lillythechameleon711
New Member
well its 85 in there now and i just misted she is still digging
Is lilly gravid? Need help....
- Thread starter lillythechameleon711
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KarmaChameleon1337
Avid Member
You really should get some more plants instead of just sticks and leaves. She's baking in an oven in there. Get a screen enclosure because she needs the airflow. Try going to Home Depot or Lowes or any plant breeders and buy some Schefflera's, Hibiscus, Pothos, etc.
DavidBuchan
New Member
If I were you I would turn off any basking lights (keep uv on!)while the weather is so hot and try to make sure she has a comfortable leafy area which is always around 70F.......she does not look gravid, and is very unlikely to be, due to her age. It is best, as KarmaChameleon1337 has said, to get a mesh cage, for airflow (not needed, just highly recommended, esp. with the weather you have now).
She is almost certainly digging to try and escape the heat...........also, she will need a laying bin soon, if only for just in case.
She is almost certainly digging to try and escape the heat...........also, she will need a laying bin soon, if only for just in case.
lillythechameleon711
New Member
dad is taking me know, will get plants, dig. thermometer.. Q? we were told the opt. temp in cage during day is to keep b/w 85-95f, do you agree. as for the cage it has a screen top , may be my dad can remove the doors and we can put a screen door, so there is screen top and at least 1 side, the other sides are permanently glass (and this is the largest exo terra habitat,
www.exo-terra.com) , any thing else b4 we leave, btw ty again
www.exo-terra.com) , any thing else b4 we leave, btw ty again
lillythechameleon711
New Member
David
thank you for your help. This id B's Dad. question do we keep all lights off at night? and do you agree with putting live plants in? should there be a Laying been in there now? and should i get a digital Thermometer? thank you, B's Dad
thank you for your help. This id B's Dad. question do we keep all lights off at night? and do you agree with putting live plants in? should there be a Laying been in there now? and should i get a digital Thermometer? thank you, B's Dad
KarmaChameleon1337
Avid Member
I'd suggest a mesh enclosure first. It's cooking in there.
panthercham
New Member
Before heading out to the stores please read this blog...it will help greatly in understanding how to look after your cham.
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/
Its really good to see the 2 of you really wanting the best for her
p.s I am not David but no lights at night...they need a drop in temp and the live plants will help with humidity and give her somewhere to hide and feel safe.
That blog covers enclosures, supplements, temps,feeding and dealing with female veileds.
Keep the questions coming
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/
Its really good to see the 2 of you really wanting the best for her
p.s I am not David but no lights at night...they need a drop in temp and the live plants will help with humidity and give her somewhere to hide and feel safe.
That blog covers enclosures, supplements, temps,feeding and dealing with female veileds.
Keep the questions coming
DavidBuchan
New Member
Yes - there should be no light at night, cham needs to sleep, and a nighttime drop in temps is good for veileds (they are ok as low as 50's...). Live plants help with humidity and look nicer. You can cope without them, and don't panic about the laying bin, but sooner rather than later...
Digital thermometer is a must really, as the temps are so important, and analogue ones suck......
The link sent by panthercham is really good...
Thompson
Chameleon Enthusiast
I agree, since it is so hot turn off her basking light and keep the UVB light on. Get an all screen enclosure with some live plants and put a laying bin in with her. Lower her temps down to 80 degrees and cut back on feedings to about 4 times a week do you can either lower her clutch of eggs or stop her from laying altogether.
serenitystarlite
Established Member
Can you post a close up picture of her whole body? It's hard to see because your pictures are small but it might help figure out how old she is.
When a gravid female is digging a hole (and I'm not sure if yours is since the photos are too small to see well) you shouldn't let her see you watching her. She may abandon the hole thinking that its not a safe place to lay the eggs.
An opaque container 12" deep x 12" x 8" filled almost full with washed playsand that is moist enough to hold a tunnel will be a good sized container to put in the cage to give her a place to dig.
Here's some information I hope will help you with things like supplements, gutloading, etc....
Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption.
Exposure to UVB from either direct sunlight or a proper UVB light allows the chameleon to produce D3 so that it can use the calcium in its system to make/keep the bones strong and be used in other systems in the chameleon as well. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic no matter whether its from the sun or the UVB light. The most often recommended UVB light is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light. Some of the compacts, spirals and tube lights have caused health issues, but so far there have been no bad reports against this one.
A wide variety of insects that have been well fed and gutloaded should be fed to it. At that size you only need to feed it every two or three days. Feed it enough that it doesn't get fat (and, of course, doesn't get thin either).
Since many of the feeder insects we use in captivity have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects just before you feed them to the chameleon at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it. (I use Rep-cal phosphorus-free calcium).
If you also dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder it will ensure that your chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it. It leaves the chameleon to produce the rest of what it needs through its exposure to the UVB light. D3 from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it. (I use Rep-cal phos.-free calcium/D3).
