Keeping the Nesting Bin Dry?

[tkilgour]

I am trying to find out a great way to keep my nesting bins dry. With the misting system running the sand gets soaked at the end of each week and I find myself constantly replacing wet sand with damp sand.

I could put something over the bin each time the mist comes on. However, that gets to be a constant task. A task I can't possibly meet every day, because I am not always here when the mist comes on.

I have drilled holes in the bottom of the bins and this helps but not enough.

Can anyone give me some pointers on this? Thanks

 

[justjumpit621]

maybe turn the misting nozzles away from the lay bins and only onto a plant? you may have to rearrange your setup for that but at least they wouldn't get soaked.

 

[Lancecham]

How about something more permanent. maybe you can fasten something above the laying bin to shield water from entering the laying bin. The female will fine her way in.
I even have used a plastic dinner plate on ocassion, especially on my way out to work and notice a female starting to dig.

 

[tkilgour]

How about something more permanent. maybe you can fasten something above the laying bin to shield water from entering the laying bin. The female will fine her way in.
I even have used a plastic dinner plate on ocassion, especially on my way out to work and notice a female starting to dig.

This is a good idea! I was actually messing around with the bin's lid, trying to do exactly that. I just wasn't sure the female would still find her way there or get distracted.

maybe turn the misting nozzles away from the lay bins and only onto a plant? you may have to rearrange your setup for that but at least they wouldn't get soaked.

I did rearrange everything and tried that method. Unfortunaltely, it didn't work 100%. I am guessing when the vines and perches get wet the water runs and drips. Thus, the water still finds it's way into the sand. It did keep the sand from getting soaked, but in the long run I still get very wet sand.

Thanks for your tips!! I'll keep working at it.

 

[Texas Panther Man]

If you come up with anything keep us posted. I need to figure out something for my females also.

 

[sandrachameleon]

I just put the lid on when not in use.

 

[kinyonga]

sandrachameleon...how do you know when the female wants to use it then??

 

[robmd1]

was wonderin bout this too good idea lance tks maybe not a dinner plate but now ya got me thinkin in the rite direction..

 

[Todnedo]

sandrachameleon...how do you know when the female wants to use it then??

Female panthers will stop feeding a few days before they lay their eggs, thats a good time to put the " nesting bin" in their cage.

 

[kinyonga]

Sorry...but they all don't stop eating...so if they don't have access to the laying bin it could lead to eggbinding if there aren't other obvious signs.

 

[tkilgour]

Sorry...but they all don't stop eating...so if they don't have access to the laying bin it could lead to eggbinding if there aren't other obvious signs.

You make a good point. I had a female Ambilobe lay her eggs Monday afternoon around 3 pm. I fed her 4 small crickets and a super worm that morning and she eat it all as if nothing was bothering her. Around 3 pm she laid a fertile clutch.

Female panthers will stop feeding a few days before they lay their eggs, thats a good time to put the " nesting bin" in their cage.

Most of my girls have stopped eating several days prior. I have had several that kept eating right up to the day.

I just put the lid on when not in use.

This would be an ideal solution, but it will not always work for me. The misting system goes off a lot during the day, many of the times when I am not here. Therefore, I can't possibly put a lid over the nesting sites every time. I would worry I left the lid on and the female needed to get into the sand to start digging. Basically, I am a paranoid cham owner and would worry the entire time I was gone. I have to agree, It sure would make things more simple.

New sand is going in the nests today, I hope I can figure out some simple solution to this pesky problem.

 

[gad58y]

where abouts is your laying bin positioned in you viv/cage? and what laying substrate are your using?
if its was under the basking area,some of your substrate would dry out between mistings,also you could take your spraying time down by a few seconds.


graeme

 

[Todnedo]

Sorry...but they all don't stop eating...so if they don't have access to the laying bin it could lead to eggbinding if there aren't other obvious signs.

Another clue would be increased activity, especially climbing around near the bottom of the cage.

 

[sandrachameleon]

sandrachameleon...how do you know when the female wants to use it then??

After all these years, Im pretty tuned-in to when they are ready. How they look, how they behave, etc. I take the lid off (or put the bin in if its not already there) when they appear ready - actually usually several days ahead of time.

Each one has its own signals - its true that they dont always stop eating, one of the ones I have now would eat while laying eggs, I am quite sure. Both of the girls I have currently get pissy with me in the days prior to laying, and one becomes far more active in the lower portions of her cage. This one also stops eating in the days prior. The other one is always quite active, always quite hungry, but usually docile and will even tolerate handling - except in the week or so prior to laying when she becomes an evil monster, and will bite anything that is nearby (branches, fingers, plant leaves...).

When a female is new to me, has never laid for me before and thus I do not yet know her unique signals, I leave a small shallow bowl of sand on the bottom of the cage. I dump it out and replace every week (since it is uncovered it can get wet, get poop in it, and its not a big deal to replace being so small). If I miss her particular signals that she's near ready to lay, I believe she would scratch in the little bowl of sand, or explore the plant pots (which have rocks covering the soil, but if one is desperate Im sure she'd have a go anyhow). Im sure I would notice this behaviour. Luckily, So far, I've never not noticed when a female is ready to lay without this little extra signal, but I think its possible I could fail to clue in, so this is my fail-safe.

 

[sandrachameleon]

This would be an ideal solution, [putting lid on] but it will not always work for me. The misting system goes off a lot during the day, many of the times when I am not here. Therefore, I can't possibly put a lid over the nesting sites every time. I would worry I left the lid on and the female needed to get into the sand to start digging. Basically, I am a paranoid cham owner and would worry the entire time I was gone. I have to agree, It sure would make things more simple.

How about an elevated lid, like a roof. She could get in under and dig, but the water would run off the roof, which could be angled so the water all goes to one side or end.

 

[kinyonga]

sandrachameleon...I basically asked the question because there are people who have not kept chameleons before who may not know the signs and might leave the lid on too long...but I should have just pointed that out instead of asking.