Help! Female Chameleon who may have eggs

[LouiseKelly]

Hello,

My female chameleon is 12 months old and hasn't laid any eggs yet, i've always had an egg laying bin in there for her, but nothing has happened.
Recently she has been crawling around the bottem of her cage looking like she wanted to get out, and didn't eat as much as normal, which are signs that she may have eggs and want to lay them.
The egg laying bin i had in there contained damp sand, and she avoided it the whole time, so i done some research about other materials i could use and changed her bin to damp topsoil, I've even bought a real plant and planted in with the soil because a lot of sites said they like laying their eggs by roots.
She hasn't gone anywhere near it yet, just climbs around the side of it, but what is worrying me is that she keeps falling off her branches, asif she is unbalanced, then crawls around the floor like before, I don't want her to hurt herself.
Any advice on what I could do, as I do not want her to become egg bound and have a c section, or have her pass away.

Many thanks xx

 

[camimom]

Fill this out. ANd post photos of her and her cage.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

 

[LouiseKelly]

My Chameleon - Ambilobe Panther Chameleon, Female, 12 months, been in my care for 7 months.
Handling - Not a lot, once a week, for about 10mins.
Feeding - Extra Large Locus, 4 a day at midday, I gut load and dusting.
Supplements - I use, Calci-pure dusting powder, made by the shop manager and Vetark Nutrobal which is a calcium and mutlivitamin supplement. I dust the Locus's everyday with the Calci-pure, and weekends I change and use the Nutrobal, this is what the shop manager suggested.
Watering - I have a spray system which sprays automatically every 6 hours for 10 seconds, and I add Vetark BSP Vitamin drops, I always see my chameleon drinking.
Fecal Description - Her faeces are either white or dark.


Cage Type - She is in a glass extro-terra terrarium, dimentions are 60x45x60cm.
Lighting - Exo terra sun glow 150wat Heat bulb and lamp, Exo tarra repti glo 5.0 UVB. The heat lamp is always on but a thermostat controls when it is comes on and off. The UV is on for about 8 hours a day, turned off at night,
Temperature - 88f durning the day and the lowest it drops at night is 78F, we measure the temprature with a themometer, and a infared themometer.
Humidity - The humidity ranges between 50%-80% We have a waterfall and a plant that holds water which helps keep the humidity levels up. The themometer inside the tank is also a hydrometer and tells us the percentage of humidity,
Plants - I have 2 artificial plants, 1 that goes around the whole tank and the chamameleon climbs on, and 1 that holds water so the Chameleon can walk down the leaves and get a drink there. I also have a passionflower plant in her egg laying bin.
Placement - The cage is in my bedroom on a stand about 4ft away from the window.
Location - Canvey Island, Essex, England, UK.

Current Problem - Worried about being egg bound, full description at top of this thread.

 

[camimom]

how deep is the egg laying bin?

can yu post a photo of her please?

how long has she been acting this way?

 

[LouiseKelly]

Here are some pictures I have just taken, I couldn't get a v.good one of the cage as there is something behind me so couldn't go back any further

 

[LouiseKelly]

Its about 11inches deep, and about 5 days now x

 

[camimom]

she is too big for that cage.

I would remove the substrate on the bottom of the cage.

I would get a big screen cage for her.

and add alot more foliage.

she does look a bit plump.

 

[LouiseKelly]

Oh okay, thanks for the help x

 

[LouiseKelly]

Do you think I should use more real or fake plants x

 

[camimom]

real all the way.

real ones help with humidity.

 

[LouiseKelly]

Also, what size cage would you recommened

 

[camimom]

well adult males are usually in a 2x2x4 cage.

bigger is better.

so choose from there.

 

[LouiseKelly]

OKay thanks for your help xx

 

[Autonomoton]

Lighting - Exo terra sun glow 150wat Heat bulb and lamp, Exo tarra repti glo 5.0 UVB. The heat lamp is always on but a thermostat controls when it is comes on and off. The UV is on for about 8 hours a day, turned off at night,
Temperature - 88f durning the day and the lowest it drops at night is 78F, we measure the temprature with a themometer, and a infared themometer.

I think the temperatures are too high at night. Temps down to 65 would be fine for her.

Also, most care sheets I have seen recommend a 12-12 cycle of day and night for them.

 

[jannb]

She's a very pretty girl. You have received some good info above. I'd just like to add that you might want to drop her day and night temps a little to hopefully help her cycle smaller clutches. I'm attaching a few blogs for you below that you might find helpful.
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/2007/12/keeping-female-veiled.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/jannb/345-egg-laying-laying-bin.html#comment1368

 

[BocaJan]

As for the immediate situation, she may not be quite ready. Make sure the sand or dirt is wet enough to hold a tunnel. If you squeeze a handful it should make a soft ball. You don't want it to fall in on her or wet enough to have water at the bottom of the hole. Chams first go to the bottom of their cages and nose around for a day or two, then start checking out the dirt in the bin to see if it is acceptible. Be sure to cover the cage or at least the front and sides. I take some towels and cover at least the front so she can't see anything and leave her alone. You will hear hear scratching if she starts digging.

I question changing her environment until after she lays her eggs. Changing her home will stress her and she may not lay, but you can have her new home all ready for her. Do you know when she was with the male?