feeling for eggs?

[sevarious]

how do you do it? i dont want to hurt her but i would like to feel for the eggs. suggestions on how to safely do this from the experienced people?

 

[pssh]

If she does not get hissy with you, you can hold her on one hand and gently touch both sides of her body with your thumb and pointer finger. Don't squeeze any more than you would with a baby. It shouldn't be that hard to feel eggs if she is at least 2-3 weeks into making them. Test squeezing your under arm (by your bicep, not your armpit) and that should help give you an idea.

 

[ChameleonAlley]

I've had a few gravid females that I've tried to palpate, but I personally did not have much luck feeling any eggs. I've heard others on here that have successfully been able to feel eggs, but I think I was a little too timid to "really" feel around for them. I've seen my vet palpate and he worked his fingers much harder than I would ever feel comfortable doing.

Have you noticed any weight changes? For me, it's relatively easy to tell if there are eggs by either weight changes or looking for lumps on her sides. Are you worried about her being possibly eggbound? Having 1-2 eggs in her?

 

[pssh]

My two so far have not gained more than 6 grams when gravid and have a very small number of eggs. When they only change that much the only real way to tell is if I palpate them. If you can see eggs you should definitely be able to feel them, otherwise they aren't eggs.

 

[sevarious]

several people here said she looked gravid from pics. im VERY new to chameleons. im trying to figure out how long till shes ready to lay. ive already got a laying bin set up for her.

 

[ChameleonAlley]

When they are about to lay, it is typical to notice that they stop eating for a couple days. My females stop eating and then begin to pace around their enclosure. They pace and act like they are looking for a place to lay. I then move them to their laying bin. It is usually about a month from a mating session that a female will begin to pace and is ready to lay. Hope this helps some.

 

[pssh]

Mine never stopped eating. One of them didn't even dig! Be prepared for them to not be "normal" but be aware of any danger signs just in case. For most people everything generally goes smoothly and "normally."

 

[sevarious]

i just emailed the guy that i got her from asking if he knows ABOUT when she mated. she already only eats if i give it to her by hand. i dont know if thats just because its how she was raised or if shes close.

 

[pssh]

She may not have been mated at all. Some of them do produce eggs regardless of mating, or even seeing a male!

 

[sevarious]

she was housed with another female and 2 males until the day before i got her.