Isis is holding me hostage! ADVICE Please!!

ChameleonMom

New Member
So on October 31st my hubby finished the custom cages he made for my chams and we moved both my 4 year old male veiled Camo and my 1 year old female veiled Isis into their respective cages. All seemed great and everyone was happy!
Isis New Cage Oct31'12 004.JPG

Note her tummy: flat
Isis Oct'31'12 001.JPG

A couple days later , I posted a thread with pictures of Isis(https://www.chameleonforums.com/isis-wont-outdone-96355/) and talked about how my chameleon's moods had changed since moving into their new cages. They both had become a bit more aggressive, they started hissing at me (Camo NEVER hisses at me!!) and they both puffed up whenever I tried to handle them. Of course I realised they both needed some time to get used to their new space and I was accomodating them as best I could! However in the thread, DavidBuchan mentioned that perhaps Isis was gravid as her behaviour was waaay off the charts. When I first moved her into her new cage she was a wonderful neon green/yellow color - what I call the "I'm a happy chameleon" color. David's comment got me thinking...I had noticed about 4 days after moving her into her new cage Isis had slowed, if not stopped eating and she had become dark and moody looking and even more cranky than she had been since moving. She became restless and wouldn't sit still for even a few minutes. I figured she MUST be gravid, even though she laid her first clutch on August 22, 2012 at 9 months of age. So soon already, I thought?

I checked Isis' weight records: (I have completely revamped everything to do with supplements, gutloading and feeders since the beginning of October, so these changes may have a bearing on her weight gain)
Oct 22nd - 118g
Nov 2nd - 124g
Nov 8th - 129g
Nov 10th - 130g
Nov 13th - 131g
Nov 14th - 133g (weighed her twice today: battery was dying in my scale, not sure if this was the cause of the weight change. Changed battery)
Nov 15th - 131g

On November 7th I prepped a laying bin (my 25 litre pasta pot!) and put it in her cage. I covered the front door to give her complete privacy (rest of cage is swathed in vinyl panels to help with humidity), she couldn't see anyone or anything. Upon checking randomly (and quietly) she had completely ignored the bin yet continued the food strike and the restless wandering. She never once went to the bottom of her cage or into the laying bin. She was spotted, dark and cranky looking, at the top of her cage.

Note tummy is now rounded and chubby looking:
Isis Poses Nov7'12 009.JPG
Covered in Vinyl Nov8'12.JPG

Not quite sure what was going on, I began to doubt myself and my cham caring abilities. Could she be impacted or constipated? Upon further thought, I realised I hadn't seen any poop in a couple days. I took the cover off of her door however I left the laying bin inside in case she had the urge to explore. Two days later and with no erratic behavior in the meantime, I find Isis very dark in color, sitting on the bottom of her cage...just sitting. I watched from afar and not once did she dig, or reach up the sides of her new cage. I reached in and placed her into the laying bin, hoping that would trigger an urge. Nope. She climbed out and climbed up to her basking spot, hissed at me and turned away. I left her alone but later checked her when I noticed she was dark, and motly looking. Turns out she was having a poop w/urates which then ruled out consitpation. Only later did I notice she was extremely uptight, dark and spotted and her belly was HUGE. I put her in her laying bin and on went the door cover again.

Flash forward to November 13th. Nothing had been happening, and in order to water and feed Isis and to monitor her in case she is eggbound or has another medical problem, I took the door covering off again. She looked cranky but calm even though she appeared to be 'fired up'. You can clearly see her markings and blue spots all over her body. She is not her normal self at all! She spend the 13th with the door covering off her cage, but the bin inside. She ignored it but ate 3 crickets and 1 superworm.

Isis Nov13'12 001.JPG

(continued below....sorry for the long winded thread....*sigh*)
 
Yesterday upon waking up I find Isis is pretty upset looking, hissing at me and running when I tried to hold her. On a good day she'll lift her front legs and walk onto my hand, so I know its unusual for her to run away. At this point I am pretty fed up so I make an executive decision. I prepped an alternative cage with ONLY the laying bin with two plants in it for her to climb. I covered it with brown parcel paper and put her lights over it. I misted, noted the humidty and temperature, then left her alone. She was additionally misted at 4pm by my hubby and when I got home at 4:30pm, she was sitting cold, black and very upset on the bottom of the cage.

Laying cage:
Laying Cage Nov14'12 001.jpg

Laying Cage Nov14'12 002.JPG

I immediately grabbed her, gave her some soft, kind cuddles & warmth, and put her back in her big girl cage. She immediately goes straight to the bottom and stares at me through the door as if to say "HELP me Momma"...

Isis back home Nov14'12 002.JPG
Isis back home Nov14'12 001.JPG

Then...can you believe that the next time I looked at her, she had climbed into her laying bin and was sitting there with legs splayed, looking like she was going to, if not lay then start digging. I immediately covered the door with some parcel paper and left her there for the night, with fingers crossed.

