Chameleon is gravid

[lauren_murphy]

I noticed my chameleon was looking bigger and she was moving around her enclosure a lot. She was climbing the wall which I read some females do when they’re ready to lay. I had been feeding her and making sure she was drinking lots of water when I realized she might be gravid. Two days ago she dug a small hole in lay bin. Yesterday she dug a medium sized hole and all day today she’s been digging her hole and i’ve tried to give her privacy and i put up a big poster board around the bottom half on the enclosure to give her privacy. She was digging what seemed like a tunnel and now she’s sitting in the hole and she’s somewhat dark but she has very bright turquoise spots. I just wanted to ask if anyone had any extra advice for what to do while she lays and what to do after. I’ve done lots of research and will still continue to do more but I just wanted to ask for any tips or recommendations from someone who has went through this before, thank you!

 

[janjan20]

Privacy is the best thing for her right now and keep the lighting and misting schedule the same. It can take them a day to dig and lay eggs. I will tag some more members with females and they can give you more advice. @MissSkittles @kinyonga @jannb @Kristen Wilkins.

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi. As has already been said, she needs privacy. If she sees you looking, she may stop digging and there’s risk of her becoming eggbound. I use an old cotton sheet that I tack up around only the visible sides of the enclosure...provides privacy while still ensuring good ventilation. I have cut peek holes so I can monitor. It is common for them to dig several holes until they find one they like. When she is satisfied with one, she’ll turn around so her butt is at the bottom and lay her eggs. When she is done, she will cover the hole and you’ll find her sitting on her basking branch, looking dirty and much thinner. The whole process can take a couple of days. You don’t need to worry about feeding or misting her until she’s done. Best way to provide her water is with a dripper. If you don’t have one, just poke a hole in the bottom of a cup with a thumbtack and set it on top of the enclosure. Make sure it won’t drip in her bin. Once she’s finished, give her a long misting and feed her well. Hornworms and silkworms are great for rehydrating treats.

 

[lauren_murphy]

Hi. As has already been said, she needs privacy. If she sees you looking, she may stop digging and there’s risk of her becoming eggbound. I use an old cotton sheet that I tack up around only the visible sides of the enclosure...provides privacy while still ensuring good ventilation. I have cut peek holes so I can monitor. It is common for them to dig several holes until they find one they like. When she is satisfied with one, she’ll turn around so her butt is at the bottom and lay her eggs. When she is done, she will cover the hole and you’ll find her sitting on her basking branch, looking dirty and much thinner. The whole process can take a couple of days. You don’t need to worry about feeding or misting her until she’s done. Best way to provide her water is with a dripper. If you don’t have one, just poke a hole in the bottom of a cup with a thumbtack and set it on top of the enclosure. Make sure it won’t drip in her bin. Once she’s finished, give her a long misting and feed her well. Hornworms and silkworms are great for rehydrating treats.

I have a poster board up voering the bottom half of the enclosure to give her privacy, last night i saw her sitting with her butt in the hole and she was dark with super bright blue spots and when i woke up this morning the hole was filled up so i was guessing she might have lasted them but i left her alone and now she’s digging another hole, im just trying to give her privacy, i wasnt sure if they’d dig one or multiple holes so that’s good to know, thank you so much!

 

[MissSkittles]

What kind of soil is in your lay bin?

 

[lauren_murphy]

What kind of soil is in your lay bin?

it’s eco earth with a little bit of spagnum moss, i tested it with my hand to try and make little tunnels and holes and they didn’t collapse, after she lays how long shoukd i wait before i dig them up

 

[lauren_murphy]

i just peeked in her enclosure and she looks skinnier for sure, i have a hornworm waiting for her and i can go and get more today. does anyone have any advice as to how long i should wait to take the eggs out?

 

[MissSkittles]

it’s eco earth with a little bit of spagnum moss, i tested it with my hand to try and make little tunnels and holes and they didn’t collapse, after she lays how long shoukd i wait before i dig them up

While there’s nothing to do about it now, in the future try using washed play sand. You can mix a little organic soil in if you want to put a plant in the lay bin. Some chams like laying their eggs against the roots. The problem with eco earth is it’s a softer/fluffier substrate and the risk of it collapsing are higher. The moss can get in the way of digging.
Patience. Take care of your girl when she’s done. She’ll have gone thru quite an exhausting time and let her relax and get back to ‘normal’ I usually wait about a day to dig up the eggs.

