Egg laying

[Frank J]

You said…”when I bought her she was in a tiny cage with two males”…since we’re not sure of her age, it’s hard to say. Once the eggs are laid we might be able to tell you…so I would plan on incubating them until we see them.

You said…”Should I incubate the sand?”…no…sand will dry the eggs out. Moist coarse grained vermiculite is what I’ve always used. Moisten it just enough so that when you take a fistful of it you can’t squeeze out more than a drop or two of water. @MissSkittles has already given you some information about incubating the eggs.

You asked…”What would I do with a bunch of babies?? I didn’t get her to breed her but I knew I would have to deal with the egg laying process but just not this soon.”…you could raise them for several months and then sell them. You will have months to decide…takes time to hatch them! One step at a time!

You said…”It’s the only night light they had. It’s black”…a long tube light or a coloured incandescent bulb?

Thank you very much! Yes she finished her process and cover the hole. She’s back in her chill spot in her ficcus tree. I misted her lightly and watched her drunk. I put a couple crickets and a super worm but I don’t know if she has eaten. I have to work tonight and everything g will be closed tomorrow probably but I will get some vermeculite and perlite. Maybe some peat moss as I’ve heard in another video. The bulb I have is a black incandescent light to regulate temperature. I’ve always used them. If you suggest not then I won’t. This whole experience is nerv racking but also exciting! Thanks for your help I truly appreciate forums like this and people like you both being there with so much assistance. Tomorrow I will be rearranging her den and replacing the ficcus that dropped leaves with another just like it and looking into a larger enclosure. I will keep y’all posted Happy new year!

 

[kinyonga]

Glad she finished. It will be good to know how many eggs there are.
I wouldn’t leave them too long in the sand. Would any garden centres be open tomorrow in your area…they should have vermiculite.

Chameleon keeping can be nerve racking for sure….but in general we’re getting better at it. We just have to keep pressing on!

I’m not a fan of peat moss. I’ve never used it, I’m very old school on a lot of chameleon stuff. There was almost no info on them when I started keeping them in the 80’s…we did it by hook or by crook. I’m often amazed at how we ever made it back then.

As for the black light, I’ve never used one. IMHO having no light is best. If you’re doing it for heat, whats The temperature in the cage at night without it?

Always glad to help if I can…still don’t have all the answerdps…never will sadly.

 

[Frank J]

Glad she finished. It will be good to know how many eggs there are.
I wouldn’t leave them too long in the sand. Would any garden centres be open tomorrow in your area…they should have vermiculite.

Chameleon keeping can be nerve racking for sure….but in general we’re getting better at it. We just have to keep pressing on!

I’m not a fan of peat moss. I’ve never used it, I’m very old school on a lot of chameleon stuff. There was almost no info on them when I started keeping them in the 80’s…we did it by hook or by crook. I’m often amazed at how we ever made it back then.

As for the black light, I’ve never used one. IMHO having no light is best. If you’re doing it for heat, whats The temperature in the cage at night without it?

Always glad to help if I can…still don’t have all the answerdps…never will sadly.

Wow! The 80’s? I’m 47 and got into it in ‘07. That was when I got my Otis. I’ll post a pic. Or 2. No nobody knew anything. They died all the time bc they require much different care than any other reptile. Pet stores have no idea still. When you get a chameleon they now own you. Am I wrong? Anyhoo, I’m super excited now. I just had a crazy schedule for the holidays and you and miss skittles sure were there for me. Y’all probably think I’m crazy and I probably am. Lol I will update ya.

Here’s my Otis. I’ll send more later. He was my master.

 

[Frank J]

Wow! The 80’s? I’m 47 and got into it in ‘07. That was when I got my Otis. I’ll post a pic. Or 2. No nobody knew anything. They died all the time bc they require much different care than any other reptile. Pet stores have no idea still. When you get a chameleon they now own you. Am I wrong? Anyhoo, I’m super excited now. I just had a crazy schedule for the holidays and you and miss skittles sure were there for me. Y’all probably think I’m crazy and I probably am. Lol I will update ya.

Here’s my Otis. I’ll send more later. He was my master.

I had to find them. I take a lot of pics.

 

[kinyonga]

You’re younger than my kids!

Did you get the vermiculite or perlite and dig up the eggs?

 

[Frank J]

You’re younger than my kids!

Did you get the vermiculite or perlite and dig up the eggs?

I could only find perlite. The place that I get my vermiculite is closed. Is that ok to use? If so I’ll start digging up the eggs and placing them

 

[Frank J]

I dug up the eggs and marked them before removing them. Cleaned off all the sand and placed them in perlite. She laid 9 eggs that weigh 9.6 grams.

 

[kinyonga]

I’ve never used perlite but many have so I’ll leave it to them to tell you how to set it up. (I started with vermiculite and just kept using it because it worked.)

I hope that was all the eggs. It’s always easy to know for sure.

