Cham always at the bottom

[teamtata]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Female Oustalet. We don't know how old she is, she measures 11 inches with the tail. We have had her for 3 weeks now.
Handling - twice a week at the max for minimum of time
Feeding - We feed her in the morning about 8-10 crickets daily sometimes mixed with hornworms. We are always gut loading the crickets.
Supplements - Dusting crickets with ReptiCalcium without D3 from Zoomed every other feedings and dusting the crickets every 2 weeks with reptivite with D3.
Watering - We hand mist her about 4 times a day for about 3 minutes. We don't really see her drinking, but her feces look good.
Fecal Description - Urate is white/yellow with brown feces as it should be. Has never been tested for parasites.
History - No previous history

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Glass cage with screen top. 24x24x48
Lighting - 10.0 UVB from Zoomed and using 100W house bulb for basking (not spiral). Both lights opened from 8am to 8 pm daily.
Temperature - Cage floor temp about 75 and basking temp around 82. At night, it drops to 70. We measure it by an exoterra temperature and humidity gauge.
Humidity - Measured by exoterra gauge. Between 60-80 between misting.
Plants - No living plants
Placement - In the basement, not near a fan or any traffic areas. At about 3 feet from the ground.
Location - Canada, Montreal

Current Problem -
Hi everyone!
Me and my boyfriend got an Oustalet 3 weeks ago.

I came back from work 2 weeks ago and she had dug a hole. We put her a laying bin, we covered her cage thinking that she might need to lay eggs, but she did nothing.
She dug a hole again 2 days ago and another one today, but not in her laying bin. The reason I posted the thread here and not in the breeding section is because we don't know if she really needs to lay eggs or if it is something else since she does not look gravid at all. She is acting normal, she never stopped eating and she really does not have a big belly. I have read a couple of posts in which people said it would be obvious to tell if she was gravid by her belly size, but she does not have a big belly.
Also, she spends a lot of time hidding at the bottom of her bin, but never in it, just laying on the substrate.
We dont know what to think anymore about her digging, is it because she does not like her enclosure? Because she just wants to get out? Could there be another explication?

I joined a picture that I took from her while standing on her laying bin and eating so that you can see what she looks like.
Thank you in advance, we are starting to get worried

 

[johnnyev]

Not kept that species before, so can't give any help based on experience. But what i would say is, firstly check your temps & humidity. Those gauges are notoriously inaccurate. Ive had two or three of exactly the same type, side by side. They have been reading by as much as five degrees between the three. I don't use them any more.

 

[teamtata]

Not kept that species before, so can't give any help based on experience. But what i would say is, firstly check your temps & humidity. Those gauges are notoriously inaccurate. Ive had two or three of exactly the same type, side by side. They have been reading by as much as five degrees between the three. I don't use them any more.

We will check that, thanks!

 

[gamemaster2868]

Hello,

New to this forum. I have a 17+ inch male oustalet, looking for a female. Anyway, sounds like she is going to lay. Chams should always be on the move, put some branches in her cage, they utterly love to climb. My male always stays at or around the top of his cage (screen) very important, but only chills out ( stays still) for a little How do her eyes look? sunken? not domed?. any discharge from nostrils? excessive mucous? temperature at top, mid 80 to 90? cool side of cage? try not handling for while. Sometimes they need time alone. if cham is not drinking don't worry. Make your own pedialyte: half cup of water, 3/4 tsp sugar, 1/16th tsp salt. MUST USE REPTISAFE. it has dechlorinators. Deliver with syringe without needles, squirt in back of throat, NOT small hole at bottom front of mouth; that is the windpipe opening. Oustalets are gorgeous. She should accept water if you point it at her while slowly getting it close to her mouth, then squirt. Just monitor her, if she is sick or dehydrated you can tell by the poo. Lack of white and yellow, undigested parts= dehydration, which can lead to kidney failure

PS: you can get syringes without needles at CVS.

 

[carol5208]

Take her to the vet and have her xrayed. Atleast you can rule that out then if she does not have eggs..