Covered cage Nov15'12.jpg
 
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So today I awoke feeling pretty hopeful, but when I ran (yes, I ran!) out to my cham cages this morning, there was Isis sunning herself in her basking spot, no dirt on her, no fatigue from digging all night, no...nothing but a chubby, crabby chameleon. I opened her door and checked the bin. No messy dirt, in fact it looks exactly as I left it with no digging, no muss and no fuss!! WTF??

I swear to God I am going to go crazy!! I am consumed with stress over this and I can't help but keep checking on her (surreptitiously, or course) but it is beginning to consume MY LIFE AND I'M GOING TO LOSE IT SOON...lol...but first, I need to know...from the picture below, would the majority of you say that YES...she IS gravid? I am having severe doubts and I hate that because I am fairly confident in my cham keeping abilities but this one is really throwing me for a loop!! Her complete disinterest in the bin is denying the fact she has the coloring of a gravid female, her stomach is the size of a gravid female and her hunger strike and restlessness are signs of a gravid female!!
Isis Nov15'12 002.jpg

I'm wondering if perhaps the move to her new cage came at a really BAD time? I'm not sure what I can do as her old cage has been dismantled. Any suggestions from anyone? I swear to God if she hasn't laid anything by Sunday I'm withholding her special treats and going back into therapy!! :D

(and yes, I have a vet that is awesome but I can do this, I can do this, I can do this....do you guys think SHE can do this? If she hasn't laid by.....? I'll take her to the vet. This has been ongoing for 10 - 12 days now!!)

H.E.L.P.!!
 
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Oops posted before your last post hahaha hope all is well. Just relax let her natural instinct do its thing amd if she doesnt get better take her to the vet
 
Looks Preggers to me... The constipation you are referring too might be her eggbound... I don't have much experience of my own with any femail vields, however I have done extensive research in plans to breed in the very near future. If she was ready to lay eggs I'm sure she should have started to dig in your plants or laying bin by now... Is she weak at all? Restless? Hyper?

I am continuing to research these symptoms that your hunnie is having and I will make sure to pass on any useful information I have.

One Note: You stated she has been pretty moody towards you.. I read that a pregnant ready to lay female will be very MOODY towards her male counterpart. This might give you another clue if you were to show her to him.


I hear ya on the bad timing of moving her to her big girl cage... It doesn't seem like stress to me though, as your one picture showed her @ the bottom just staring... I would try placing her into the laying bin a couple more times. Maybe start a little scratch in the surface?

A veiled chameleon will go in a distinctive pattern completely different to normal colours if she is pregnant signifying to the males in that species that she is not interested in their advances.

I really hope I may have helped a bit with this. I wish I knew a bit more about gravid females... Keep us updated, and I will keep looking for you!
 
Well, if Jasmine has taught me anything it's that she will dig around in the wrong places and look pathetic and be totally stressful (to me). And I will put her in the laying bin and she'll climb straight out. And this will go on for too many days..........but eventually she will just go, dig, lay, and appear to forget all about everything except food again.......

Now, I might be wrong but it seems to me from my girl and from anecdotes on the forum that many chameleons just don't like raised laying bins. If you have a huge bin so that she thinks she is laying eggs at ground level that might work better.

P.s. she does appear gravid (but she ate 3 days ago - Jasmine left it more than a week after eating last time), and she doesn't need any extra stress but if you let Camo get near her you will be surer.......That way at least you'll know you're not putting her in the bin for nothing.
 
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Looks Preggers to me... The constipation you are referring too might be her eggbound... I don't have much experience of my own with any femail vields, however I have done extensive research in plans to breed in the very near future. If she was ready to lay eggs I'm sure she should have started to dig in your plants or laying bin by now... Is she weak at all? Restless? Hyper?

I am continuing to research these symptoms that your hunnie is having and I will make sure to pass on any useful information I have.

One Note: You stated she has been pretty moody towards you.. I read that a pregnant ready to lay female will be very MOODY towards her male counterpart. This might give you another clue if you were to show her to him.


I hear ya on the bad timing of moving her to her big girl cage... It doesn't seem like stress to me though, as your one picture showed her @ the bottom just staring... I would try placing her into the laying bin a couple more times. Maybe start a little scratch in the surface?

A veiled chameleon will go in a distinctive pattern completely different to normal colours if she is pregnant signifying to the males in that species that she is not interested in their advances.

I really hope I may have helped a bit with this. I wish I knew a bit more about gravid females... Keep us updated, and I will keep looking for you!

Thanks Abooooooo...lol...I do appreciate your help! I guess I knew she's gravid, but she's been playing me like a finely tuned piano and its been stressing me out, BIG TIME!! (haha..damn cham!) I needed confirmation!

So, I put Isis next to Camo (with a screen between them!) and HE went craaaazy; she not so much, but she didn't run either! So she's definately receptive! I'm going to give her a few more days and see how it goes. I'm paranoid with my little girl as she's already been very sick in her short year and I've had to nurse her back from the brink which scared me to death. I don't want to leave it too long and have her become eggbound with the chance I could lose her. I'd be absolutely devastated!