 

[Frank J]

Just letting y’all know that there were actually ten eggs. One must have rolled down underneath one of my plastic containers but I found it the next day. I also got vermiculite, soaked in distilled water and rung it out then transferred all the eggs to the vermiculite. Whether or not they are fertile I am definitely more confident and prepared for the next go around. Thanks @MissSkittles and @kinyonga for your expert help and advice

 

[Frank J]

Now to go over egg laying. @kinyonga is the best to help you determine if your girl is egg bound or not and guide you. I’m just going to give you info about setting up the lay bin and generic details.
Before becoming ‘with egg’ or gravid, our lovely girls will put on their best and brightest colors and become very restless in their hunt for a handsome boy. For up to a few weeks, this is their obsession. After they calm down and return to their normal activity levels, they begin to get plump and even lumpy as the eggs are developing. Their colors will change and usually darken. Often the changes can be subtle. This first girl only had her dots darken when gravid.
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This girl has usually got just patterns, but got all bright when sneaking a peek at my male. Then she darkens all over and her patterns start to merge when gravid. View attachment 348608View attachment 348609View attachment 348610
Anywhere from about 30 days after her receptive period ends, she can be ready to lay eggs. If you are following the regimen to reduce laying/egg production, she may go thru the entire process (even gaining weight) but never lay. You need to be prepared though and keep a lay bin in her enclosure all the time, periodically checking to make sure it’s in good shape. My girls and seemingly some others prefer larger bins of at least 12” long and wide…deep too if possible. This is what I use and I fill it to about 5-6” deep with washed play sand. It needs to be kept moist enough to hold a tunnel without collapsing. To prevent it from becoming a bin of mud, you’ll want to drill some tiny drain holes in the bottom. Once the bin is set in place, it won’t leak sand. Make sure to provide a couple of stable ways in and out of the bin.
View attachment 348611View attachment 348612
One morning you won’t see your girl in her usual spot and will find she’s in her bin and digging! Try to make sure she doesn’t see you. You’ll want to cover the bottom half of your enclosure with a light sheet. I use an old one that I make peek holes in so I can monitor my girls without them seeing me. Hopefully you’ve got an automatic mister. If not, you can set some ice cubes on top of the enclosure (just not over the bin). Honestly though, I don’t think they are taking drink breaks. She may dig a few areas until she likes one. Then it’s dig dig dig, all the way to the bottom and usually along one of the sides of the bin. Then she’ll turn around with her head sticking out of the hole and start laying her eggs. Often the whole thing can take a couple of days and she may sleep in her tunnel or may return to her usual sleeping branch. You’ll know she’s done when all of her holes have been fully covered and she’s sitting in her usual basking spot, looking much thinner and quite dirty.
You’ll want to feed and hydrate her very well for the next 2-3 days. Silkworms and hornworms are perfect at this time. Then you return (or start) feeding her 3-4 feeders, 3 days a week plus treats and continue to maintain a basking temp no higher than 80.
My one girl stopped all egg production and laying for three years (until she passed). My other girl has been laying one clutch every year, except she has skipped this past year. I believe it was her continuously sneaking peaks at her forbidden boyfriend that triggered her laying. He passed right around the time of year that she usually has laid. She got to share stares with my new male while I was getting things set up so that may test the theory.
Always be alert for signs that something is wrong. When I switched my girls to bioactive and figured they didn’t need lay bins anymore, my girl spent a week very restless and digging in everything (including her foam wall) but rejecting it all, including a smaller bin of sand. It wasn’t until I put her old big lay bin in that she got right to work. Signs of trouble include not basking/ staying low in the enclosure, lethargy, not eating or drinking (often appetite is reduced as the eggs take up belly space), dropping eggs randomly, blood from anywhere and anything hanging out of the cloaca/vent (prolapse). Always go with your gut feelings too. It helps to know who your exotics vet who has good experience with chameleons is before needing them. It also helps to have an emergency vet fund and even better, pet insurance. With correct husbandry, the risks for egg problems is greatly decreased, but unfortunately is never zero.
I hope all of this has been of some help. Sorry that I talk so much.

Hello there miss skittles, it’s Frank. Just letting you know that I may be quiet after the egg laying but I’ve been very busy working for the holidays and when I’m not working I’m busy making sure my girl (Calypso) is happy and healthy. I’m using this reply of yours as my feeding order and basis of care guide. Knowledge and care for chameleons has def developed and changed since I had my Chams. between 07’-12’. Thanks for being so patient with me and giving me great step by step advice. I admit I was freaking out. I’m also reading your links and the one about building trust with female Chams. I have also been designing a cafe for a panther im getting but I’m going to give it to her I think. Big maybe bc I’m building another cage a guy that I hire for house repairs is genuius and said he would build it for me for free so high five to that right? Anyway I’m waiting on the Arcadia tpro 5 12% 36” to be delivered tomorrow 2/2 and a badass 36”grow light that fits over the cage to come as well. I also got a cavachew fogger that I’m satisfied with and the 10L rainfall system that I’m waiting to hook up and run to both enclosures. Here’s a pic of my new enclosure still in the works. I’m adding another thick English ivy and ofcoarse her Benjamina ficcus that she never leaves. I’m so excited. Thanks so much for your advice and also to @kinyonga
It’s Mardi Gras down here so happy Mardi Gras to everyone

 

[MissSkittles]

@kinyonga and some other amazing keepers here have taught me all I know. I’m just passing the info on.

 

[kinyonga]

@kinyonga and some other amazing keepers here have taught me all I know. I’m just passing the info on.

@MissSkittles does a fantastic job of husbandry reviews and has learned so much so fast! There are a few others too who have learned an amazing amount in a short time. After many years, I’m still learning! There’s still so much we don’t know…and this forum is great at sharing new information. Sites like Chameleon Academy and Neptune the Chameleon keep us busy with important information.