Dusting twice a month as well with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A will ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamins without the danger of overdosing the vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert the beta carotene and so some people give some prEformed vitamin A once in a while. (I use herptivite which has beta carotene.)
Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs. I gutload crickets, roaches, locusts, superworms, etc. with an assortment of greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.)
Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are important players in bone health and other systems in the chameleon (muscles, etc.) and they need to be in balance. When trying to balance them, you need to look at the supplements, what you feed the insects and what you feed the chameleon.
Here are some good sites for you to read too...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200406080...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://web.archive.org/web/200601140...ww.adcham.com/
If you can't access the sites above that have the word "archive" in you can do it through the WayBackMachine.
An opaque container 12" deep x 12" x 8" filled almost full with washed playsand that is moist enough to hold a tunnel will be a good sized container to put in the cage to give her a place to dig.
Here's some information I hope will help you with things like supplements, gutloading, etc....
Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption.
Exposure to UVB from either direct sunlight or a proper UVB light allows the chameleon to produce D3 so that it can use the calcium in its system to make/keep the bones strong and be used in other systems in the chameleon as well. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic no matter whether its from the sun or the UVB light. The most often recommended UVB light is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light. Some of the compacts, spirals and tube lights have caused health issues, but so far there have been no bad reports against this one.
A wide variety of insects that have been well fed and gutloaded should be fed to it. At that size you only need to feed it every two or three days. Feed it enough that it doesn't get fat (and, of course, doesn't get thin either).
Since many of the feeder insects we use in captivity have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects just before you feed them to the chameleon at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it. (I use Rep-cal phosphorus-free calcium).
If you also dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder it will ensure that your chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it. It leaves the chameleon to produce the rest of what it needs through its exposure to the UVB light. D3 from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it. (I use Rep-cal phos.-free calcium/D3).
Dusting twice a month as well with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A will ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamins without the danger of overdosing the vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert the beta carotene and so some people give some prEformed vitamin A once in a while. (I use herptivite which has beta carotene.)
Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs. I gutload crickets, roaches, locusts, superworms, etc. with an assortment of greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.)
Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are important players in bone health and other systems in the chameleon (muscles, etc.) and they need to be in balance. When trying to balance them, you need to look at the supplements, what you feed the insects and what you feed the chameleon.
Here are some good sites for you to read too...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200406080...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://web.archive.org/web/200601140...ww.adcham.com/
If you can't access the sites above that have the word "archive" in you can do it through the WayBackMachine.
lillythechameleon711
New Member
lillythechameleon711
New Member
Dr.R here,
BR is very thankful to you all. Maybe a future herpetologist (after med school..lol) so, i was hoping that some of you could chime in a give a top 5 (or 10) live plant list so we can add them , the exo-terra currently is in the corner of her room my dilemma is one of photosynthesis or the lack there of sufficient light
BR is very thankful to you all. Maybe a future herpetologist (after med school..lol) so, i was hoping that some of you could chime in a give a top 5 (or 10) live plant list so we can add them , the exo-terra currently is in the corner of her room my dilemma is one of photosynthesis or the lack there of sufficient light
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lillythechameleon711
New Member
KarmaChameleon1337
Avid Member
More plants would help, ones that go near the top infront of her vines that she can hide behind.
Sheffleras do well, pothos can hang, hibiscus are good too.
Sheffleras do well, pothos can hang, hibiscus are good too.
Necorawr
New Member
I didn't see anyone mention it, so I thought I would..
Her elbows are bent at an odd angle..
I think your chameleon may have MBD. (Metabolic Bone Disease)
https://www.chameleonforums.com/what-mbd-looks-like-38000/
Her elbows are bent at an odd angle..
I think your chameleon may have MBD. (Metabolic Bone Disease)
https://www.chameleonforums.com/what-mbd-looks-like-38000/
KarmaChameleon1337
Avid Member
It's hard to tell, her picures shrink when I click on them.
Necorawr
New Member
The picture alone by itself is a lot larger than any of the others. It's sort of just laying on the counter in the picture, next to the tape measure.
The chameleon is not gravid, there are no eggs in her sides and she is too small/young to be having eggs in any case.
There is substrate in the chameleons enclosure, also. That is an issue, as most chameleons have a tendency to ingest it and become impacted. They will die if this happens, and it is probably for the best if said substrate is removed.
For a Veiled that small, the temperatures are far too hot. It should be 80F max for one that small. Not to mention females temperatures should be lower in any case to help limit the production of eggs.
I also noticed that it was stated 2-3 bugs in the morning. For one that small, they should be eating closer to 15-20. Cup feeding helps monitor how many are eaten, in case that wasn't being used. As long as the substrate is in the cage, that is probably your safest bet to ensure nothing is accidentally ingested.
If she has MBD, shes going to need a vet visit to get liquid calcium injections. I'm not too completely savvy with the whole MBD thing, but a quick search on this site will certainly send you in the right direction, but more than likely it is going to end in a Vet visit.
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