Female laying
- Thread starter steelers
- Start date
She still needs a place to lay the eggs....its part of the natural process and failure to provide a site for her to lay the eggs can lead to eggbinding.
I recommend putting an opaque container at least 12" x12" x8" filled with moistened washed playsand in the cage and leaving it there once a female is sexually mature. This way you won't miss the sometimes subtle signs that she needs to lay.
I recommend putting an opaque container at least 12" x12" x8" filled with moistened washed playsand in the cage and leaving it there once a female is sexually mature. This way you won't miss the sometimes subtle signs that she needs to lay.
thephotoprincess
Avid Member
yes, they need to big a hole to lay them in. clean sand is available at home depot or lowes and you can use a bucket or rubbermaid type bin that will fit in the cage - make sure it is large enough - at least 10 inches wide/long and at least that deep. You can use a larger container outside the cage as well.
LeoM
New Member
but when do you know when to place her in the larger container outside the cage?
thephotoprincess
Avid Member
When a female is ready to lay she will be very fat/round/filled with eggs. She will usually be restless and down near the bottom looking for a place to lay, maybe even trying to dig in the dirt in plants that may be in the cage. She may refuse food.
It can be difficult to tell exactly when which is why many people keep a laying bin in the cage. It gets easier to tell when you know your female and how she acts. At first all you can do is put her in the laying bin (if it's outside the cage) and give her privacy and see what happens.
If you have the smaller container in the cage, she should start digging in it. Once she is intent on digging a hole (but not when she is actually digging it) you can move her to the larger container outside the cage. However many chameleons will lay them in that small sized container in the cage.
Here is how it should go...female becomes restless, will likely drink more, may eat less, should become fatter in the back end, may show egg bumps just near the back legs, likely stays dark color.
She should then start digging a hole in the container. (You should not let her see you watching her when she is digging or she will abandon the hole and if it happens too often she can become eggbound.) She may dig one hole or she may dig more than one but should chose one in the end and dig it until she is happy with it. It may take one day or it may take several days. She should then turn around butt down and lay the eggs...likely in the evening. Once she has laid all the eggs she should fill in the hole and tamp it down and return to the branches, hungry and thirsty.
If it does not go like this, then please post to let us know so we can help you through it.
Here is how it should go...female becomes restless, will likely drink more, may eat less, should become fatter in the back end, may show egg bumps just near the back legs, likely stays dark color.
She should then start digging a hole in the container. (You should not let her see you watching her when she is digging or she will abandon the hole and if it happens too often she can become eggbound.) She may dig one hole or she may dig more than one but should chose one in the end and dig it until she is happy with it. It may take one day or it may take several days. She should then turn around butt down and lay the eggs...likely in the evening. Once she has laid all the eggs she should fill in the hole and tamp it down and return to the branches, hungry and thirsty.
If it does not go like this, then please post to let us know so we can help you through it.
JohnnyD
New Member
Females should have a laying bin at all times. I use a small rubbermaid bathroom size trash can. Fill with an even mixture of play sand and organic soil. Drill small holes in the bottom of container before putting in sand and soil mixture to allow drainage. Keep soil moist, not too wet. Also, I wrap some fake leaves or vines around a dowel rod and stick it into the front side of laying bin to give her some privacy when laying to help her feel she is laying in a hidden and safe place. Most females are very shy about laying out in the open. Best of luck!
