Can't tell if she's gravid or sick ><

[jaredg87]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Veiled, Female , around 10 months old. She has been in my care about 6 months now
Handling - 1 to 2 times a month not very much
Feeding - She eats crickets and super worms.6-8 large crickets a day, 1 superworm every tue and thur. Crickets daily. I gutload with flukers calcium powder and vitamin and calcium cubes. Plus carrots,sweet potatoes, collard greens, oranges rotated once a week.
Supplements - flukers liquid calcium no d3 2 times a week 5 units, calcium with d3 2 times a month, Multivitamins 3 times a week.
Watering - I have a mister that goes off for 30 seconds every 2 hours and I turn her dripper on 30 minutes a day. I see her drink from the dripper and from leaves
Fecal Description - brown poo and white urine as should be. She has never been tested for parasites. Not 1 Vet with reptile experience in my area
History - She was fine about 2 weeks ago ill post pics to see the progress

Cage Info:
Cage Type - 24x24x48 zoo med screen cage
Lighting - She has 2 lights one for heat and one for uvb all zoo med products.
uvb is .5 i believe and heat lamp is a 75 watt bulb
Temperature - Her basking area is around 87F. The lowest temp in her cage is around 75. At night her temp will go down to about 70f. I have thermometers one at the bottom of her cage one in her basking spot and one in the highest point in her cage.
Humidity - humidity is between 50-60
Plants- no live plants
Placement - shes in my living room. not a high traffic area. I have no kids and work allot. her cage is about 3 feet off the floor
Location - South Texas in the US like 10 minutes from the border

Current Problem - I'm not sure if she is gravid or sick or stressed. About 2 weeks ago she was a solid emerald green color. About 2 weeks ago she began showing colors, lines and colors of turquoise and yellow. Wonderful colors. So I figured she was gravid. I Put in a laying bin and was in text contact with Laurie from these forums to build it correctly. She has yet to even attempt to dig or show interest in her laying bin. I covered the cage for a while so she wont be seen by ANYTHING but still no digging or eggs. Any info would be great thanks.

Is there a chance she is overweight??

The first picture is her 2 weeks ago (day pic )

The next 2 are her sleeping in the laying bin eyes closed looking very stressed and VERY BIG (night pic)

The 2 after that are of her right now (day pic)

 

[laurie]

She is gravid. Based on her size she may be egg bound. I think she is a lot warmer than she should be and a bit over fed. Those are for later, right now I need to know how long she has sat in the laying bin, is she up moving around, and is she eating?

 

[DavidBuchan]

Firstly the new colours are just her grown up girl colours, the blues sometimes mean she is receptive. If you see no digging or scratching around, and don't see the obvious outline of eggs in her belly I am thinking she is not gravid.
She is getting a lot of food for her age, does she have all that everyday? She should have a couple of days a week with no food now.

I don't like the liquid calcium stuff myself, it's more difficult to tell how much she is getting (usually it would be plain calcium at every feeding). Also that is a lot of multivitamin - usually multivit powders are given twice per month. Flukers products don't have a very good reputation for gutload, you have a pretty unusual supplement schedule all-round . Here is a great link about gutloading - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html If you are looking for a better commercial product then 'cricket crack' or 'bug burger' are very highly regarded.
She is definitely a little overweight, even if she is actually gravid now.

If I'm right and she isn't about to lay she will surely be gravid soon enough, due to having plenty of food. When it's very nearly time to lay she will probably stop eating for up to a week before her due day, that is the time to get her in the bin .
I don't think I've seen any of your posts before so here's a great all-round caresheet I always recommend to people with Veileds -
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/chameleonsinmyhouse/395-veiled-chameleon-care-sheet.html

 

[jaredg87]

She is gravid. Based on her size she may be egg bound. I think she is a lot warmer than she should be and a bit over fed. Those are for later, right now I need to know how long she has sat in the laying bin, is she up moving around, and is she eating?

last night was her first night laying in the bin. She has moved around yes but seems to working around her belly.
Yes she is eating too i saw her yesterday eat and drink.

