Can I see your lay boxes?

Frigga

Frigga

Established Member
Hi all, I just rescued a female vieled chameleon from pretty terrible conditions. The information I got from the previous owners was that she was a 2 year old male, definitely not a male and honestly due to her small size not sure if she's really 2 years old. (If she is 2 years old she's a true survivor living in the squalor they had her in, which definitely would have a part in her small size.) I have a vet appointment for her next week, I was hoping to get her there today but they weren't able to get me in with my preferred doctor so I'd rather wait a few more days, and she seems to be doing fairly well and based on the research I've done she doesn't appear to be gravid. Now I wasn't prepared to take her in, fate kinda dropped her in my lap so she's currently in a temporary set up. Her new enclosure, 18x18x36, is arriving tomorrow, as well as new decor for it, so she should be in her new permanent home by the end of the week, once it's set up and running properly. The last thing I need to make sure I have set up for her is a lay box.
So, I talk a lot, thanks for hanging in with my ramblings, but my questions here: what do you use for you lay boxes? My first thought was a plastic shoebox, but after reading about it I dont think that'll be deep enough so then I was thinking like a small rubbermade tub, would that work? Do you only use washed play sand? Or do you mix other soil in it? I have reptisoil I used for my crested gecko substrate, would that be good for it as well or no? And by play sand does that mean stuff I can buy at the hardware store for kids sand boxes? I'm scared if I dont get it perfect she won't like it and get eggbound. I've read a lot about it, I'm constantly doing more research, but just wanted to hear what you all do for your little ladies :D
Also can I see pictures of your lay boxes for inspiration?
 
Frigga said:
Hi all, I just rescued a female vieled chameleon from pretty terrible conditions. The information I got from the previous owners was that she was a 2 year old male, definitely not a male and honestly due to her small size not sure if she's really 2 years old. (If she is 2 years old she's a true survivor living in the squalor they had her in, which definitely would have a part in her small size.) I have a vet appointment for her next week, I was hoping to get her there today but they weren't able to get me in with my preferred doctor so I'd rather wait a few more days, and she seems to be doing fairly well and based on the research I've done she doesn't appear to be gravid. Now I wasn't prepared to take her in, fate kinda dropped her in my lap so she's currently in a temporary set up. Her new enclosure, 18x18x36, is arriving tomorrow, as well as new decor for it, so she should be in her new permanent home by the end of the week, once it's set up and running properly. The last thing I need to make sure I have set up for her is a lay box.
So, I talk a lot, thanks for hanging in with my ramblings, but my questions here: what do you use for you lay boxes? My first thought was a plastic shoebox, but after reading about it I dont think that'll be deep enough so then I was thinking like a small rubbermade tub, would that work? Do you only use washed play sand? Or do you mix other soil in it? I have reptisoil I used for my crested gecko substrate, would that be good for it as well or no? And by play sand does that mean stuff I can buy at the hardware store for kids sand boxes? I'm scared if I dont get it perfect she won't like it and get eggbound. I've read a lot about it, I'm constantly doing more research, but just wanted to hear what you all do for your little ladies :D
Also can I see pictures of your lay boxes for inspiration?
Click to expand...
I prefer to use plain old play sand, the kind you get from any Home Depot or hardware store. The sand should have the same moisture as a sand castle. While your getting the sand get a ROUND flower pot that is at least 12x12. I prefer round cause every time I give a female a lay bin with corners they always lay their eggs in the very bottom corner of the bin and it makes them really hard to get out!you should be able to put together a lay bin for her for less than $20. It’s pretty easy! Don’t worry about it, you have obviously been doing your homework!
 
Brodybreaux25 said:
The title of this thread feels dirty! Or is it just me?
Click to expand...
I definitely giggled to myself after I made the title :ROFLMAO:

jannb said:
Thank you for taking her in. Filling out the Ask For Help Form is an excellent idea.
You should find this video helpful.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/laying-bin-set-up-educational-video.77225/
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Thank you Jann, that video was very helpful! I was searching through the forums last night and didn't stumble across this one.

And I have lots of flower pots I can clean out, one less thing to buy.
 
Ah-ha, I changed my wording on the search to lay BIN and found a lot more useful forums to look at. It's all about the phrasing.
 
