she starts to dig, do not let her see you watching her when she is digging. Its fine to feed her and water her when she is up in the branches...but don't leave any uneaten insects in the cage at that time.

Try not to worry too much...if she's healthy and your husbandry is good, things should go okay.