 

[jaredg87]

Thanks David I will read over those I have work in like 10 minutes ><

 

[jaredg87]

Laurie I don't know if you still have my number but I can text at work. As long as it's not too busy

 

[jaredg87]

anyone help please. Shes asleep right now again in the dirt. No sign of any digging.

 

[Male]

She is showing signs of getting ready to lay. Just by her rear end being chunky. Has she stopped eating usually will right before she gos into labor. Needs time to herself I would recommend to cover the sides of cage so she can't see you or be disturbed. Start a plastic pot 12" deep and 8" width round and add organic top soil you can find anywhere. Usually sand and dirt top soil organic. Make sure there's no perlite or any small particles in the soil. Keep loose the dirt but not loose where it caves in. Make a tunnel that she can go in her body size. She will do the rest and she knows what to do after the lay she will try to cover the eggs keep dirt loose at the top. Has to be a very good strong hold. When she has finished laying let her be has to rest you will notice she's beat very tired. The next day she will eat you out of the house trust me. This is the most important needs alot of calcium after the lay like recovery. Because her body has to replace alot that was taken for the eggs to develope. If calcium isn't replaced usually will take it from her body and will be bad.
I have done this with my female veiled and my female panther is getting close to lay like her big sister. So I know what your feeling and the frustration.
Vet has recommend me to give liquid calcium after a lay the liquid calcium they give baby's very easy to find at the store. I hope this helps look forward to good news from you. Best of luck

 

[jaredg87]

ok well I have a laying bin set up with a test whole in all. Her cage is covered. This morning she is in the dirt and moved from last night.
Hopefully it's her digging around trying to find a spot.
When digging around will she ever stop and rest then go dig again?

Is there a possibility that the topsoil/sand is too wet?

 

[sandrachameleon]

She doesnt look gravid by color to me. But she is certainly rotund enough. The fat pads on her head suggest she is getting more food than she needs.

It should be damp enough to hold a tunnel, but not "wet"
if you wiggle and dig with your finger into the sand, can you "dig" a slanted tunnel and have it hold? Read this blog entry about egg laying bins:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/jannb/345-egg-laying-laying-bin.html

If she is soon going to lay eggs, she'll need privacy - she wont want you mucking about in the cage or even looking at her.

If you are not breeding her, the temperature should be lower.closer to 80F

What brand of Calcium with D3 and what brand of Multivitamins? I think you may be over-doing it. The liquid calcium Is being provided/administered how exactly?

It sounds like you are feeding her a bit much. And not enough variety.

Fluckers isnt a very good gutload. Good thing you are also adding a few other items. Expand on doing that and ditch the fluckers. Or if you want to buy gutload, go with Dino Fuel or Cricket Crack or even some bug burger.

This is a really good link to info on how to keep a female veiled:
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.ca/2007/12/keeping-female-veiled.html

 

[kinyonga]

How much time does she spend sitting on the floor the cage or in the container?
Where does she spend the rest of the time?

 

[jaredg87]

She doesnt look gravid by color to me. But she is certainly rotund enough. The fat pads on her head suggest she is getting more food than she needs.

It should be damp enough to hold a tunnel, but not "wet"
if you wiggle and dig with your finger into the sand, can you "dig" a slanted tunnel and have it hold? Read this blog entry about egg laying bins:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/jannb/345-egg-laying-laying-bin.html

If she is soon going to lay eggs, she'll need privacy - she wont want you mucking about in the cage or even looking at her.

If you are not breeding her, the temperature should be lower.closer to 80F

What brand of Calcium with D3 and what brand of Multivitamins? I think you may be over-doing it. The liquid calcium Is being provided/administered how exactly?

It sounds like you are feeding her a bit much. And not enough variety.

