Is my chameleon egg bound?

deannacb1

New Member
I was recently gifted a Veiled Chameleon (without knowing the age or sex) for X-mas, so I was totally unprepared and of course the setup that I was gifted along with her wasn’t proper. Me being a broke highschool student I obviously didn’t have the money to upgrade it all at once. So i’m unprepared and my knowledge on Chameleons is limited.

Then my chameleon lays eggs for the first time, unfortunately I didn’t have a laying box for her but she still laid her eggs in the pothos plant in her enclosure. She laid about 8-15 eggs? (I wasn’t home at the time and my mom removed them before she was finished laying despite me telling her just to leave my cham alone.) Its been about 9 days since then and I’ve noticed her basking alot and a bulge near her rear. My first thought is that she’s holding eggs and has become egg bound. But she hasn’t showed any other signs (she’s still very active, eating and drinking regularly, and she’s acts just about the same other than basking more frequently than she used too) I’m not sure what to do and I don’t have money to take her to a vet.

She has an appropriate laying box now but she won’t even go near it, does anyone have any ideas on what’s going on or what I can do?? I really don’t want her to die but based on the research i’ve done there’s nothing I can do for her besides taking her to a vet.
 
Hi and welcome. It’s hard to tell if your chameleon may be eggbound without, you guessed it...a vet visit with X-rays. However, we can look over all of your husbandry and make sure all is correct. With our ladies everything has to be just right to prevent not just metabolic bone disease and other ailments, but problems with egg laying. Since your mom is obviously interested in your chameleon, you may want to actively involve her so that she knows more about her. I’d suggest both of you head over to https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/ for the most accurate and up to date learning.
For more personalized husbandry review, if you answer the following questions (cut & paste) and make sure to include pics of your chameleon and her entire enclosure, including lights and floor, I or another would be happy to look it over and can give you feedback.

Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:
  1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
  2. Photos can be very helpful.
 
Welcome to the forum!

Did the chameleon dig a hole in the plant pot soil? Did she turn around butt down and lay the eggs? How is it your mom cqme to remove them...did she remove the chameleon from the hole? Did the chameleon lay the eggs on the top of the soil? If your female dug a hole, did she fill it in after she laid the eggs?

Please post some photos of your chameleon from today so I can see all of her from the side.

The only way to be sure if she's retained eggs is, as @MissSkittles said...an X-ray at a good chameleon vet.
 
Welcome to the forum!

Did the chameleon dig a hole in the plant pot soil? Did she turn around butt down and lay the eggs? How is it your mom cqme to remove them...did she remove the chameleon from the hole? Did the chameleon lay the eggs on the top of the soil? If your female dug a hole, did she fill it in after she laid the eggs?

Please post some photos of your chameleon from today so I can see all of her from the side.

The only way to be sure if she's retained eggs is, as @MissSkittles said...an X-ray at a good chameleon vet.
The Chameleon hasn’t gone anywhere near the lay box
Welcome to the forum!

Did the chameleon dig a hole in the plant pot soil? Did she turn around butt down and lay the eggs? How is it your mom cqme to remove them...did she remove the chameleon from the hole? Did the chameleon lay the eggs on the top of the soil? If your female dug a hole, did she fill it in after she laid the eggs?

Please post some photos of your chameleon from today so I can see all of her from the side.

The only way to be sure if she's retained eggs is, as @MissSkittles said...an X-ray at a good chameleon vet.
She didn’t dig at all, the eggs were on top of the soil (some were at the bottom of the cage like she had just dropped them randomly) but my mom had removed the eggs the day after she laid them, so my chameleon had already moved on and went back to her usual routine of basking/climbing/etc.

As of today (March, 15th) she’s considerably less active than a few days ago. The only time she’s been active today is to drink water/eat. Her health rapidly declined overnight, I’m not sure what I can do for her.
 