I used small plastic totes from I think target that were maybe 8" deep x 10" wide x 16" long and then used a sand and soil mixture with around 1/3 organic potting soil and 2/3 sand. I drilled some drain holes at one end to let the excess moisture out but my misting schedule kept the bins moist enough to dig in or make a sand castle like @Brodybreaux25 mentioned above. I've always heard deeper is better but I wanted something that I could leave in their cages permanently and my panther girls never had any issues using them. Anyways here's a picture to give you a visual.
20140601_215932.jpg
 
Hello all! I just acquired a female Panther. She came to me pregnant. She's is in an 18x18x36. In the bottom I have a lay bin that is about 9in deap, filled with topsoil. Its most enough it will hold a tunnel. My questions to you...One, that she came to me 4 days ago. I noticed she has slept a lot during the day. Being pregnant, is this normal? Also she is eating like a horse. How much should she be eating everyday pregnant, and can I over feed her? Also she is eating crickets and Dubai roaches. She is over one year, and this is her first gravid.
 
So I have a couple more lay bin/egg laying questions, originally I was thinking I'd put the lay bin in when she was showing signs, which poses the question should I remove all the potted plants and just have the lay bin in there?
I like how you have your set up NorCalAnthony where you leave it in all the time, I could possibly put the bin behind the ficus, next to the hibiscus, which would provide her with extra privacy but it doesn't leave it very accessible for me to check it. Her enclosure is smaller, I went with an 18x18x36.
Recommendations on how to proceed are welcome. (I attached a picture of her enclosure as well for reference)
Also I've been reading about how they show receptive and gravid colors. Is this always a sure tell? Or do some females become gravid without ever changing colors? Since I've had her some of her colorings have changed a bit, but I'm not sure if that's just due to the fact she's no longer living in hell. She pretty much stayed brown the first week she was here and now stays a lovely green color and has some darker bars showing up on her sides. (I have had 17 days now).
Also wanted some input on keeping a female and male without intention of breeding. Obviously they can't be in direct line of sight to each other, so can keep them in the same room and just put something up so they can't see each all day? If I take one of them out and they get a glimpse of the other is that going to cause issues? Or should I just keep them in different rooms completely to make sure they never see each other?
If you hung in with me this long, thank you! I've been reading so much about keeping a female it's making my eyes cross, and then theres things that become contradictory, so I'd really appreciate any feedback and advice!
TIA!
 

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Oh, and since I created this post prior to her vet visit. I will add, he estimated she is about 8months old and said in the next couple of months I could be expecting her to start laying. But then I've read they become sexually mature around 6 months old. So I decided to pretty much be ready any time now lol
 
No need to remove the other pots, they tend to stress if you start rearranging their viv during normal times so defanitly no need to risk it now.

No such thing as “Always” in Cham keeping lol. Each is different but I’d say it’s one of the most sure fire ways to tell. Receptive colors shown below. Trying to find a pic of her right before she laid last...
 

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Ok perfect, so I should just set up her lay bin and leave it in there all the time. I have a round flower out I'm pretty sure will fit just perfectly behind her ficus. It doesn't leave much in the room on the bottom of her enclosure. But this leads another question, cleaning time. If I leave it in there surely she'll end up pooping in it, so can I just spot clean the top layer, and how often should I replace the sand?
 
Believe it or not she should be potty training herself pretty soon. It sounds crazy but it’s true, every Cham I’ve ever been involved in has potty trained themselves upon reaching sexual maturity. My female always poops in the same spot every time. Because of that I really don’t know what to suggest but I’d think spot cleaning would be fine if you exchange the sand after each lay.
 
Brodybreaux25 said:
Believe it or not she should be potty training herself pretty soon. It sounds crazy but it’s true, every Cham I’ve ever been involved in has potty trained themselves upon reaching sexual maturity. My female always poops in the same spot every time. Because of that I really don’t know what to suggest but I’d think spot cleaning would be fine if you exchange the sand after each lay.
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Whaaaat!? Is that just a female thing? My male does his business where ever he feels like it, he's over 2 years old now. I have to go "poop hunting" through the foliage to spot clean his cage between the full cleanings lol
My leopard geckos are "potty trained" and have a designated poop corner. I always wished my chameleon would do that too, hopefully Hela does that.
 
Frigga said:
Whaaaat!? Is that just a female thing? My male does his business where ever he feels like it, he's over 2 years old now. I have to go "poop hunting" through the foliage to spot clean his cage between the full cleanings lol
My leopard geckos are "potty trained" and have a designated poop corner. I always wished my chameleon would do that too, hopefully Hela does that.
Click to expand...
My male does it too but he has about 1sqft area he goes in, the female literally hits the same spot every time. She is so accurate it would pile up if I let it!
 
Brodybreaux25 said:
My male does it too but he has about 1sqft area he goes in, the female literally hits the same spot every time. She is so accurate it would pile up if I let it!
Click to expand...

Loki must just be an inconsiderate chameleon, which not surprising all, he probably get some sick enjoyment of making me search for poo lol :ROFLMAO:
 
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