Prevention of laying?

[Azaria]

Hey all. My veil just laid her third batch of eggs since I've owned her (about two years). So far it's been every 6 months, and six months ago, someone told me she lays too often and it isn't good for her. I asked about prevention, but no one answered me.

So now I'm wondering, what can I do over the next six months to slow this down?

Currently, she has a 65 gallon mesh cage with her own ficus and sand bin (I add it when she gives me her gravid symptoms), with coil uvb and a 75 watt bulb for warmth (I am concerned about taking this away as my house is really cold). I don't feed her every day. In the past, along with crickets, I would buy her wax worms once a month or so, before I realized they were fatty goodness that would probably make her lay eggs more. Then this time around, I moved across town and didn't have access to good crickets anymore, so I fed hornworms for admittedly, too long. Fortunately, she was happy to switch back to crickets recently.

I realize both the worms are probably the wrong food, especially for slowing down her laying, and will be more thoughtful of that in the future. As well, I believe I was told cooler temperatures help, but like I said, my house is soo cold, and I am afraid without the heat bulb, she won't be warm enough at all.

But what are some other ways to slow down her cycle?

 

[bwert435]

found this cruising the web might help out

http://screameleons.com/5-tips-to-keep-your-female-chameleon-healthy/

 

[kinyonga]

What species?

If it's a veiled, I seem to be able to control them by diet and to some extent temperature.

 

[Azaria]

It looks like the only option left for me is to go down to a 50 watt... I pretty much do most of that already.

She's a veil.

 

[Azaria]

Looking into things, I've come to decide that my temps are naturally a bit low anyway, this time of year, so I don't know what I'll do at all, especially come summer, because my house is a sauna. I guess these tips just don't work for her.

Is it cruel to resign myself to the fact that she might just lay herself to death in the next year or two? I know she is at least two years old already. She could live a natural life span...

 

[kinyonga]

The point of reducing the temperature slightly is to slow down her metabolism...but you enter want to make it so slow that she can't digest her food and become constipated.

IMHO it has more to do with when you start to control her diet in her cycle and then maintaining that control. You don't want to hurt her or damage her organs, etc in the process.

 

[Azaria]

I feel like I'd have to chart her cycle for years to really get it. I have never really examined the timing before, I just notice her pregnant rituals (she's pretty obvious) and give her sand.

 

[pssh]

Well once she has laid her eggs, feed her well with a little extra calcium fir several days (and keep her well hydrated too of course.) At this point, you should lower her food intake and keep her basking temps in the low 80s. However, if she is already gravid do not lower her food or basking temps until she has laid and recovered. As long as her temps are in the 80s she should be able to live just fine. This can (not always) stop egg laying or create smaller clutches that are easier on her body.