Gravid female - Help please

[trumpetmonkey]

Hi there,

It's been 20 days since I bred my panther. She has a laying box in her enclosure.
When should I expect her to lay?

I ask because she's been doing laps around her enclosure and appears to be on a hunger strike.

Is there anything else i should be doing?

Thanks for any help.

 

[camimom]

Females can take anywhere from 3 to 5 weeks to lay.

When my female veiled bred, it took her about 34 days to start digging, and 3 more days to actually lay.

Just relax and give her space.

as long as she has the bin, she should lay when she is ready.

 

[trumpetmonkey]

That's great! Thanks!

I was starting to worry due to her hunger strike. I've been told by a local breeder that I should try offering her a pinky mouse to get her eating again. I will be trying that tonight, unless I hear an overwhelming objection to it.

 

[djfishygillz]

You may want to read up on the laying box.

Some of my females will only lay in soil, some will only lay in sand.

I do not know your method or experience with the laying boxes but it sounds like it's your first shot at it.

A good way to test the sand or soil moisture is if you can make a snow ball without it falling apart in your hand. Also you may want to try covering the cage so she feels more secure. It seems like all my females like to have their cages covered about a week before they lay. I think it makes them feel more secure and predator free (us being the predators).

Other then that I would recommend monitoring her weight, if you have a gram scale. Also keeping her out of site of other chameleons in a major priority.

Hope this little bit helps and good luck

 

[BocaJan]

If she even would eat it, pinky mice have more protein then you should be offering a cham, especially a gravid female. She will eat if she needs to. You don't have to try to tempt her into eating. I think you didn't receive good information.

 

[trumpetmonkey]

Thanks Everyone!

I've Had her covered for a few days now. Got the soil consistency covered. Now wondering whether I should try sand. I have a number of buckets of varying sizes and shapes...

Thanks again everyone. I will keep you posted.

 

[Camylove]

That's great! Thanks!

I was starting to worry due to her hunger strike. I've been told by a local breeder that I should try offering her a pinky mouse to get her eating again. I will be trying that tonight, unless I hear an overwhelming objection to it.

they wont eat as much when gravid its normal. make sure she has plenty of water to drink though. i would also give her some liquid calcium in her water too!

 

[trumpetmonkey]

Thanks! She's decided super mealworms are tasty. I've dusted everything since she's started eating again. All seems to be well again.

I didn't realize she would eat that much less when gravid, but this is good to know! Thanks.

She gets tons of water. She loves the drippers, so getting lots of water that way and of course, a few misting sessions a day.

 

[kinyonga]

IMHO she shouldn't eat less while gravid until the last few days.

 

[sandrachameleon]

IMHO she shouldn't eat less while gravid until the last few days.

agreed ^

go easy on mealworms

 

[djfishygillz]

they wont eat as much when gravid its normal. make sure she has plenty of water to drink though. i would also give her some liquid calcium in her water too!

Dusting should be enough. Let the water be water. You don't want her getting calcium in her eyes while misting and it is so diluted that it would probably be to no benefit.

 

[trumpetmonkey]

Thanks for the overwhelming number of responses and all your assistance.

I've now got Mamma free ranging by herself in a spare room. She's got buckets with sand, soil and soil/sand mix.
There are cups with food available throughout her roaming space. She appears to be eating normally again.
She has never stopped drinking, so that's all good.
I guess all that's left to do now is wait....

I shall keep you posted as things progress.

 

[camimom]

Waiting is the hard part.

As long as she has buckets to dig in, she will lay when she is ready.

Just make sure she doesnt see you watching when she starts to dig, this can make her stop and then she can become egg bound.

 

[CleanHome Chameleons]

A few ov my bins

I used 3 different buckets and planters and had success with all 3, I also used a compost/peat mix in all 3.

All my females will not eat a few days before laying this is when I cover them up. All my females have laid in 26-32 days from copulation. They require plenty ov water after laying mine seemed to drink for a good hour or so.

Hear are some notes I copied and pasted from my note app on my phone.

Chameleon Name Cyan female panther
Bred at 21st July 2012
Weight 6 aug 62.88 grams
Laid 19th aug 2012
29 days from copulation to laying
Eggs in soil for a few days
23rd aug half eggs in hatch rite
Other half in repashy super hatch
Eggs have been kept at 74 f before the hatch rite came
Incubation started 23 rd aug 9pm
Full body shed 5th sept 2012
She has returned to normal colours now 8sept 2012
She looks gravid today tho 10sept
IMO yes she is gravid but without being mated retaind sperm 11th sept
Eating like a pig again
In a new breeze large cage and t5 6% UVA 13 sept 2012
Normal feeders offered pure calcium given only
Digging 8th oct
Dug a few test tunnels 8-9 oct maby soil a bit dry even tho she laid at bottom of laying bin
10th oct 2012 laid 29 eggs
Incubation started 10 oct 8 27 pm


Hope this helps a little
Mark

 

[trumpetmonkey]

From what I can tell, she dug a couple of test holes. I've put her back in the laying bin. She is covered. At this point, other than giving her privacy, is there anything I should be doing? Should I feed her s per usual, etc?

Many thanks for any pointers

 

[kinyonga]

You aren't moving her back and forth to the laying bin are you? Or letting her see you when she's digging?

 

[trumpetmonkey]

Today is day 35 since mating and still no signs of digging. Although, she does hang out closer to the bottom of the cage, and there is a nesting box in her enclosure. She is covered. She's eating well and drinking lots.

I had initially put her in a dedicated laying bin but she was unhappy so I moved her back to her enclosure with a perm laying bin and curtained her enclosure so she has lots of privacy.

At what point should I worry about egg binding?

 

[CleanHome Chameleons]

If she is digging, 100 percent Leave her alone don't keep looking or adding food, just leave her, she will not lay if she keeps getting disturbed, keep her covered,

Some pictures would be a great help!

Mark

 

[trumpetmonkey]

Hi there...Today is day 47 since mating and my female has not shown any signs of digging or egg laying. She's covered, with a laying bin in her enclosure. She's tubby to say the least, so there must be eggs in there.
She shows gravid colouration most of the time.

At what point in time (e.g. - Number of days from time of mating) should I be concerned about no egg laying?

Thanks a bunch

 

[trumpetmonkey]

Just thought I'd update the thread. With additional calcium supplements, time and such, she is now digging. And what a tunnel it is. I expect her to complete the task today, so hopefully I will be announcing eggs tomorrow.

Thanks again everyone for your advice.