Breeded Obese Chameleon

sighkaika

New Member
*THIS IS NOT MY CHAMELEON SO IM PUTTING WHAT I KNOW*
Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - Veiled, Female, and around 1 year. Had it for about 9 months (not my chameleon)
  • Handling - Not often
  • Feeding - Superworms, gutloaded, as much as she wants in a bowl, gutloading with carrots and kale
  • Supplements - calcium 6 times a week, multivitamin around once every two weeks and CalW/D3 around every two weeks
  • Watering - Mist chameleons plants often 2-3 times a day, never seen her drink before
  • Fecal Description - Not sure, its not my Cham
  • History - N/A
Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Free Range, has plants she lives on in a corner of the room
  • Lighting - 3 heat lamps around the plants, not within a grabbing range but within a basking range
  • Temperature - Not sure, I don't take care of the chameleon
  • Humidity - she has a humidifier by the plants and spraying plants every day
  • Plants - Multiple types of plants, all live plants
  • Placement - In a low traffic room, in the corner, its a large area for her to explore she never escapes, just chills on the plants
  • Location - San Diego, California
Current Problem - My friend has a chameleon that's obese and was bred. This just happened yesterday, but we're worried of the health risks that we could encounter. We knew you're not supposed to breed overweight chameleons, but it happened. I want to help him prevent any health risks as much and as soon as possible, I know we kinda flubbed on that already, but what else can we do? I want her to survive & be as healthy as possible, what steps can I do to prevent egg-binding or anything else I should worry about?
 
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How do you have a spur of the moment breeding of a Chameleon?

If you want assistance you will need to fill this out and provide pics of enclosure and the chameleon so we can give you proper feedback.

Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:
  1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
  2. Photos can be very helpful.
 
SMH but like Beman said
How do you have a spur of the moment breeding of a Chameleon?

If you want assistance you will need to fill this out and provide pics of enclosure and the chameleon so we can give you proper feedback.

Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:
  1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
  2. Photos can be very helpful.
 
Superworms cannot be gutloaded in a meaningful way and are not to be used as anything other than treats. They are like candy, definitely not a staple food.

No comment on UVB?

How was she introduced to a male? I can only think of two options: (1) she shares her free range with a male, which is most definitely not acceptable, or (2) a male was specifically brought to her. It's not possible for a random male to just find her and mate... I hope your friend is prepared for the vet bills that are going to be coming their way. Not to mention the dozens of babies which will need hundreds of feeders every single day once they're born. And also all the research which goes into egg laying in females. Laybins, feeding schedule, etc etc etc. If she is really obese, she is going to generate a gigantic clutch of eggs, which is going to be tough to deal with.
 
I guess you know letting chameleons get obese is a problem. The reason it is so bad in females is that the fat pads can block the pelvic canal and make egg laying difficult or impossible. It also creates more eggs that have to pass though this smaller canal. She needs a proper but restricted diet ASAP. Start her on a varied, gut loaded diet if she skips a meal or two because of the change oh well. She should only be fed a few feeders every other day 6-8 depending on size. I'd say six for now.
I'd let the veiled owners above confirm that.
 
I guess you know letting chameleons get obese is a problem. The reason it is so bad in females is that the fat pads can block the pelvic canal and make egg laying difficult or impossible. It also creates more eggs that have to pass though this smaller canal. She needs a proper but restricted diet ASAP. Start her on a varied, gut loaded diet if she skips a meal or two because of the change oh well. She should only be fed a few feeders every other day 6-8 depending on size. I'd say six for now.
I'd let the veiled owners above confirm that.
thank you, thats a response i actually needed i appreciate that alot.
 
There are probably more things she needs but that is a start. Regulating the cage temperatures properly can reduce the clutch size by slowing ovulation. I gave you the quick answer the others already on this thread can help you even more.
 
Not to mention I hope your "friend" is aware that a female can retain sperm for a full year which means multiple clutches of babies.....