I will keep everyone updated, but again thanks for your help! :)
 
Well, if Jasmine has taught me anything it's that she will dig around in the wrong places and look pathetic and be totally stressful (to me). And I will put her in the laying bin and she'll climb straight out. And this will go on for too many days..........but eventually she will just go, dig, lay, and appear to forget all about everything except food again.......

Now, I might be wrong but it seems to me from my girl and from anecdotes on the forum that many chameleons just don't like raised laying bins. If you have a huge bin so that she thinks she is laying eggs at ground level that might work better.

P.s. she does appear gravid (but she ate 3 days ago - Jasmine left it more than a week after eating last time), and she doesn't need any extra stress but if you let Camo get near her you will be surer.......That way at least you'll know you're not putting her in the bin for nothing.

Thanks David, ahhhhh....feeling like I need a drink! When she lays this time I'm going to hand out cigars or something! I swear she's testing me!

I'm going to keep an eye on her and consider buying a garbage can for her to lay! I know thats what Jannb uses, although I'm not free ranging. However I can keep her in the bin until she lays, dammit!! :rolleyes:
 
So, I put Isis next to Camo (with a screen between them!) and HE went craaaazy; she not so much, but she didn't run either! So she's definately receptive! I'm going to give her a few more days and see how it goes. I'm paranoid with my little girl as she's already been very sick in her short year and I've had to nurse her back from the brink which scared me to death. I don't want to leave it too long and have her become eggbound with the chance I could lose her. I'd be absolutely devastated!

If she's receptive she's not gravid. If she were gravid she would go black and gape at the very least. http://s648.beta.photobucket.com/user/monia_5/media/HPNX0235.jpg.html

Now I'm really sorry for bringing it up in the first place ....... :eek:
 
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Once a female begins egg production, it can take anywhere from 3-5 weeks for her to lay.
so she may simply not be ready.

as long as you provide a lay bin, and she isnt sick, she should lay all on her own.
 
Thanks Abooooooo...lol...I do appreciate your help! I guess I knew she's gravid, but she's been playing me like a finely tuned piano and its been stressing me out, BIG TIME!! (haha..damn cham!) I needed confirmation!

So, I put Isis next to Camo (with a screen between them!) and HE went craaaazy; she not so much, but she didn't run either! So she's definately receptive! I'm going to give her a few more days and see how it goes. I'm paranoid with my little girl as she's already been very sick in her short year and I've had to nurse her back from the brink which scared me to death. I don't want to leave it too long and have her become eggbound with the chance I could lose her. I'd be absolutely devastated!

I will keep everyone updated, but again thanks for your help! :)

Well if there is one thing I've picked up from this whole thread is that you do indeed care about her with everything you got... You may be overreacting though, which is totally understandable :) Your cham looks as healthy as an ox, and seems to be energetic and fine! I think she is gravid and you should start to see some activity in your laying bin soon! I know you will both get through this soon, so don't sweat it! Keep us updated please!
 
Yes, first keep calm :) I would simply stop worrying and keep offering food until you see her start scratching around. She will do this before she needs to lay, she's not completely stupid and she has done it before. That's probably why she's so pissed off this time :)
 
Picture heavy!!

Okay. So this morning she was not looking happy and she's looking terribly chubby so I just had to know, so I decided to let her physically 'meet' Camo, just to be sure. This is what happened:

Ohhhhh....she's SO pretty! Is she really for me, Mom?
001.jpg
005.JPG

He was about to 'mount' her but she didn't have good balance....
007.JPG

So they tried to get firmer footing...but Camo was too heavy for her, so she lost her balance
009.JPG

At this point Camo became very aggressive and was really, really trying to get 'er done but again, no solid footing. I put my hand in to catch Isis as they both fell onto my hand, Camo on top of Isis and about to do the 'deed' right on my hand. Can you say AWKWARD? lol...I seperated them at this point and put Isis back in her cage. This was Camo - so completely full of disappointment! lol...he's so cute!
010.jpg

So....NOT GRAVID, but receptive. I would love to let them mate and while I have plans in the future to breed, now is not the proper time, especially when I'm having a stress attack over egg laying. More research is required before I take on THAT monster...so for now I have left the laying bin in her cage and will keep an eye on her. Food is being reduced and temps are down.

Thanks everyone for the help! :eek:
 
I hate to burst your bubble, but this thread is almost 2 years old.
Yeah I saw that and I have been trying to read as many old forums as I can to learn as much as I can. So it helps me to reply to any thread so I'll remember it. Did anyone find out what happen with this
 
Hi there, odd to see a post from a couple years ago but an update is indeed in order: Isis never mated with Camo, she ended up passing 4 months after surgery to help her as she had become eggbound. I miss her terribly. I also no longer have Camo; my old love lived to 5 and a half years old. Not bad for a guy with chronic health problems! I have a lot of memories old guy and he taught me a lot!

I now have 5.2 veileds, 4.2 panthers and 2.6 Jackson's!! :D
 
un sure

what's the best substrate to use when she is ready to lay her eggs? everyone says play sand but store owners say no.
 
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