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Looks like she is still holding eggs. Your mother probably threw her off by getting into the enclosure while she was still attempting to lay. You can see the buldges in the back where the eggs are.

Can you take a picture of the entire cage lights down to the lay bin so we can see what the lay bin and cage look like?

The vet can give her something to induce egg laying. But she would need the vet for that. And they can see how many eggs she has retained.
 
Looks like she is still holding eggs. Your mother probably threw her off by getting into the enclosure while she was still attempting to lay. You can see the buldges in the back where the eggs are.

Can you take a picture of the entire cage lights down to the lay bin so we can see what the lay bin and cage look like?

The vet can give her something to induce egg laying. But she would need the vet for that. And they can see how many eggs she has retained.
 

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what are you using in the bin? She is way too exposed and really needs to be up on a table... you want to cover the bottom half of the cage with a sheet. So when she goes down she is not feeling like everyone can see her.

For the bin you want moist play sand. It needs to hold a tunnel so it does not collapse on her. You can get the sand at home depot etc. It is the kind used in kids sand pits.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/laying-bin-set-up-educational-video.77225/
 

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what are you using in the bin? She is way too exposed and really needs to be up on a table... you want to cover the bottom half of the cage with a sheet. So when she goes down she is not feeling like everyone can see her.

For the bin you want moist play sand. It needs to hold a tunnel so it does not collapse on her. You can get the sand at home depot etc. It is the kind used in kids sand pits.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/laying-bin-set-up-educational-video.77225/
The substrate is coconut fiber.

Again. I was totally unprepared for this pet and have no money to buy anything more for her. My mom couldn’t care less if she died and unfortunately I’m heavily restricted by my parents (money and travel wise). I understand my situation is not very good. I’ll definitely wrap the enclosure in a sheet as soon as possible tho!
 
The substrate is coconut fiber.

Again. I was totally unprepared for this pet and have no money to buy anything more for her. My mom couldn’t care less if she died and unfortunately I’m heavily restricted by my parents (money and travel wise). I understand my situation is not very good. I’ll definitely wrap the enclosure in a sheet as soon as possible tho!
Ok so lets work with what we have... Since I am guessing a vet is out too?

the bin is shallow so at least it should not bury her. Did you add moisture to it so it would hold a tunnel?

You will wrap the bottom half only with the sheet not the top. So hook it halfway down.

Do you have a few more branches you can hook in leading down to the bin so she has multiple pathways?
 
Ok so lets work with what we have... Since I am guessing a vet is out too?

the bin is shallow so at least it should not bury her. Did you add moisture to it so it would hold a tunnel?

You will wrap the bottom half only with the sheet not the top. So hook it halfway down.

Do you have a few more branches you can hook in leading down to the bin so she has multiple pathways?
Unfortunately a vet is not an option.

The substrate is wet enough to hold shape and I’ve set up a few more branches for her!
 
Unfortunately a vet is not an option.

The substrate is wet enough to hold shape and I’ve set up a few more branches for her!
So cover the bottom half of the enclosure and lets hope she figures it out. try to give her space unless you have to feed her or mist her just leave her be. And if you notice she is down digging then do not bother her at all until she comes back up. you can peek to see if she is still digging but do not let her see you. You do not want to interrupt her if she is digging or she will stop again.
 
I'm not a vet so what I say comes from my experience and that of others and from what I read.

You said..."She didn’t dig at all, the eggs were on top of the soil (some were at the bottom of the cage like she had just dropped them randomly)"...when a chameleon drops her eggs like that it can be that she's not happy with the egg bin...or she can be heading towards egg binding. I'm betting on the first.

You said..."my mom had removed the eggs the day after she laid them, so my chameleon had already moved on and went back to her usual routine of basking/climbing/etc"...it's hard to say if your Mom's removing them stopped her or not.

