Baby girl is gravid!

[ebarrychameleon]

My lovely veiled chameleon Ophelia is gravid for the first time! I will insert a picture below, it's super blurry but you can make out the orange spots. I am very nervous because she is my first ever chameleon and I want to make sure I can take care of her as best I can, but I am also so happy that she's growing up and getting to be an adult cham!

Does anyone have any tips for me as a first time owner going through egg laying? Any help would be greatly appreciated as I really don't want to mess this up.

Her laying bin has been set up ever since I got her in August, it has damp play sand with a tester hole I dug that's been there since I put it in, it is 12 wide, 16 across and 18 deep I'm pretty sure, which from what I understand is a proper size.

She hasn't been interested in food very much lately, which I initially chocked up to her just getting older and eating less but now I realize had to do with her getting gravid as well. She hasn't pooped in the past few days either but that would make sense as she hasn't eaten a lot.

Her enclosure is in the finished basement of my house, usually the only person down there for long periods of time is my dad (working from home) who is in an adjacent room. I am still a student so I usually refill her water, check up on her, etc when I come home from school or before I go in the morning. I know they need a lot of space at this time so I will not do homework near her enclosure like I sometimes do.

Again, any advice would be GREATLY appreciated. Sorry for the poor picture quality -- you can see the orange spots a little on her shoulder and arm though.

 

[AmandaS]

The trick to screen photos is to press the phone against the screen. Then it focuses a little better on the inside of the enclosure vs. the screen.

Once you notice she is digging give her privacy. This can be achieved by wrapping a cover around the bottom 2/3 of her enclosure. Do not let her see you peeking on her or she may abandon her hole and this *could* lead to being egg bound.
Usually if your husbandry is good she wont have issues.
She will naturally know what to do, and it can be a one-day process or might take 2 days. She will dig a tunnel, turn around and lay her eggs, then come out and cover them. Once she is done she should go back to the top and bask. She will likely be thirsty and hungry.
You can feed her well the first day or so, but then cut back on feedings. Make sure to water her after she finished so she can get a good drink.

Should be painless for you. Good luck!!!

 

[ebarrychameleon]

The trick to screen photos is to press the phone against the screen. Then it focuses a little better on the inside of the enclosure vs. the screen.

Once you notice she is digging give her privacy. This can be achieved by wrapping a cover around the bottom 2/3 of her enclosure. Do not let her see you peeking on her or she may abandon her hole and this *could* lead to being egg bound.
Usually if your husbandry is good she wont have issues.
She will naturally know what to do, and it can be a one-day process or might take 2 days. She will dig a tunnel, turn around and lay her eggs, then come out and cover them. Once she is done she should go back to the top and bask. She will likely be thirsty and hungry.
You can feed her well the first day or so, but then cut back on feedings. Make sure to water her after she finished so she can get a good drink.

Should be painless for you. Good luck!!!

Thank you so much!! I will give an update in a few days