Your "friend" has multiple husbandry issues.... See feedback in red... You should really ask your "friend" the answers to the questions you do not know. Hard to provide feedback to assist them without info.

*THIS IS NOT MY CHAMELEON SO IM PUTTING WHAT I KNOW*
Chameleon Info:

  • Your Chameleon - Veiled, Female, and around 1 year. Had it for about 9 months (not my chameleon)
  • Handling - Not often
  • Feeding - Superworms, gutloaded, as much as she wants in a bowl, gutloading with carrots and kale NOT an acceptable food source. How many is she being fed? Very low nutritional value and do not gutload well. The gutload needs massive improvement as well. See image..
  • Supplements - calcium 6 times a week, multivitamin around once every two weeks and CalW/D3 around every two weeks
  • Watering - Mist chameleons plants often 2-3 times a day, never seen her drink before Is there a dripper providing consistent water source? how long is each misting session?
  • Fecal Description - Not sure, its not my Cham Important to know
  • History - N/A
Cage Info:

  • Cage Type - Free Range, has plants she lives on in a corner of the room HOW is a lay bin being provided?
  • Lighting - 3 heat lamps around the plants, not within a grabbing range but within a basking range So heat only and no UVB lighting????? Then she is high risk for MBD which will make egg laying extremely hard on her. High possibility of egg binding and death.
  • Temperature - Not sure, I don't take care of the chameleon Important to know. Temperatures affect the clutch size. You could end up with 80 eggs if the temp is too high.
  • Humidity - she has a humidifier by the plants and spraying plants every day What are the levels? Important to know
  • Plants - Multiple types of plants, all live plants What kinds.... Veileds eat their plants and most are toxic.
  • Placement - In a low traffic room, in the corner, its a large area for her to explore she never escapes, just chills on the plants
  • Location - San Diego, California
Current Problem - My friend has a chameleon that's obese and was bred. This just happened yesterday, but we're worried of the health risks that we could encounter. We knew you're not supposed to breed overweight chameleons, but it happened. I want to help him prevent any health risks as much and as soon as possible, I know we kinda flubbed on that already, but what else can we do? I want her to survive & be as healthy as possible, what steps can I do to prevent egg-binding or anything else I should worry about?

There is a lot to worry about. your "friend" has bred a female that should never have been bred. She should be restricted to 5 feeders every other day.. Try roaches they gutload well and are packed with nutrition. Heat temps where she is basking should be no hotter then 82-83 degrees. While this may not help the upcoming clutch size much it will help future clutch sizes. She will have multiple clutches over the next year with fertile eggs. Does your friend know anything on incubating eggs or the process involved with raising them. The fact that there will be many cages needed to house these babies. And that they all will have to have perfect husbandry. UVB lighting, tons of feeders. That they will need to provide care of all these babies for 3 months until they are old enough to be re homed. What is the Sires breeding back ground. What is the females breeding background. Do you know? Or are they just Petco/Petsmart chams that have poor genes that will carry those on to their offspring...


Supplements pic.jpeg
Gutloading 101.jpeg
UVB lighting pic.jpeg
nonUVB pic.jpeg
Basic Feeder pic.jpeg
 
Going off of what the others have said, I think you definitely need to decrease her food intake and switch it with something more nutritious but don't cut her down too quickly because if she has hepatic lipidosis or more commonly known as fatty liver disease (which many overweight animals tend to develop), you may cause even bigger problems with her body trying to adjust. Just my two cents ;) I am glad you are asking for help and hopefully you can help your friend improve the quality and longevity of her life.
 
Two good points have been made that I missed. You should probably reduce her intake gradually and you don't need to incubate the eggs as @Brodybreaux25 so nicely articulated. She will likely lay as many as 50 at a time every couple of months three or four times before she begins to lay unfertilized eggs again. Unless you have 150 friends that can afford set ups and want chameleons and you can afford to buy thousands of feeders at time it might be best to let them go. Even if the male is an amazing color you will spend more feeding the babies than you will ever get back selling them.
 
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