Chameleon - Egg Laying

[gbind002]

Hi! My chameleon is around 6 months, as per the vet, and I think she’s getting ready to lay eggs. She has an egg laying bin, a huge bucket at the bottom of her enclosure filled with organic soil and today when my boyfriend came home he found her covered in dirt and a huge hole dug in the side of it.

She’s been drinking a bunch of water lately but hardly touched food.

I think she’s getting ready - I just read something that freaked me out a bit. About being egg bound. She seems totally fine but she did dig around there and did not lay eggs yet . Is that normal or does that mean she’s egg bound? Would she be showing more ill-like symptoms if she was?

She seems healthy and she’s active and a bit restless, just clawing at all sides of the enclosure being very eager to get out and climb around.

 

[kinyonga]

I've found washed PLAYsand makes the best substrate for the lay bin...but others have had success with various substrates.

Often they will dig a hole or dig more than one hole over a couple of days but should settle on one and dig it until they are happy with it. Do not let her see you watching her when she's digging or she will likely abandon the hole.

Once the hole satisfies her, she should turn around, butt down in the hole...usually in the evening...and lay all the eggs she has produced, it may take a couple of hours or she could even sleep/stay in the hole overnight. She should fill thenholemin and tamp it down when she's done and return to the branches...thirsty, hungry and thinner.

If it doesn't go like this..life she sits low in the branches, is lethargic, sleeps during the day, etc....then post back here ASAP.

 

[gbind002]

I've found washed PLAYsand makes the best substrate for the lay bin...but others have had success with various substrates.

Often they will dig a hole or dig more than one hole over a couple of days but should settle on one and dig it until they are happy with it. Do not let her see you watching her when she's digging or she will likely abandon the hole.

Once the hole satisfies her, she should turn around, butt down in the hole...usually in the evening...and lay all the eggs she has produced, it may take a couple of hours or she could even sleep/stay in the hole overnight. She should fill thenholemin and tamp it down when she's done and return to the branches...thirsty, hungry and thinner.

If it doesn't go like this..life she sits low in the branches, is lethargic, sleeps during the day, etc....then post back here ASAP.

So far she’s been digging holes since yesterday but I think she just settled on a hole as I keep seeing her dig into the same spot over and over again over the last couple of hours. She climbs up and down to dig and then back up again. Poor thing is covered in dirt!

If she stays in this hole at night, should I leave the lights on for her?

 

[Carloscruz]

So far she’s been digging holes since yesterday but I think she just settled on a hole as I keep seeing her dig into the same spot over and over again over the last couple of hours. She climbs up and down to dig and then back up again. Poor thing is covered in dirt!

If she stays in this hole at night, should I leave the lights on for her?

Turn the light off she will probably sleep in the hole

 

[gbind002]

Is it normal though? For them to dig in the same spot all day long? I figure this is just her trying to get the hole to her liking but it’s so constant

 

[gbind002]

Is it normal though? For them to dig in the same spot all day long? I figure this is just her trying to get the hole to her liking but it’s so constant

It’s not like a constant all day digging per say, but she will go in the bucket and then dig, come back out, go back to dig after a few minutes, come back out and repeat

 

[redhorse]

Can you sneak a picture? If it requires you bothering her, please do not.

 

[Beman]

Yes, they will consistently dig. Part of the issue may be that you are not using washed playsand as well in the mix. Just soil does not hold form. So she may be trying to dig out sections that fall into the tunnel. Once she turns and has her head facing out she is starting the laying process. Just peak in to make sure her tunnel does not collapse on her but don't bother her. She will fill in the tunnel when she is completely done. If she comes back out and does not fill it in do not disturb her.

 

[MissSkittles]

Besides all that’s already been said, she must have privacy. Don’t let her see you or she may stop her efforts and then that can lead to egg binding. I cover the lower half of my enclosure with a light sheet with some peek holes when my girls are laying.

