new to forum question on gravid panther female

[ericchameleons]

I think most on the board would recommend ditching the waterfall. Unless you're cleaning it out every day, it has the potential to be a bacteria disaster.

I would really suggest play sand or a mix of organic soil and play sand for a laying medium. You want it to be moist enough to hold a tunnel (I suggest poking a tunnel out with your finger to a) test the soil and b) give her a hint).

I'm not good on the timeline things...sometimes females that seem huge have quite a bit of time left...other times, females that seem trim are ready to lay.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/laying-bin-set-up-educational-video-77225/

Here watch this, Its an amazing video made by one of our members.

GREAT video now i understand more..and i know what i have to do now is top soil the best recomondation over play sand?

 

[Goldenarcher1328]

GREAT video now i understand more .and i know what i have to do now is top soil the best recomondation over play sand?

Honestly i couldn't tell you whats best for a female who wants to lay eggs. i can tell you that for my burrowing species of reptiles, i use 3/4 soil/peatmoss 1/4 sand. this allows them to burrow without worry of suffocation. what i have heard is that some females are picky about burrowing substrate. I will leave this to an established breeder to answer. I have another 8 months before i start breeding lol!

 

[ericchameleons]

Sounds good well that video made a lot of sense. Now on to her health like I posted her eyes are doing weird things like sucking in a lot and pulsating is tht normal?

 

[Solid Snake]

Your Chameleon -Ambilobe panther chameleon, female, 11 months old, i've had her since she was very little.
Handling - All the time until she started being very still and became pregnant
Feeding - im a reptile salesman so i bring home all kinds of goodies for her. i do crickets but have gave her wax worms, meal worms, and baby goliath worms. ill throw about 6-7 crickets every night and offer her worms throughout the day. with vitamin powder of course
Supplements - reptivite calcium tub and always on her crickets every feeding
Watering - i had a dripper but switched to waterfall she LOVES IT and always drinking until lately she drinks off of her ficus plant. i mist numerous times a day and she does drink
Fecal Description - taken her to dr. greek in yorba linda best in the west! healthy!
History - no

Cage Info:
Cage Type - open air ventilated screen cage sz small.
Lighting - exo terra 125 solar glo uvb/uva and 100 exo terra red night bulb
Temperature -about 85 ambient temp and 95-100 basking spot
Humidity - don't really measure i can tell theres enough
Plants - real ficus plant, fake cannibis, vine and grapewood
Placement - near kitchen on shelf
Location - southern california

GREAT video now i understand more..and i know what i have to do now is top soil the best recomondation over play sand?

Hey!
Welcome to CF!
Just wanted to throw in my 2cents

You are overdoing it on temps and lighting

An ambient temp of 70-75F is desirable, with a basking area of 90-95F.
The reason we dont use redbulbs for chameleons is that a white basking bulb replicates the sun. We dont use them at nite either, because it seems to bother some of them, and keep them awake.
A temp drop of 10F at nite is desirable.(60-65)
However temps into the low 50's are acceptable and safe.

I would suggest working on her cage setup.
Try to create a temp gradient from the 90ish basking, to a 70ish ambient, with a furniture plan that allows access to all areas of the cage.(highways)
But really, that cage is much too small for her anyhow.
A proper size would be 2x2x4.

She looks great!
...and again, welcome to the forum

EDIT: I have no gravid experience, but the most commonly thing I see used, is wet washed playsand, or a 50/50 mix of playsand, and soil.

 

[Solid Snake]

Sounds good well that video made a lot of sense. Now on to her health like I posted her eyes are doing weird things like sucking in a lot and pulsating is tht normal?

If it looks like this, it is just normal eye maintanence.

 

[Elizadolots]

I think 90 is hot for a female.

You really want to create a situation that is a bit shy of "ideal" for a female so she doesn't produce eggs too often. If her body senses that the world is perfect for babies, she'll make eggs.

I would recommend--based on what I've read here over the years--a basking temperature of 80-85 degrees, no higher.

 

[ericchameleons]

Ok thanks a lot for the advice I'm taking everything into consideration and the only thing I am still worried about her eyes is it normal? I'll try to make a bid and post tomorrow stay posted

 

[kinyonga]

I have used this sand for years with no problems....
http://www.homedepot.ca/product/king-play-sand-20kg/902209
I would not recommend using vermiculite....vermiculite is used to incubate the eggs in, not for a substrate for them to lay them in.

 

[camimom]

has anyone noticed that the first post the OP said that he got this and she was already pregnant,
then the second post says that he has had her since she was very little?

so which is it?

Im concerned about the back and forth and contradicting statements here.

 

[Elizadolots]

has anyone noticed that the first post the OP said that he got this and she was already pregnant,
then the second post says that he has had her since she was very little?

so which is it?

Im concerned about the back and forth and contradicting statements here.

It did sound like he just got it and it was already pregnant, but I think it might be a grammar/language issue.

 

[camimom]

It did sound like he just got it and it was already pregnant, but I think it might be a grammar/language issue.

ok. just seems confusing is all.