Is my veiled chameleon looking for a place to lay her eggs?

[andre_24]

Hey everyone,
I’m new to owning a chameleon, and I got one last week in a reptile show. I’m pretty sure Moe (chameleon) is a female as she doesn’t have the bump on her hind legs. She’s been a pretty dark color ever since I got her, and I believe it’s stress but i might be wrong. She recently started shedding, but what has been bothering me is that she’s climbed down to the bottom of her enclosure a couple times. Is that normal? Or does that mean she wants to lay eggs?

She’s still pretty young, I asked the breeder and he said she’s almost a year old, I don’t see any bumps on her belly indicating that there are eggs though. So what do you guys recommend I do in this situation?

 

[GrannyK]

Hello and welcome! I would get a laybin in asap. If you don’t know how to make one I’ll attach one used by many here that works well. It could be stress but if she is that old I suspect she could be trying to lay.
I’m no expert so I’m sure someone will chime in. I’ll also post the husbandry form for you to fill out if you’d like to ensure this beauty is set for success.

 

[GrannyK]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. long has it been in your care?How
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?

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi and welcome. There can be a few different reasons for her to be traveling to the bottom of her enclosure, of which eggs is only one. Since there’s so very much bad information out there about keeping chameleons, I think it would be super great if we did a husbandry review - copy/paste the above questions and answer. I’d also really like to see some pics of your sweet green lady and her entire enclosure, including lights.

 

[andre_24]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - She’s a veiled chameleon and I believe she’s a female. I asked the vendor and he said she was almost a year old. I’ve had her for a week and I bought her at a reptile show.
Handling - I have only handled her the day I got her so as not to stress her.
Feeding - I’m currently only feeding her crickets (10-12 a day) I feed her at 2:30 ish when I get home from school. And I make sure to dust the crickets with the zoo med calcium (without D3). I gut load my crickets with carrots, apples, sweet potatoes, and I leave in some bee pollen for them.
Supplements - I’m currently using the repti calcium by zoo med (without D3) for every feeding. I also have the zoo med reptivite vitamins (without D3) and the PangeaCal calcium (with D3). I’m planning on giving the Reptivite and PangeaCal twice a month (the 1st of the month and the 15th).
Watering - I mist in the morning and at night until I can see water dripping from the plants. I also keep a homemade dripper in the enclosure and it drips onto the leaves and into a container that I clean every time it’s full. At night I leave a humidifier on for her and turn it off in the morning. I have seen her drinking water sometimes when I mist or when I leave the dripper on I catch her taking drinks from time to time.
Fecal Description - Really dark brown and white. She has never been tested for parasites.
History - I bought her last week on Saturday in the NARBC reptile show

Cage Info:
Cage Type - 18x18x24 screen type
Lighting - i use the zoo med topical uvb and heat lighting dual kit. I’m working on the day and night schedule right now but I turn the lights off at 11 PM and turn them back on at 6 AM.
Temperature - during the day it’s around 80 in the basking area and the bottom it’s high 70s. In the night with the humidifier on it usually drops to the 60s and high 50s.
Humidity - during the day it’s around 40-50% and at night I try to keep it at at least 80 but it’s stays around 70. I mist in the mornings and at night and I leave my humidifier at night next to the enclosure. I use a zoomed hydrometer.
Plants - i am only using live plant, so far only pothos.
Placement - it’s near the entrance of my room and her cage set up is on a short coffee table, so her whole set up is a bit shorter in height than I am. I really want to move her to the farther side of my room so there are less disturbances and so she’s at a higher place compared to me. Location: Texas

 

[andre_24]

Hi and welcome. There can be a few different reasons for her to be traveling to the bottom of her enclosure, of which eggs is only one. Since there’s so very much bad information out there about keeping chameleons, I think it would be super great if we did a husbandry review - copy/paste the above questions and answer. I’d also really like to see some pics of your sweet green lady and her entire enclosure, including lights.

It won’t let me attach the pictures because it says the files are too large, so I added them in a google doc. This is the link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1--ncHVu8HXusdfObPhzBoJ6KebZ3S0RPykYqFlo1hZU/edit