Hi, I'm new to this site and would like some help. I have a new veiled, was told it's a male (11 months old) but I cannot see any sign of a "spur on the hind legs at all. Please tell me if there is another way to tell? He's been digging on the bottom of the cage for a week straight. I've only had him 3 weeks and he wasn't doing this before...As far as all the research that I've done, I've got everything how it should be as far as the cage is concerned. The other new thing I noticed is the ribs are starting to show. He's not an aggressive eater for sure but seems to make the crickets dissappear after two or three days. This too has slowed down though. Please help.
Is my veiled male or female?
- Thread starter Willie
- Start date
hotdirt823
New Member
a pic would help but no spur and digging at the bottom might mean you have a female on your hands in witch case if that is true your gonna need a laying bin for her to dump her eggs in
litahudak
New Member
I'm not the best on here but if you post a picture it'd be a lot easier to tell. You're starting to etch into that tricky territory, though, where if it's a female you're going to have to start dealing with egg laying. Post a picture and I'm sure someone will be able to help you out!
Lancecham
New Member
At 11 months old, you should see the spur as they are evident at birth.
Digging could be a sign you have a female and she needs to lay eggs. The eating slowing down recntly could also suggest she is a female.
Can you provide a picture? If it is generally green, you most likely have a female. If that is the case, you need a laying container in the cage. A male sholud have some nice coloration at this point. A picture is worth a lot in this case.
Digging could be a sign you have a female and she needs to lay eggs. The eating slowing down recntly could also suggest she is a female.
Can you provide a picture? If it is generally green, you most likely have a female. If that is the case, you need a laying container in the cage. A male sholud have some nice coloration at this point. A picture is worth a lot in this case.
Male or female
Thanks for the quick reply..I'll try to figure out how to get a photo on here... He/she is mostly green.. Please tell me the dimensions of the egg laying box that may be needed so I can round something up. I'll go get the right type of sand tomorrow morning. How deep does it need to be? And, if it is a male..... he won't eat the sand will he? haha
Thanks for the quick reply..I'll try to figure out how to get a photo on here... He/she is mostly green.. Please tell me the dimensions of the egg laying box that may be needed so I can round something up. I'll go get the right type of sand tomorrow morning. How deep does it need to be? And, if it is a male..... he won't eat the sand will he? haha
HerbsForMyChameleon
Member
If there is any sort of bump or color variation like ther will be a bump its a boy
Male or female
Sorry guys, I can't figure out how to attach the photo and don't see any instructions here...oh, there it goes. O.k., don't want to disturb him at the moment because I just finished cleaning his cage.. but here is a general photo from a couple weeks ago. I will have to take a couple of his legs later.
Thank you
Sorry guys, I can't figure out how to attach the photo and don't see any instructions here...oh, there it goes. O.k., don't want to disturb him at the moment because I just finished cleaning his cage.. but here is a general photo from a couple weeks ago. I will have to take a couple of his legs later.
Thank you
Attachments
ChameleonRave
Avid Member
That is a female Veiled Chameleon! She is a pretty one too! She looks chubby! Do you have a laying bin in her cage? If not go to Home Depot and get a 5 gallon bucket and get washed play sand, they come in 50 lb bags, but it will fill the whole bucket. Then stick it in the cage when you have it rinsed and it can hold a stable tunnel without collapsing.
Please fill out this form :
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.
Pictures are helpful
Please fill out this form :
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.
Pictures are helpful
Male or female
Oh my God, you're kidding! So, tell me, how you can tell without seeing the legs..just curious. I will fill out the questionairre soon but have to get over the shock for a minute.. And, what's the deal with a 5 gallon bucket? That seems crazy big. Won't the sand collapse on him/her if it's that deep? Others have said 6 inches... please don't take offense, just want to be sure. And how will I know if eggs are in there? Do you check daily or let it be? Wow!
Oh my God, you're kidding! So, tell me, how you can tell without seeing the legs..just curious. I will fill out the questionairre soon but have to get over the shock for a minute.. And, what's the deal with a 5 gallon bucket? That seems crazy big. Won't the sand collapse on him/her if it's that deep? Others have said 6 inches... please don't take offense, just want to be sure. And how will I know if eggs are in there? Do you check daily or let it be? Wow!
Attachments
ChameleonRave
Avid Member
From the coloration of the Chameleon which is similar in all female Veiled Chameleons that I have seen and one of my own. Same coloration as an adult female. They need depth to dig or else they won't dig. That is why I use a 5 gallon bucket it gives great depth. There is a user JannB who's female used a large garbage can that is used for the outside. It won't collapse if it is damp enough and it can handle a man made tunnel. Than they Chameleon should be able to make their own tunnel. I am not saying what so ever that it is impossible that it will collapse, but it can happen that is why you keep it damp, but not sopping wet.
