How do you spell RELIEF?

[ChameleonMom]

L.a.y.i.n.g!!

After being in sheer panic mode for the past month and a half worrying about my little girl who was developing eggs yet still receptive (right up to yesterday which doesn't make sense to me?) and after a trip to the vet for x-rays and peace of mind, she FINALLY decided that today is the day to start digging!!! Of course this gives me something else to worry about (anyone here get the idea I live for stress?)

My vet told me after her x-ray that she would be ready to lay in 3 - 4 weeks which I calculated to be the week of Christmas. He told me to leave her laying bin in the cage till then, which I have done, but it has dried out quite a bit and isn't holding a tunnel anymore. I checked on her about an hour ago and she is digging furiously but the dirt is flying everywhere and I'm concerned it won't be damp enough for her, or that the walls of her tunnels will collapse and bury her. Question: should I try to dampen the dirt now while she is digging (I really don't want to bother her) or just leave it and see what happens??

Amazing to think how much these eggs developed in such a short time!!

 

[ChameleonMom]

AAACK!! I just checked on her and she is completely covered in dirt as it has all fallen in on her! Should I leave her???? I'm so worried she will suffocate!

 

[ChameleonMom]

Bumpedy, bump, bump

 

[ataraxia]

If the dirt has fallen in on her take her out asap.

Make sure the sand is moist to the point you make test holes that make caves for her.

 

[ChameleonMom]

If the dirt has fallen in on her take her out asap.

Make sure the sand is moist to the point you make test holes that make caves for her.

Thanks for your help Ataraxia, She needed rescuing as she was completely covered under 8 inches of really heavy dirt BUT, she is 5g's lighter today so I am concerned we dug her out mid-lay. She won't go back in her bin now.

 

[AngieL]

My advice is leave her completely alone for a whole day. My girl was only digging test holes and going back to bask. I got worried about the sand not being moist enough too and changed it for eco earth and sand mix. The day I left her was the day she dug her tunnel, slept in it all night (I thought she was dead!) then the next morning I heard her start to dig again, left her alone again and she was finished by dinner time.

I wish you and your girl the very best and hope she lays for you

 

[ChameleonMom]

My advice is leave her completely alone for a whole day. My girl was only digging test holes and going back to bask. I got worried about the sand not being moist enough too and changed it for eco earth and sand mix. The day I left her was the day she dug her tunnel, slept in it all night (I thought she was dead!) then the next morning I heard her start to dig again, left her alone again and she was finished by dinner time.

I wish you and your girl the very best and hope she lays for you

Oh thanks so much for telling me that you too thought your girl was dead too - I was so worried but felt a bit foolish afterwards! This stuff is so stressful to me as its my first 'full on' lay that I've gone through. Isis is probably thinking I'm a crazy person!

Good news though, Isis is back in the bin, she's in a deep tunnel but its holding and I can still see her tail....fingers crossed that she gets the job done today!

 

[AngieL]

Oh thanks so much for telling me that you too thought your girl was dead too - I was so worried but felt a bit foolish afterwards! This stuff is so stressful to me as its my first 'full on' lay that I've gone through. Isis is probably thinking I'm a crazy person!

Good news though, Isis is back in the bin, she's in a deep tunnel but its holding and I can still see her tail....fingers crossed that she gets the job done today!

That's great news! is she a veiled? She may be digging still tomorrow so be sure to just switch the lights on and peek then and leave! waiting is the hardest part!

This was my first time with eggs too! You can read up all you want but it doesn't stop you freaking out.

 

[ChameleonMom]

That's great news! is she a veiled? She may be digging still tomorrow so be sure to just switch the lights on and peek then and leave! waiting is the hardest part!

This was my first time with eggs too! You can read up all you want but it doesn't stop you freaking out.

Well I may have screwed up again today this is getting ridiculous and I'm worried my beloved girl will suffer because of my mistakes.

Isis slept in her hole last night and when I checked her this morning she was sitting at the top of her bin on a mound of dirt. She was looking around but caked in dirt, just sitting there, not digging. This was an hour after lights on. So thinking perhaps she was done laying I opened the door to see if she looked thinner but I couldn't see so I quickly picked her up and much to my dismay, she was as chubby as ever. As I already had her in my hand I quickly put her on the scale - back up to 145g's!! Damn!! I quickly put her back in the bin but she immediately climbed out and has been basking much of the day. I've checked her back legs and she has full mobility when walking but she isn't restless like she has been the past week - she's just more sitting there basking and changing vines every now and then. I am wondering if she's hungry and needs to recoup some calories in order to have the energy to start digging again? She hasn't eaten since Saturday, so perhaps??

All I know is I'm beyond worried

ps: AngieL, Isis is a veiled!

 

[AngieL]

Awww sorry this is happening! But you peeked! Naughty mum she could have been resting or going to put her butt in there. You can try feed and water her since she's not in the bin just now but then really leave her alone like no checking at all through the day! If she hasn't laid I don't think she will eat.

If she dug the hole and filled it in then it may be a sign that she's not able to lay. If she's strong and seems healthy then you could try her again and see if she'll do it on her own but take her to a vet at the first sign of trouble. The vet can give her a shot to enduce laying but only if she's not too weak.

 

[ChameleonMom]

Awww sorry this is happening! But you peeked! Naughty mum she could have been resting or going to put her butt in there. You can try feed and water her since she's not in the bin just now but then really leave her alone like no checking at all through the day! If she hasn't laid I don't think she will eat.

If she dug the hole and filled it in then it may be a sign that she's not able to lay. If she's strong and seems healthy then you could try her again and see if she'll do it on her own but take her to a vet at the first sign of trouble. The vet can give her a shot to enduce laying but only if she's not too weak.

I know, I know.... I peeked! Damn my childhood urge to peek, which I learned from my brother at Christmas time! I'll blame him!!

I have her cage completely covered with a small peephole for me to check so I'm just going to leave her (again) and see if anything happens! Fingers crossed but if the situation doesn't improve, off to the vet we'll go! Thanks Angie!

 

[AngieL]

I know, I know.... I peeked! Damn my childhood urge to peek, which I learned from my brother at Christmas time! I'll blame him!!

I have her cage completely covered with a small peephole for me to check so I'm just going to leave her (again) and see if anything happens! Fingers crossed but if the situation doesn't improve, off to the vet we'll go! Thanks Angie!

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed and hoping the best for you guys! I know, it's so so hard but it's worth it at the end to see her all skinny and hungry and happy!

 

[ChameleonMom]

Damn! Still no eggs and now no interest in her bin! I am wondering if the two times she was digging was her making 'test' holes? I had to take her out today to administer a dose of Panacur so I quickly weighed her - still 147g's! She's chubby as hell and has bumps and bulges by her vent and back legs although I have checked her walking and she's moving her legs fine. Any ideas on how long I can leave her to try and get the job done herself before I take her to the vet for an inducing? Arggggh! We are heading to our cabin next weekend for Christmas & New Years and I wanted this to be done before we leave!! I guess the silver lining is that my reptile boarders use the same vet as I do so I know they'll take her if she needs to go in my absence but I wanted to do this myself!! i hate it when things don't go my way (bit of a control freak here!) WHY does everyone and everything have to conspire against me???