Question about lowering egg production or even stopping it in female veiled chameleons…

[kinyonga]

For those of you who are trying to lower the number of egg laid per clutch and the number of clutches laid by your veiled females…

In addition to cutting the “diet” back to 3 to 4 cricket sized insects 3 times a week and keeping the temperature at 80F…what supplements do you use and how often for each, and what specifically do you feed the insects. I’m looking for specific brands, etc of supplements and gut loads.

Also, what has the result been? How many eggs do your females lay and how often? How old are your females and how long have you been doing the “diet” thing?

 

[GrannyK]

I’ve never bred but want to follow for responses. Looking to breed in the future but not quite prepared. Still researching!

 

[elizaann2]

I’ve followed this strictly for about 6 months. Before I didn’t realize the basking temp shouldn’t go above 80 so if you count when i cut back food but basking would go to 85 degrees then I’d say about 10-11 months.

First clutch -Oct 2022 - 31 eggs
Second clutch - January 28 - 24 eggs
Showing receptive colors 6/7 - no eggs yet, watching to see if she didn’t produce eggs this time around.

I feed her 3-5 feeders Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday

MWF- mixture of crickets, silkworms but mostly Dubia or BSLF or BSF. Dusted with Repti calcium w/o vit D. I rotate how many bugs are fed. If I do 5 on Monday, then Wednesday I do 3, and Friday I do 4 for example. It’s a mix but I never feed 5 consistently.

Saturday is treat bug day, dusted with Rep-cal with D3 on the first and 3rd Saturday of each month. The 2nd and 4th is Reptivite multivitamin w/o D3. She gets 3 treat bugs.

Temps daily are 72-77 degrees gradient in the enclosure. I now watch her basking light very closely and keep it at 80. If it goes to 81 I promptly turn it off. Basking light is on from 8:30 am to 10 am daily.

Night temps are 65-68

I usually keep a spreadsheet of all this info to track it in case I need to share husbandry info with my vet or you all. I would be happy to keep a better track of all this if you are gathering continued info.

 

[elizaann2]

Oh bugs are fed fresh squash, butternut squash, carrots, apples, mustard greens, sweet potatoes and orange slices every other day. I dont use any commercial gut loads.

 

[Sonny13]

My girl becomes in september 3 years old. And luckily I found CF before she became receptive the first time and I put her on the female diet at around 6 months.

First clutch of 21 eggs laid 19 May ‘21
Second clutch of 23 eggs 19 September ‘21
Third clutch of 19 eggs 20 January ‘22
Fourth clutch of 22 eggs 16 May ‘22
Fifth clutch of 23 eggs 9 October ‘22
Sixth clutch of 20 eggs 10 February ‘23
Seventh clutch of 19 eggs 20 July ‘23

I feed her at Wednesday, Friday and Sunday 3-4 medium sized feeders (crickets, locusts, Dubai’s, superworm (beetles), redrunners)
And use Arcadia Earth Pro-A every feeding and every other week on Sunday Arcadia Revitalise D.
She lives free range and basking temp is max 78 and only underneath the light. The rest is room temperature.
No other animals in the room. However clear view to the outside trees and when receptive, she goes out of her free range on floor sitting in front of the window staring outside, in better words presenting herself to the outside world.
Gutload the feeders with all kinds of vegetables and fruits, just what are left during cooking (before cooking )

 

[elizaann2]

Oh bugs are fed fresh squash, butternut squash, carrots, apples, mustard greens, sweet potatoes and orange slices every other day. I dont use any commercial gut loads.

My girl is estimated a year and a half years old.

 

[kinyonga]

Please also mention if you use anything like bee pollen, spirulina, kelp, etc in the gut load or added to the dusting. I’m trying to get a full picture of certain aspects of the care, etc. to see what might be playing a part in the results…clutch size and whether or not you can get them turned off reproduction or not.

@elizaann2 …thanks for mentioning the age too.

 

[Sonny13]

I’m not using any those. Did in the beginning use bee pollen and Arcadia insect fuel for the gutload, but stopped with that for almost an year.

 

[elizaann2]

I just started using bee pollen literally this weekend.

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

Hello all it’s been a long time . I quickly wanted to put my input in .

My last three females have successfully had no clutches. I keep my temperatures at 79° basking ambient 73 with a drop to 63 at night. I feed silkworms , and roaches only and make my own got load , of course silk worms do not need anything . I only use calcium with d once a month through the winter months . Otherwise I do not use any supplements . I find most keepers with females over supplement and way over heat . For anyone who doesn’t know me I live in Massachusetts , Best of luck all. Kristen

For those of you who are trying to lower the number of egg laid per clutch and the number of clutches laid by your veiled females…

In addition to cutting the “diet” back to 3 to 4 cricket sized insects 3 times a week and keeping the temperature at 80F…what supplements do you use and how often for each, and what specifically do you feed the insects. I’m looking for specific brands, etc of supplements and gut loads.

Also, what has the result been? How many eggs do your females lay and how often? How old are your females and how long have you been doing the “diet” thing?