Fluckers isnt a very good gutload. Good thing you are also adding a few other items. Expand on doing that and ditch the fluckers. Or if you want to buy gutload, go with Dino Fuel or Cricket Crack or even some bug burger.

This is a really good link to info on how to keep a female veiled:
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.ca/2007/12/keeping-female-veiled.html

Ok the brands of multi vitamins and calcium w/d3 is rep-cal
the liquid calcium is fluker's
the liquid calcium I suck into a syringe with a needle on it. The measurement I use is 5 units in a 1/2 ml syringe. I inject it directly into a single feeder and hand feed that feeder.

ive heard WONDERS of crickets crack I for sure need to invest in some asap.

The pads on her head had me wondering and it means she IS in fact overfed thanks so much on that.

As of now she is in her laying bin it seems she dug a little hole its really not deep and she has her little butt backed into the hole. I can't tell how deep or far she is in cause I don't want to bother her.

 

[jaredg87]

How much time does she spend sitting on the floor the cage or in the container?
Where does she spend the rest of the time?

She just started spending time on the floor about 2 days ago. She usually hangs around the top right next to her dripper or right in the center on a fat vine.

Right now she is laying in what seems a small whole but it does not look like a tunnel.
Hard to tell i don't want to bother her

 

[jaredg87]

she seems to be digging a hole i peeked. At this time she is usually asleep and Shes awake doing something! Hopefully finding her nest!

 

[sandrachameleon]

excellent! hope all goes well.

BTW - You could reduce the rep-cal herptivite multivitamin to once a week or even every other week.

 

[jaredg87]

excellent! hope all goes well.

BTW - You could reduce the rep-cal herptivite multivitamin to once a week or even every other week.

Thanks so much any advice helps me learn more.
I've read of too much vitamin intake so I'll slow it down

 

[Male]

Keep a eye on the holes she made because she will lay and want to cover them up quickly. Usually go back to high ground after lay to bask and completely look for food. Glad to hear good news. I usually use multivitamin twice a month and calcium without d3 at every feeding only one feeding daily. With d3 twice a month as well. Cut down on supplements and food sounds like you maybe doing to much. I feed daily depends on size of feeder. 8-10 feeders daily but some times more if I have different size crickets. Then a superworm once a week as a treat because with low temps and low amount of food. I get a little soft and give in. Never had a problem with doing this. My only problem with my female veiled is her tougue shoots or comes out about a inch.

 

[jaredg87]

Keep a eye on the holes she made because she will lay and want to cover them up quickly. Usually go back to high ground after lay to bask and completely look for food. Glad to hear good news. I usually use multivitamin twice a month and calcium without d3 at every feeding only one feeding daily. With d3 twice a month as well. Cut down on supplements and food sounds like you maybe doing to much. I feed daily depends on size of feeder. 8-10 feeders daily but some times more if I have different size crickets. Then a superworm once a week as a treat because with low temps and low amount of food. I get a little soft and give in. Never had a problem with doing this. My only problem with my female veiled is her tougue shoots or comes out about a inch.

everything's looking good so far
my girl can shoot almost a whole foot even in hunt mode lol
shes all prego right now. she is really deep now only about 5 inches from the bottom. im pretty confident she will lay ok
But i will ofr sure make a nutrition change

 

[kinyonga]

Don't let her see you watching her when she is digging the hole.
The process should go like his....she may dig several test holes but should settle on one and dig it until she is happy with it. She should then turn around bum down usually in the evening and lay the eggs. It can take a long time or be quite quick. She should then fill in the hole and tamp it down and return to the branches hungry and thirsty. At this point you can dig them up. I advise digging them uo even if they are infertile. It's important to know how many she laid.

Good luck!

 

[ChameleonMom]

Glad to hear your girl is readying herself for a successful lay! I am in the waiting stage - I probably have 2 more weeks to go before my girl is fully ready to lay. I hope it isn't as stressful as it was for her first clutch!! Good luck!