Laying bin questions.

[happiness]

My veiled chameleon has been actively moving around her cage lately.. Mainly up and down the left side of the cage, pushing her face against the screen and avoiding the trashcan I set out for her to use. She continues down a vine beside the trash can and heads back up the screen side, pushing her face going up, then comes back down on the vine near the bottom, passing the cage again and repeating. I'm wondering if this is possibly because I have a shelf full of plants with a light above it right next to her cage, maybe shes trying to get to it? Maybe I should cover the cage?

Also, she hasn't been eating as much as she usually would. When I put the feeding cup in, she isn't racing over like she would either. She will only catch a few crickets when they cross her path. She's also showing yellow/orange spots and also blue.

Is it possible shes denying the laying bin? How do I know she won't use it? I don't want it to be too late and she becomes egg bound. It's a far way down to the sand and I only have the sand/peat mixture up to 5-6inches. I thought used all my sand that I had but I found some more if I do need to put more in. Should I put more plants in the trash can maybe? Suggestions? Should I be now covering the cage?

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

Just let her be, she will be fine.

 

[happiness]

Okay. I'm just worried since she has never laid eggs before. So I'm unsure if I'm doing it right.

 

[fleetwoodchams]

My one female has never used the laying bin supplied. Prefers a potted plant every time. So I make sure she has both just in case. Note: soil in potted plant is all natural
NO built in fertilizers etc. which would hurt her or the eggs.

 

[happiness]

My one female has never used the laying bin supplied. Prefers a potted plant every time. So I make sure she has both just in case. Note: soil in potted plant is all natural
NO built in fertilizers etc. which would hurt her or the eggs.

I have a big plant in a pot at the bottom, I'm not sure what it is, it has the same leaves as an umbrella but has many single stems that shoot out with the end of the stem having the 4ish leaves coming off of it. Looking in the pot, there doesn't seem to be a lot of room to dig around the many stems and the dirt is far down. Would you suggest maybe putting extra potting soil in the plant pot? maybe filling it up all the way to the top? To give her that extra spot to lay? Will the roots/stems interfere with her wanting to lay there?

Thanks!

 

[fleetwoodchams]

I have a big plant in a pot at the bottom, I'm not sure what it is, it has the same leaves as an umbrella but has many single stems that shoot out with the end of the stem having the 4ish leaves coming off of it. Looking in the pot, there doesn't seem to be a lot of room to dig around the many stems and the dirt is far down. Would you suggest maybe putting extra potting soil in the plant pot? maybe filling it up all the way to the top? To give her that extra spot to lay? Will the roots/stems interfere with her wanting to lay there?

Thanks!

Please check the SAFE plant list for chameleons. I have panthers which don't eat plants but your veiled will! Maybe best to get rid of that potted plant and get a safe one with safe soil. Also she would have digging room if she decides on the plant instead of the bin.
Here are the most common safe plants used.

Ficus benjamina - "weeping fig"
Schefflera arboricola - "dwarf schefflera"
Epipremium aureum - "pothos"

Here's the link to plants used with chams
https://www.chameleonforums.com/plants/

 

[happiness]

I wanted to post an update on my veiled chameleon. When I weighed her on march 28th she was 72G's, I weighed her today and she is now 84G's

She still pushes her face up against the cage constantly. I've since covered the whole cage and placed dirt in her plant pot. Now she hangs upside down and pushes her face against the UVB bulb. (working on getting a tube for her)

Is this normal behavior for a gravid female to be pushes her head against the cage and hanging upside down like she is. Her appetite has become very low.. I've been dropping crickets in her cage and they'll hang out on the side of the screen without her interested at all. She would have eaten them quickly about a month ago.. She doesn't even want her stick bugs and her urates has become a light yellow color . Both poop and urates are very small as well. I have the mister on 3 times a day for 12-15 minutes and a dripper going. I changed the mister tonight to 4 times for 3-5 minutes every 3 hours hoping it'll bring her whites back.

I wasn't able to get a picture of her pushes her face against the UVB bulb upside down but I did get one of her trying to get back on her branch after a 100th unsuccessful attempt of whatever she's doing..

I really hope she lays these eggs without a problem and can go back to being a happy, healthy, eating machine with white urates.

I also changed out the laying box to something smaller and easier to climb in. She still ignores it, she'll walk on the bendy vine I have, walk through the dirt even and climb straight down the bucket to the bottom and begin to push her face against the screen. Sometimes when I open the cage door she'll notice and come out. Could there be something wrong with the cage? :\