 

[kinyonga]

@Kristen Wilkins …
Is there calcium in your gut load? What is in your gut load?
How old are your females?

 

[kinyonga]

I’m not using any those. Did in the beginning use bee pollen and Arcadia insect fuel for the gutload, but stopped with that for almost a year.

There’s still some bee pollen in the supplements you use, isn’t there? Do you know how much?

 

[jannb]

@Kristen Wilkins …
Is there calcium in your gut load? What is in your gut load?
How old are your females?

I’m not sure about her gutload but she has my girls and they are 5.5 years old.

 

[Sonny13]

There’s still some bee pollen in the supplements you use, isn’t there? Do you know how much?

Not directly, need to search for it. Let you know asap.

 

[kinyonga]

Thanks @jannb !
They are doing great then!!
You both must be happy with the fact that they are 5.5 years old now!


Just trying to see if I can figure out why some of the veiled females can be turned off of reproduction completely and why others still produce clutches even though the number of eggs is smaller.

 

[elizaann2]

Would it be helpful if I made a care guide on the diet?

 

[MissSkittles]

Grumpy (veiled) - improper care until around 5-6 months old and did not really follow regimen when she laid between 35-40 eggs 8/2019. Started regimen around Nov/Dec. Laid same amount 2/2020. Did not produce any eggs again. Gradually colors and receptive periods faded in about 2 years time. She passed from presumed cancer (site unknown) last month at about 4 1/2 years old.
Stella (veiled) - Obtained from Petco at around 4-5 months old 9/2019. Regimen started Nov/Dec. Laid 44 eggs 3/2020, about 35 eggs 3/2021 and 26 eggs 4/2022. Has had gravid coloring for past month. I wondered if she was ever triggered by my male Hammlet. They were aware of each other and she was sneaky in stealing peeks of him at every chance. She did see him in March before he passed.
Kali (panther) - correct husbandry since hatching 6/2021. Is very petite and thankfully has never laid any eggs.
Since forever, I’ve been adding a very small amount of bee pollen and spirulina to my Bug Burger when I make it…just a generous pinch of each. Primary feeder diet is fresh produce with just a small amount of Bug Burger. Staple feeders rotate between crickets, discoid roaches, silkworms. I tend to feed smaller sized bugs (1/2” more or less) so give about 4-5 on Mon, Wed & Fri. Saturday or Sunday is for treats - either a true treat bug like wax worm, superworm, etc or just an extra staple feeder.
Zoo Med ReptiCalcium without D3 every feeding (except for treats) and until this year used ReptiVite with D3 once every other week. Currently using Repashy calcium plus LoD.
Is too stressful to get past dog and cats to have outside time for chams and no free range either.

 

[Sonny13]

There’s still some bee pollen in the supplements you use, isn’t there? Do you know how much?

The Arcadia Earth Pro-A has 0,5% bee pollen per kilogram (5 gram per kilogram).
Can't find anything about the amount in the RevitaliseD3, but also contains bee pollen

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

@Kristen Wilkins …
Is there calcium in your gut load? What is in your gut load?
How old are your females?

Yes , also my son Hunter does all the growing for the gut load . He’s going to school for functional medicine/plant science. He had taking over that job . He handles the soil and plants for the gut load . As Jann said 5.5. , Francis was 4.5. And. Patient was 3.5. Francis was the only one that ever had a clutch. It is posted under my one of my threats . It would’ve been a while back. I haven’t been on in a few years.

 

[Sonny13]

Grumpy (veiled) - improper care until around 5-6 months old and did not really follow regimen when she laid between 35-40 eggs 8/2019. Started regimen around Nov/Dec. Laid same amount 2/2020. Did not produce any eggs again. Gradually colors and receptive periods faded in about 2 years time. She passed from presumed cancer (site unknown) last month at about 4 1/2 years old.
Stella (veiled) - Obtained from Petco at around 4-5 months old 9/2019. Regimen started Nov/Dec. Laid 44 eggs 3/2020, about 35 eggs 3/2021 and 26 eggs 4/2022. Has had gravid coloring for past month. I wondered if she was ever triggered by my male Hammlet. They were aware of each other and she was sneaky in stealing peeks of him at every chance. She did see him in March before he passed.
Kali (panther) - correct husbandry since hatching 6/2021. Is very petite and thankfully has never laid any eggs.
Since forever, I’ve been adding a very small amount of bee pollen and spirulina to my Bug Burger when I make it…just a generous pinch of each. Primary feeder diet is fresh produce with just a small amount of Bug Burger. Staple feeders rotate between crickets, discoid roaches, silkworms. I tend to feed smaller sized bugs (1/2” more or less) so give about 4-5 on Mon, Wed & Fri. Saturday or Sunday is for treats - either a true treat bug like wax worm, superworm, etc or just an extra staple feeder.
Zoo Med ReptiCalcium without D3 every feeding (except for treats) and until this year used ReptiVite with D3 once every other week. Currently using Repashy calcium plus LoD.
Is too stressful to get past dog and cats to have outside time for chams and no free range either.

Wow, once a year. Bella sits at almost 3 times a year, every 4 months