HerbsForMyChameleon
Member
They wont dig all the way down,
ChameleonRave
Avid Member
That is not completely true, some will go strait to the bottom and some with dig a few inches down and lay, it just depends on the chameleon. My female actually dug to the very bottom.
ChameleonRave
Avid Member
Try it one more time. It will be helpful for you new chameleon. Copy it so you can paste it if it erases and goes back to the beginning.
Male or female
Hope this answers everything:
Veiled chameleon, sex unknown at the moment. 11 months old.
Have owned for 3 weeks. Was told it was male.
Eats about 20 crickets every 3 days if that, just introduced
Mealworms (3 a day) and waxworms (2 a day)
Crickets are dusted with Reptivite with D3 and also Calcium
Crickets eat spinach, dandelions, oatmeal, apples, any veggies I have.
Fecal (strange recent change) was brown and big 3 weeks back, then 2 weeks back saw a couple white ones, then recently hardly any droppings in cage.
Appetite may have slowed because he/she wants to lay eggs?
Cage: combo of glass front/back and mesh sides. 26” tall, 18” deep, 24” wide.
Temps are 95 to 100 basking spot, 78 mid cage, 70 bottom of cage.
Measured with temp strips and a digital therm./humidity guage.
Humidity is ranges 55 to up to 70% at times.
Misting 3 times a day, he drinks it while I’m doing it..likes to be “rained on”
Bulbs: Zoo-med basking spot 75 watt. Also was told that the uva bulb that I have in there is a uva/uvb (hopefully true) It says Zoo-med Ultra sun F15T8 and it’s about 16” long.
Night time temp. about 65 to 70. No lights needed at night. Lights/heat on for 12 hours then off for 12. He sleeps like a puppy, eyes closed till 9 am every day.
Plants: unsure. One Aloe, one looks like a Mum. One is a vine from my yard (safe) and one looks like tiny rubber fingers (he chewed a lot so I removed for awhile) I just removed a Nephtytis that I looked up and found was a bad idea. Don’t know why that was in there.
Cage is in living room, no drafts, no high traffic. Top is 4 ½ feet off the floor.
We live in Oregon
Hope this answers everything:
Veiled chameleon, sex unknown at the moment. 11 months old.
Have owned for 3 weeks. Was told it was male.
Eats about 20 crickets every 3 days if that, just introduced
Mealworms (3 a day) and waxworms (2 a day)
Crickets are dusted with Reptivite with D3 and also Calcium
Crickets eat spinach, dandelions, oatmeal, apples, any veggies I have.
Fecal (strange recent change) was brown and big 3 weeks back, then 2 weeks back saw a couple white ones, then recently hardly any droppings in cage.
Appetite may have slowed because he/she wants to lay eggs?
Cage: combo of glass front/back and mesh sides. 26” tall, 18” deep, 24” wide.
Temps are 95 to 100 basking spot, 78 mid cage, 70 bottom of cage.
Measured with temp strips and a digital therm./humidity guage.
Humidity is ranges 55 to up to 70% at times.
Misting 3 times a day, he drinks it while I’m doing it..likes to be “rained on”
Bulbs: Zoo-med basking spot 75 watt. Also was told that the uva bulb that I have in there is a uva/uvb (hopefully true) It says Zoo-med Ultra sun F15T8 and it’s about 16” long.
Night time temp. about 65 to 70. No lights needed at night. Lights/heat on for 12 hours then off for 12. He sleeps like a puppy, eyes closed till 9 am every day.
Plants: unsure. One Aloe, one looks like a Mum. One is a vine from my yard (safe) and one looks like tiny rubber fingers (he chewed a lot so I removed for awhile) I just removed a Nephtytis that I looked up and found was a bad idea. Don’t know why that was in there.
Cage is in living room, no drafts, no high traffic. Top is 4 ½ feet off the floor.
We live in Oregon
ChameleonRave
Avid Member
Can you post pictures of the whole enclosure and better pictures of the back feet. Please.
Male or female
O.k., sounds like I need to change things up a bit. I have too many questions about your response... I've done so much research and things are always different. First off, I ran to the hardware store tonight, got 5 gal. bucket, playground sand, lightly moistened it and stirred and moistened more, put the bucket in the cage, Wally looks at it for 5 minutes, jumps in, starts digging. Been digging for an hour so far.. hope I'm not too late. And no I didn't moisten it enough to make a ball or tunnel but too late now, she's up to her elbows.
Here's the immediate question: Now what? How long til I see her? When will she be done? Do I hold off on crickets if it's days? Beyond the obvious, I'm confused on the vitamin thing. You said, ..."also a Multivitamin twice a month".. I think this Reptivite is that but it has D3. should I switch? And what about the ReptoCal with calcium, it also says with D3 switch that too? Oh my gosh, so confused..Seems I wasted some money on this stuff.
I have a red 40 watt heat bulb (Zoo-med) should I use this for the new basking? I tried 3 types to get the heat up to 95 to 100... whoops huh?
