Possible Egg binding?

Commander

New Member
Hello, I am new to the forum.
Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon - Veiled female - 21 months old
* Handling - Never (only to administer oxytocin shots)
* Feeding - Crickets, meal worms, wax worms, superworms. Crickets are fed with vegetables and protein.

* Supplements - Crickets eat on a mixture of tropical fish food/cat food
* Watering - 1 gallon dripper distributed 3 times through the day. Misting several times (warm water).
* Fecal Description - Her last few poops have been white with a tinge of yellos (hasn't eaten in a while0
* History -Got her from a reptile show in 2009. Has been healthy until now.

Cage Info:

* Cage Type - 4'X3'X3' cage, mesh cage similar to aluminum screen cage
* Lighting - Reptisun 5.0 basking spot at 95 degrees
* Temperature - at night she has a 10 degree drop. But the cage ranges from 95 to about 75 degrees.
* Humidity - I spray her enclosure several times per day.
* Plants - Umbrella and ficus
* Placement - 5 gallon egg laying bin in the cage. Part of the large umbrella plant obscures the bucket, so she has privacy. She is in a separate room . * Location - United States

Our issue:A while ago, (November 24), 10 days ago, she went into her bin and dug and dug, and was there Thursday morning. Thursday (November 25) evening, she came out of her bucket, and I counted 11 eggs. She still looked like she had a couple of eggs in her, so I asked Vince, her owner, if he should take her to the vet. He got upset, and told me that she was not retaining any eggs, and that it is impossible for her to do so because she already laid. She stopped eating about 2 weeks before that.

On December 4, Saturday, she was weak and tired. She was walking around, but I could tell that she was not feeling well. Vince got upset when I told him to take her to the vet, and we did have a fight. He took her to the vet yesterday (Dec 6) and she had x-rays, feeding, and oxytocin shot at the vet. On the x-ray were about 6 or 7 eggs that did have shells on them. The vet told Vince to continue oxytocin (.02mL every 8 hours) for 6 doses, and then wait for a week.

Today, I saw she was back in her laying bin (I can see her through the tinted window) but she dug a hole and covered it over without laying any eggs! I called the vet, and the tech said that if she doesn't lay by tomorrow, call them for another appointment. I told Vince, but he is at work, and I don't know if he is on board. Is it likely that she can still lay her few eggs? The vet said she is gravid, he didn't mention egg binding and he does have chameleons.

While writing this, Vince called again, got angry and hung up when I told him that she probably needs the surgery performed. I am really stressed. Is there any hope for the Oxytocin shots to work? I have been helping Vince with this chameleon for almost 2 years, and so far he has not appreciated my help. i am only doing this for the little girl.

The reason for my panic is the eggs are in the same spot they have been in for many weeks. They have not budged, and now she is not eating on her own and is very weak.

Thank you for any and all help.
 
Hey,
Sorry for your situation. I only have experience with panthers but hopefully it will help you. I recently had my female lay her eggs after a couple of days digging. I thought about her been egg bound but what I did was place her in a large laying bin with about 12 inches of substrate so she can dig. Mine took a day and a half to lay, but as a read on another post either they lay or they spend their time trying to get out. Hopefully yours will lay, just give her complete privacy and a light so she can stay warm during the day. If it doesn't work I would recommend taking her to the vet once again.
 
Trying placing her in a large garbage bin that she cannot get out of when it it filled with 12 inches of sand, soil, moss, or a mix. Put a branch in it and maybe a fake plant. I would definitely listen to your vet. The oxytocin should help her lay the gags, and placing her in the bin gives her no option but to sit on the branch or to dig like she would naturally. That being said, the extra eggs may have been in her for too long and anything you do would not help except for surgery. Remain optimistic though as oxytonin has helped many members and their females.

Leave her alone and don't let her see anyone. Make a teeny peep hole in the laying bin to keep an eye on her, but don't let her know that you are on to her.
 
Thank you for your replies. Yes, I am going to do the trash bin trick while Vince is out tomorrow. We actually have a tinted window into her room, and there is no way possible for her to see us looking. We don't go in there because I heard a few months ago that she will abandon the hole. Thank you, and I WILL remain optomisic :)
 
Oxytocin works quite quickly if its going to work...not days later. Since she dug and filled the hole in I would think she can't lay the eggs....if she is getting weaker then she won't have the energy to lay them either....but its only my opinion...I'm not a vet.
 
Oxytocin works quite quickly if its going to work...not days later. Since she dug and filled the hole in I would think she can't lay the eggs....if she is getting weaker then she won't have the energy to lay them either....but its only my opinion...I'm not a vet.
That's what I am thinking. She thought she laid the eggs. Vince is absolutely not going for the surgery because he took that as a sign that she is not ready to lay the eggs. Are there any foundations I can turn to for help? This is not my chameleon, but I cannot just let her die. I am still trying to do everything I can. I am in my last year of college and living on student loans that won't even amount to the cost of a surgery. I'm here begging Vince to relinquish her to the SPCA so they can do what is best for her. From the looks of it, she is bound.
 
I don't know what state you live in and I live in Canada....but if you post it I'm sure someone can tell you of a place near you.
 
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