Odd behavior

[icekap]

Can anyone please tell me why my chameleon keeps "digging" and "sitting" on the floor of her cage? Between 2-4pm like clockwork she travels down the screen to the bottom corner and "digs" under the paper towels, twists in weird motions,"sits" turns herself around and crawls back up the screen to her basking spot. While in the upper part of the cage she is green, curled tail, acts "normal" and seems happy. Then for the last 5 or so days, she travels down to the bottom, turns very dark, her pattern markings are dark and she grabs the screen like a cat on a claw post. Once she starts traveling back up the cage her color immediately gets lighter and "happy green" with a curled tail. WHY ? ?? Is she sick,or stressed ?

Stats:
Female veiled cham, approx. 5months old. Since 5/11/12 she has shed 2times, touched very little but my hands are in her cage - cleaning,feeding...
Cage- 18X18X36 screen, top of cage is approx. 61/2 ft from the floor. Live umbrella plant , artificial plants and branches inside of cage. Now also an egg bin with playsand ,a few leaves just in case. Light family traffic. Paper towels on bottom.
Feeding: gut-loaded (fresh carrots,kale,applesauce, Fluker's cricket quenchers,reptolife powdered suppliment for gutloading) crickets- 15 small /day, mealworms-6/week.
Supplements for dusting- Fluker's calcium w/D3-frequently, Herptivite Rep-Cal-once/week.

Watering- dripper 24hrs/day, hand misting 3-4x/day,Reptifogger 1hr/daily. Humidity 50% using Hygrometer.
Lighting/Temp.- Zoo Med hood w/ Reptisun UVB 5.0 tube light 14hr/day, Neodymium 100watt Basking bulb 12-14hrs/day, Zoo med 60watt daylight blue bulb 14hrs/day. Thermometer readings- Basking area 80-90 degrees, bottom of cage 70-80 degrees.
Stats cont.-Droppings- daily (last being earlier today) , brown- soft but formed w/ white urine part .
History- shedding was amazing to watch and no problems both times. She looks too thin to have eggs but I don't know anyother reason why she has been doing this ceremony lately. Please someone tell me this is normal and that she is not sick.

 

[justjumpit621]

Have you put a laying bin in with her? She may have eggs. Put a 12" pot in her cage with moistened play sand so she can start digging there and lay her eggs if she has some.

 

[PantherEnvy]

She is trying to lay her eggs. Others in this forum will tell you specifcally what you need in a few minutes.

 

[ataraxia]

She doesnt appear to have eggs but pics can be deceiving. She may be a tad older than 5 months. If she is frequently doing as you have stated. My money on that she is looking for a site to prepare and test or even may lay. It is important at this time you give her a good size lay bin that is atleast 12 inches deep with moist sand, soil and this can be mixed. i have good luck with putting a plant in the pot. Good uvb and plain caclium every feeding.

A personal female set up.

 

[icekap]

Thank you very much Her egg bin is just sand, do we need to add soil also?

 

[justjumpit621]

Thank you very much Her egg bin is just sand, do we need to add soil also?

some do, some don't. But it does have to be moist so she can "tunnel" without caving in. Just let her be when she is digging don't bother her or she will just keep running away.

 

[camimom]

it also has to be at least 12 inches deep.

 

[AngieL]

You should look for blogs by jannb on female chameleons. That lady is amazing! and I have gotten a lot of great info from reading her blogs.

 

[icekap]

Thank you everyone! I have made copies of everything and will make adjustments to her home soon. For now, I'll give her privacy.

 

[Psychobunny]

U can use a big bucket or trashcan and fill it about 10 to 14'' with regular potting soil which has no chemicals added (avoid "Miracle Grow). Put some vines and leaves around it for hidding, and place a cover over, or half over, the cage (assuming your dirt bucket is on the cage floor).

Just take a peak every few days.

 

[Elizadolots]

Here's a link to JannB's laying blog, it's probably more applicable to animals that free range, but it definitely has stuff you want to know: https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/jannb/345-egg-laying-laying-bin.html