Possibly Preggo?

[thealissa]

I have a female veiled who is about 7 or 8 months old (you never really know for sure when you buy from a Petsmart...) and she has recently developed blue spots. These aren't the "robins egg" blue color, more of a darker blue. Also, they aren't in the typical location of a gravid female, and she doesn't have any orange spots either. Her spots are different sizes and all over her body...

She hasn't been near the bottom of her cage lately, so I'm not sure if she's developing an infertile clutch or not. I also keep her temps in the low 80's and only feed her 6-10 crickets (or about 4 superworms) every other day to lower her chances of laying a clutch.

Should I wait a little longer and see if she develops the usual gravid markings or starts going to the bottom of her cage? She does look a little chubby, but she always looks that way. I will try to get a few pictures when I can.

Any ideas or thoughts?

 

[jannb]

I'd put a lay bin in just incase. Cut back on the superworms. They are very fatty. Try silkworms they are much better for her. Pictures would be helpful.

 

[Lancecham]

It's also possible that she is starting to get very close to being receptive. The orange spots may develop very soon.

 

[thealissa]

I just saw her a couple of hours ago (she's currently not living with me, but will be soon) and the orange spots are developing.

In the morning I will be placing a laying bin in her cage. These will be infertile eggs. How do I check to know if she's laid them or not? Will I be able to tell at the end of the day just from looking at her, or do I need to physically check her bin each night? Also, about how many days will it take her to lay them? I understand that it depends on her comfort level... She isn't disturbed (not even walked by) all day except when she gets fed and misted.

Thanks for the quick responses!

 

[kinyonga]

Its hard to determine when the first clutch will be laid...but providing her with a suitable place in her cage to dig to lay them will help you to know. When she's ready, she may dig several test holes but should finally settle on one and dig it until she's content with it. It could take several days. She will then turn around bum down (usually in the evening) and lay the eggs, fill in the hole and tamp it down and return to the branches.

While she's digging you shouldn't let her see you watching her or she will abandon the hole. If it happens often enough, it can lead to eggbinding. You can feed her and water her while she is not digging and is up in the branches....but don't leave any uneaten insects in the cage once she has started digging.

I always dig up infertile eggs just to make sure she laid them and to count how many she laid...and to look at the condition of them.

 

[thealissa]

Its hard to determine when the first clutch will be laid...but providing her with a suitable place in her cage to dig to lay them will help you to know. When she's ready, she may dig several test holes but should finally settle on one and dig it until she's content with it. It could take several days. She will then turn around bum down (usually in the evening) and lay the eggs, fill in the hole and tamp it down and return to the branches.

While she's digging you shouldn't let her see you watching her or she will abandon the hole. If it happens often enough, it can lead to eggbinding. You can feed her and water her while she is not digging and is up in the branches....but don't leave any uneaten insects in the cage once she has started digging.

I always dig up infertile eggs just to make sure she laid them and to count how many she laid...and to look at the condition of them.

Is it possible that she doesn't lay them all at once? How long should I leave the laying bin in there to ensure that she's done?

No one will be watching her lay the eggs, so I'm hoping she lays them soon. She has a small dish of greens in her cage right now, in case she gets hungry enough to eat them. She hasn't been eating as much these past couple of days. Is that normal?

 

[kinyonga]

Chameleons should lay them all at once. If they don't its often a sign of a problem.

Many chameleons don't eat much in the last couple of days before laying eggs but I've had a few that eat right up to the day they lay them.

 

[thealissa]

Okay, so, this afternoon I went through her laying bin (which was placed into the cage on Sunday morning) and I found nothing. The tub (18 gallons) has a mixture of organic soil and play sand, mostly play sand. I tested it out, and it's moist enough for her to dig a tunnel in without it collapsing onto her.

How do I tell if she's egg bearing, or just receptive? How long should I keep the tub inside of her cage?