 

[gbind002]

Yes, they will consistently dig. Part of the issue may be that you are not using washed playsand as well in the mix. Just soil does not hold form. So she may be trying to dig out sections that fall into the tunnel. Once she turns and has her head facing out she is starting the laying process. Just peak in to make sure her tunnel does not collapse on her but don't bother her. She will fill in the tunnel when she is completely done. If she comes back out and does not fill it in do not disturb her.

So I went out to lowes and bought play sand. I mixed it with the soil I had. It’s mostly play sand, though. I ended up scooping a huge amount of the soil out. I found that it definitely holds its form better. ever since I did though she hasn’t gone down at all to dig.

 

[Beman]

So I went out to lowes and bought play sand. I mixed it with the soil I had. It’s mostly play sand, though. I ended up scooping a huge amount of the soil out. I found that it definitely holds its form better. ever since I did though she hasn’t gone down at all to dig.

You did this while she was in the process of already digging??? If so she may not return to finish and could become egg bound.. I would not disturb her at all again.

 

[gbind002]

You did this while she was in the process of already digging??? If so she may not return to finish and could become egg bound.. I would not disturb her at all again.

The dirt wasn’t holding shape.. the tunnel she dug was slowly caving in

 

[Beman]

The dirt wasn’t holding shape.. the tunnel she dug was slowly caving in

Just do not disturb her again once she goes down. Did you dig a test hole where she already dug and leave it for her? It takes a lot of energy for them to dig their holes.

 

[gbind002]

Just do not disturb her again once she goes down. Did you dig a test hole where she already dug and leave it for her? It takes a lot of energy for them to dig their holes.

Yes I did that. And I covered the tank with a towel for privacy. But she hasn’t gone down to dig anymore

 

[MissSkittles]

Hopefully she’ll return to digging again in the morning. There is only a short time frame that they have the instinct to dig and lay their eggs, which is why it’s essential never to disturb them once they start. Unless your house is on fire, (seriously!) do not disturb her or let her see anyone until she has finished her job. You’ll know she’s done as she’ll be sitting on a branch looking much thinner and will have covered all of her holes. The whole process can take a couple of days. If you don’t have an automatic misting system, you can add a dripper (but not over the bin). A plastic party cup with a pinhole in the bottom makes a decent diy dripper. No need to worry about feeding her…she’s got more important things on her mind.

 

[redhorse]

If she is not digging or on the ground. Can you please - share a picture? Just to make sure she looks okay. Thanks

 

[gbind002]

If she is not digging or on the ground. Can you please - share a picture? Just to make sure she looks okay. Thanks

Sure I’ll try and take a pic when she resurfaces. She’s been digging and digging all day and got very deep into it. She luckily stuck with the hole I dug for her that was in the same spot as the one she dug before I mixed in the play sand. There was a point my boyfriend said she was completely covered in dirt when she submerged and couldn’t even open her eyes so he cleaned her off and she went right back to digging. When I got home just now she’s just again very deep in there I haven’t seen her come back up yet. There is a towel covering the tank still so she can maintain her privacy.

 

[gbind002]

Sure I’ll try and take a pic when she resurfaces. She’s been digging and digging all day and got very deep into it. She luckily stuck with the hole I dug for her that was in the same spot as the one she dug before I mixed in the play sand. There was a point my boyfriend said she was completely covered in dirt when she submerged and couldn’t even open her eyes so he cleaned her off and she went right back to digging. When I got home just now she’s just again very deep in there I haven’t seen her come back up yet. There is a towel covering the tank still so she can maintain her privacy.

 

[gbind002]

She seems proud of herself. So am i

 

[MissSkittles]

I can’t stress it strongly enough that you really need to not disturb her for anything. Unless there is something which is threatening her life, please just give her absolute privacy and let her do her thing without any disruption. No clearing dirt from her face, no letting her see you, nothing. The only time I’ve ever needed to intervene was when one of my girl’s tunnels collapsed and I had to dig her out. I reasoned that it was either risk her death by being buried or risk needing to pay for surgery for egg binding. Thankfully, she had just started her process that morning and returned to digging the next day.