You said..."As of today (March, 15th) she’s considerably less active than a few days ago. The only time she’s been active today is to drink water/eat. Her health/ rapidly declined overnight, I’m not sure what I can do for her"...if she doesn't go to a vet she will likely die soon but in the meantime suffer. If you can't take her to a good chameleon to have her spayed then you should consider having her put down by a vet so it's done properly and she won't suffer from being put down or dying eggbound.


You said..."The substrate is coconut fiber"...they don't usually like to lay in this. PlaySand is a better idea. This may be why she dropped the eggs.

You said..."Again. I was totally unprepared for this pet and have no money to buy anything more for her. My mom couldn’t care less if she died and unfortunately I’m heavily restricted by my parents (money and travel wise). I understand my situation is not very good"...I think you should try to get your mom to read what's being said on here.its cruel to let her die suffering IMHO. Sorry to have to say that.
 
Just thought I’d update here real quick, my chameleon laid 6 more eggs and (as far as i can tell she’s no longer egg bound) she’s back to her normal active self and eating and drinking regularly. Also, I’ve got a friend who is planning on helping me take her to a vet and improve her enclosure soon. Thanks to everyone who helped me, I really appreciate it!
 
The Chameleon hasn’t gone anywhere near the lay box

She didn’t dig at all, the eggs were on top of the soil (some were at the bottom of the cage like she had just dropped them randomly) but my mom had removed the eggs the day after she laid them, so my chameleon had already moved on and went back to her usual routine of basking/climbing/etc.

As of today (March, 15th) she’s considerably less active than a few days ago. The only time she’s been active today is to drink water/eat. Her health rapidly declined overnight, I’m not sure what I can do for her.
yeah she doesn’t look to hot.. from what i can see the setup doesn’t look horrible but you definitely should get real plants not fake. they tend to eat the plants accidentally and on purpose so the plastic from fake plants can get backed up then they can’t poop and pass away. i recommend watching ‘Neptune the chameleon’ on youtube. i learned SOOOO many things on her channel. :)
 
Just thought I’d update here real quick, my chameleon laid 6 more eggs and (as far as i can tell she’s no longer egg bound) she’s back to her normal active self and eating and drinking regularly. Also, I’ve got a friend who is planning on helping me take her to a vet and improve her enclosure soon. Thanks to everyone who helped me, I really appreciate it!
Sadly, this I how it usually goes...drop a few eggs....maybe. Few more....don't lay the whole clutch...go back to looking/acting normal and then crashing....eggbound.

I unless take her to a good chameleon vet and have them xray her to see if she still has eggs inside her. If she does, she may need to be spayed while she still has the strength to get through it.

If she shows any signs of going down hill...sitting low in the cage, sleeping during the day, lethargy, etc. She will need a vet ASAP...and in many cases by that time, it's too late to save her.

Sorry to be so harsh...but I've seen it too often.
 
Sadly, this I how it usually goes...drop a few eggs....maybe. Few more....don't lay the whole clutch...go back to looking/acting normal and then crashing....eggbound.

I unless take her to a good chameleon vet and have them xray her to see if she still has eggs inside her. If she does, she may need to be spayed while she still has the strength to get through it.

If she shows any signs of going down hill...sitting low in the cage, sleeping during the day, lethargy, etc. She will need a vet ASAP...and in many cases by that time, it's too late to save her.

Sorry to be so harsh...but I've seen it too often.
Hi! This thread was from March but I appreciate the advice. Since then my Chameleon has done amazing, she’s much healthier now and her enclosure has improved A TON. I was planning on posting an update awhile ago but it slipped my mind haha.

Her enclosure is now raised off the ground and now in a less busy area of my room, plants and plenty of branches have been added, and her dig box is better secluded and has easy access now.

Currently on vacation right now but i’ll be sure to post update photos on Kuzco (my cham) and her enclosure when I get back. (She’s in good hands while i’m away)

Sorry for the late responses!

@kinyonga and @cammythechameleon4

Thank you!
 
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