 

[MissSkittles]

i just peeked in her enclosure and she looks skinnier for sure, i have a hornworm waiting for her and i can go and get more today. does anyone have any advice as to how long i should wait to take the eggs out?

Has she covered her hole? I’m assuming she hasn’t been mated and her eggs are infertile...correct?

 

[lauren_murphy]

While there’s nothing to do about it now, in the future try using washed play sand. You can mix a little organic soil in if you want to put a plant in the lay bin. Some chams like laying their eggs against the roots. The problem with eco earth is it’s a softer/fluffier substrate and the risk of it collapsing are higher. The moss can get in the way of digging.
Patience. Take care of your girl when she’s done. She’ll have gone thru quite an exhausting time and let her relax and get back to ‘normal’ I usually wait about a day to dig up the eggs.

i’ve heard to use plays sand and i actually planned on buying some but she began to dig earlier than i thought, i’ve kept her lay bin in her enclosure for months now just incase because i didn’t wanna not have it and stress her out, would you say it’s okay to keep it in there full time? thank you so much for the help

 

[lauren_murphy]

Has she covered her hole? I’m assuming she hasn’t been mated and her eggs are infertile...correct?

yes she covered the hole and theyre infertile eggs, i’m just waiting for her to go up to her basking spot bc he lights just came on

 

[MissSkittles]

Yes, wait until she’s back at her basking spot and the hole is covered. Giving her a day or so ensures that she’s totally done.
Yes, I kept my ladies lay bins in their enclosures permanently. When they looked like they were getting close to laying, I checked and made sure it was moist enough for tunnels every few days. I learned the hard way to make sure the lower layers are moist enough when one of my ladies dig sideways and her tunnel collapsed on her. Yes, I dug her out and she’s fine. I now have them in bioactive enclosures, which they haven’t yet layed in and I’ll be super anxious to see how it goes.

 

[lauren_murphy]

she’s been on the lay bun for about two hours now just randomly pushing the soil around. i can tell she definitely laid bc she’s much skinnier but she’s just walking around and pushing dirt around, not digging a hole. did anyone else’s chameleon do this? i thought she’d be up at the basking spot by now but she won’t stop moving the dirt around

 

[MissSkittles]

She may be trying to cover holes or who knows. I haven’t seen what my girls do after. I see them digging away one day and the next they’re on their basking branch and hole has been well covered.

 

[lauren_murphy]

She may be trying to cover holes or who knows. I haven’t seen what my girls do after. I see them digging away one day and the next they’re on their basking branch and hole has been well covered.

she’s up on her basking branch now and she ate a big hornworm and a few wax worms!

 

[MissSkittles]

she’s up on her basking branch now and she ate a big hornworm and a few wax worms!

Yay! ☺

 

[kinyonga]

She may be trying to cover holes or who knows. I haven’t seen what my girls do after. I see them digging away one day and the next they’re on their basking branch and hole has been well covered.

Maybe this will interest you...

 

[MissSkittles]

Maybe this will interest you...

I’m planning on setting up some little cameras so I can keep an eye on my ladies when they lay again. It’ll be their first laying in their bioactive enclosures so I’m a bit anxious.

 

[Nancygal]

I’m planning on setting up some little cameras so I can keep an eye on my ladies when they lay again. It’ll be their first laying in their bioactive enclosures so I’m a bit anxious.

That was awesome and loved the music to it.

 

[Karmiesmommy]

she’s been on the lay bun for about two hours now just randomly pushing the soil around. i can tell she definitely laid bc she’s much skinnier but she’s just walking around and pushing dirt around, not digging a hole. did anyone else’s chameleon do this? i thought she’d be up at the basking spot by now but she won’t stop moving the dirt around

I was looking for this comment! My girl dug her tunnel yesterday and all I could see was her tail sticking out. She slept in her bin and this morning she is skinny and the tunnel is covered but she hasn’t left the bin and is just exhausted and pushing dirt around for hours but not digging holes. How long until your girl was back on her branch of you remember?