Need some advice

[dreamforthedead]

My female chameleon has been off her food for 5 days now, she normally feeds off my hand 4-6 insects a day but this week she has only taken 1 grass hopper from me. The rest of her food i've put in her viv, i can't see the food but it is possible that the insects got behind the background wall in her viv, behind the background its to dark to see if they are there. So im not certain she has ate them. Normally she's a very friendly happy go lucky little girl and likes to be out, normally when i open her viv she comes and walks on my hand but she's been in an awful mood this week (apart from today) She's my first chameleon, i went on the advice i was given from a lady i got her from but since being on here and searching the web i've learnt a lot of the things she told me were wrong. Like i was told to keep her basking spot in the early 90's and feed her as much as she likes. Known that was wrong i've got her basking spot in the early 80's now and don't give her half as much food as i did before. She's meant to be now 6months old but seeing pics of babies i think she's older... I was told when i got her she was 9weeks old, not sure now. I'm wondering if she has eggs?? She's been gravid for around 3 weeks now, not digging, (have clay in a bucket in her viv) i only use paper towels on her floor. So the bucket is the only place she can go and dig. She stays at the top of her viv most of the day but does come down to the floor every so often, when she does she doesn't scratch the floor. I'm getting really worried about her because it's just not like Mia to not take from my hand, she has done from the day i got her. This is a pic i took of her tonight. https://www.chameleonforums.com/members/dreamforthedead-albums-mia-picture6417-mia.jpg For some reason her gravid colours have not shown on the pic but they are there and very noticeable.

 

[jannb]

She looks pretty young to me but I guess she could have eggs. They normally stop eating before laying but they also stop eating when they are sick. I'd just keep an eye on her for now and if she does start to dig she will need complete privacy. If she see you looking she may stop digging and become egg bound, which can kill them. More pictures from all angles would also be helpful.

 

[Miss Lily]

Amy's feeding slowed right down when she hit the 6 month mark, around the time that she got her adult colouring. If Mia has only just got those colours at 6 months then maybe it's just her adult colouring coming through, or she may be receptive. My first female always had the same colouring no matter what, they just brightened when receptive. She would also stop eating and she would roam around a lot too. She would also not eat for about 10 days before laying.

I know Amy is gravid at the moment too, as I can see the outline of eggs inside her, but she is still eating. She saw me coming with her locust this morning and started poking her tongue out before I had chance to open the cage door, lol!

I agree with Jann - more pics from above looking down will help see how her body shape is. When they are gravid you can see the eggy lump when they are resting just above the back leg where it joins the tail/body. However, they are brilliant at disguising things and my first cham had over 100 eggs in her and still she managed to suck her belly right in!

 

[dreamforthedead]

Amy's feeding slowed right down when she hit the 6 month mark, around the time that she got her adult colouring. If Mia has only just got those colours at 6 months then maybe it's just her adult colouring coming through, or she may be receptive. My first female always had the same colouring no matter what, they just brightened when receptive. She would also stop eating and she would roam around a lot too. She would also not eat for about 10 days before laying.

I know Amy is gravid at the moment too, as I can see the outline of eggs inside her, but she is still eating. She saw me coming with her locust this morning and started poking her tongue out before I had chance to open the cage door, lol!

I agree with Jann - more pics from above looking down will help see how her body shape is. When they are gravid you can see the eggy lump when they are resting just above the back leg where it joins the tail/body. However, they are brilliant at disguising things and my first cham had over 100 eggs in her and still she managed to suck her belly right in!

Would it be possible if you could take some pics of Amy so i can try in see what i'm looking for? I'll take some more of Mia today.

 

[Miss Lily]

It may be easier to find an old pic of Lily - Amy isn't very cooperative at the moment, lol! As soon as I ope the door with the camera she turns and tries to hide! I'll see what I can find in Lily's old pics.

 

[dreamforthedead]

It may be easier to find an old pic of Lily - Amy isn't very cooperative at the moment, lol! As soon as I ope the door with the camera she turns and tries to hide! I'll see what I can find in Lily's old pics.

Camera shy er? Mia loves her photo taken, she knows she's a pretty girl. Haha, thanks for trying to find a pic tho.

 

[Miss Lily]

This is the best I could find. You can see the shape/outline of an egg just above her back leg.

 

[dreamforthedead]

This is the best I could find. You can see the shape/outline of an egg just above her back leg.

Going from that pic i don't think mia has eggs but i'll stil keep an eye on her and get some pics up.

 

[Miss Lily]

Lily was exceptionally large though and hid those eggs well! But you will see a lump when Mia sits a certain way. I could only see those lumps at about 10 days before Lily laid both clutches. Some pics of Mia would be good too!