What else? Oh, the linear tube light? Like I said, was told it's a uva and uvb so hope that's what she needs. Supposedly it's new.
Sorry for all the questions but I'm trying to sort out all the info correctly.
O.k., sounds like I need to change things up a bit. I have too many questions about your response... I've done so much research and things are always different. First off, I ran to the hardware store tonight, got 5 gal. bucket, playground sand, lightly moistened it and stirred and moistened more, put the bucket in the cage, Wally looks at it for 5 minutes, jumps in, starts digging. Been digging for an hour so far.. hope I'm not too late. And no I didn't moisten it enough to make a ball or tunnel but too late now, she's up to her elbows.
Here's the immediate question: Now what? How long til I see her? When will she be done? Do I hold off on crickets if it's days? Beyond the obvious, I'm confused on the vitamin thing. You said, ..."also a Multivitamin twice a month".. I think this Reptivite is that but it has D3. should I switch? And what about the ReptoCal with calcium, it also says with D3 switch that too? Oh my gosh, so confused..Seems I wasted some money on this stuff.
I have a red 40 watt heat bulb (Zoo-med) should I use this for the new basking? I tried 3 types to get the heat up to 95 to 100... whoops huh?
What else? Oh, the linear tube light? Like I said, was told it's a uva and uvb so hope that's what she needs. Supposedly it's new.
Sorry for all the questions but I'm trying to sort out all the info correctly.
hinoco1225
New Member
I don't think it is too late, just a close call. How's she doing now? Still down there? Remember to check on her every now and then, but DO NOT let her see you doing this. If she sees you she might stop laying her eggs and become eggbound. I'm not sure how long you should expect your girl to be down there, but definitely hold off on the feeders until she comes up. Look up some threads about egg-laying to learn more about how to help her recover once she is done laying her eggs.
Reptivite and the calcium with D3 are not a waste of money; it's just that these should not be used every day. You need plain phosphorus-free calcium without D3 for daily dustings. Then the calcium with D3 twice a month, and multivitamin once or twice a month (as previously stated). One thing I do have to add is that if you're only going to use Reptivite, I would only use it once a month as too much of it can cause an overload of vitamin A. Herptivite is formulated a little differently in order to prevent this, so if you can, I would get some Herptivite and start alternating between the two multivitamins twice a month (as in, Herptivite the 1st of every month, Reptivite the 15th).
If I'm not mistaken, the Ultra Sun bulb is for aquariums. I don't think this is adequate for chameleons. Can someone else jump in about that? I would say I'm 90% sure that you need a Reptisun (or Reptiglo, although Reptisun is more reputable) 5.0 tube light.
For temperature, it is true that females only need basking temps in the low 80s. Lower temps help to lower their metabolism, which helps them to stay full with the limited amount of food they should be provided. A smaller amount of food helps keep them from developing huge clutches of eggs that can cause health problems and make recovery after laying very difficult. You need to use a regular 40 Watt house bulb though. Chameleons like to have bright light during the day, and a white basking light will help with that. We often don't realize how dark it actually is indoors compared to natural sunlight outdoors, so try to provide your cham with as much bright light as possible to help simulate that.
Male or Female
Thanks very much for the info everyone. I will replace the heat bulb and the tube...especially since there is a question about the tube.
I'll also research the egg laying part. Thank God I found this site and the helpful people on here.
Yes, she's still down there, this morning she was resting inside a sloping spiraling tunnel, after awhile she started to dig some more. It's so exciting! I guess we need a new name for her, Wally seems a little masculine (haha).
This is the 3rd time that I was caught off guard. Once with hampsters, once with cockatiels, and now this. Life's funny.
Thanks very much for the info everyone. I will replace the heat bulb and the tube...especially since there is a question about the tube.
I'll also research the egg laying part. Thank God I found this site and the helpful people on here.
Yes, she's still down there, this morning she was resting inside a sloping spiraling tunnel, after awhile she started to dig some more. It's so exciting! I guess we need a new name for her, Wally seems a little masculine (haha).
This is the 3rd time that I was caught off guard. Once with hampsters, once with cockatiels, and now this. Life's funny.
camimom
New Member
Thanks very much for the info everyone. I will replace the heat bulb and the tube...especially since there is a question about the tube.
I'll also research the egg laying part. Thank God I found this site and the helpful people on here.
Yes, she's still down there, this morning she was resting inside a sloping spiraling tunnel, after awhile she started to dig some more. It's so exciting! I guess we need a new name for her, Wally seems a little masculine (haha).
This is the 3rd time that I was caught off guard. Once with hampsters, once with cockatiels, and now this. Life's funny.
Do you know if she was ever near a male before you got her? I ask this becuase if she was, its possible those eggs will be fertile. if she wasnt, then whne shes done laying you can dig them up and throw them out. If they are fertile, you have two options, dispose of the eggs, or hatch them!
