Sambava Panther Digging but NOT PREGNANT

[Neoki]

Hello,
I have woken up to Jess digging in the corner of the Exo Terra,

I have uploaded pictures below.

I assume this is to do with heat and temps at the time are between 26-29 Deg Cel

After I allowed her to walk onto my hand she looked very annoyed.

The reason I say she is not pregnant is because she has never come in contact with males from the age of 2 months up.

 

[KarmaChameleon1337]

She's not pregnant, but they can lay eggs withOUT having been near a male at all. You need a laying bin, the eggs will be infertile but if she doesn't lay them she can die. Get a 12 inch deep bucket, fill it with play sand, make sure it's moist enough to build a tunnel but not so moist that it collapses. Leave her in there and she'll dig, but do not disturb or look at her too much, if she sees you she'll abandon the hole and become eggbound.

 

[Neoki]

Didnt know if it was a phantom pregnancy,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5usyXP_u4Zc&feature=related

I watched this a while ago

Plus my Exo Terra is not big enough for the laying bin to be put in, any advice

 

[KarmaChameleon1337]

You can buy a bucket from Lowes or Home Depot, it doesn't need to be inside the cage. For inside the cage most people use a container of dirt so they know when their female needs to lay, they then transfer her to the large bin once they see them start to dig. You should get a large bin ASAP.

 

[Neoki]

I have a normal bucket thats 12" deep i normally use to wash the car.

I have rinsed this out.

In terms of material to put in the lay bin, Play sand or humus brick ok?

and in terms of leaving her in the bucket as a temp home?

Regards,

 

[KarmaChameleon1337]

As to the link you provided, if not mated the eggs will not hatch. You can just throw the infertile eggs away.

Play sand is fine. You can put a branch or two in the bucket as well, make sure she can't leave the bucket unless you yourself bring her out. Make a starter hole in the sand, just press your thumb in. Leave her in the bucket until she buries the eggs, though some will even make a second hole, so just make sure she is 100% done. This could take awhile, so be patient. Some have left their chams in overnight.

 

[chameleonkev]

A mix of the two would be good and I put my laying bind in the viv but when I have had problems with a female not laying for reasons not none I did half fill a plastic bin with soil, sand mix and stick a few bamboo sticks in it an put her in there an put the lid on so it was dark, with a few breath holes in of corse, I did this three times an the third I went to check on her several hours later and she had laid

 

[KarmaChameleon1337]

Also, you'll want to give her some extra calcium and water once she's finished and right before. This will take a lot out of her. On here a lot of people with females who have no intention of breeding (since it lowers their life span) will lower the basking temp slightly and not feed as much, so the infertile eggs will be smaller in number and take less energy out of the girl.

 

[KarmaChameleon1337]

Keep us updated. You can take her to the vet to get an xray.

 

[Neoki]

Her eggs seem to be really small so good sign.

Took her to LA Reptiles in Lincoln, UK great bunch of people over there.

Ended up coming home with a Madagascar Ground Gecko aswell. Pics to be uploaded.

Humus brick is what i got for the lay bin and normal bucket.

Will find a way to cover it up so its dark but kind of want to see her do it through webcam or something.

Regards,

 

[pssh]

You don't want her normal light schedule to be off, so don't make it completely dark. She should still have light during the day. When she starts digging just leave her in the bucket until she is done. Don't let her see you and if she starts acting off at all, take her to the vet.

 

[Neoki]

If shes in bucket all the time then she will be able to escape and roam any where which is not ideal in my room.

Any suggestions on knowing when to take her out of the exo and into the bucket?

 

[UrbanChameleon]

Can't he use a large plastic garbage bin? That way she won't roam and will have the privacy she needs.

 

[pssh]

When she starts digging put her in the bin.

 

[Neoki]

Would this work

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/pals-pen-extra-large-17-litres-by-living-world-89355

I have the middle size one for my locusts at the moment.

 

[pssh]

It should be big. Like a trash bin. I use a circular bin thats about 3 feet tall and 24" in diameter. It needs at least 10-12" of sand/dirt.

 

[Neoki]

Any from here?

http://search.diy.com/search#?p=KK&...21038&isort=price&view=grid&w=Waste Bins&rk=2

 

[justjumpit621]

Any from here?

http://search.diy.com/search#?p=KK&...21038&isort=price&view=grid&w=Waste Bins&rk=2

Yeah the large plastic ones are what they are talking about. The ones you would put trash in.

 

[carol5208]

what size is that enclosure? Can you post a full pic of your set up? I would think that you are creating too much dampness with the set up you have. That looks like a set up for a pygmy chameleon not a panther.

 

[Neoki]

what size is that enclosure? Can you post a full pic of your set up? I would think that you are creating too much dampness with the set up you have. That looks like a set up for a pygmy chameleon not a panther.

The enclosure is 18x18x18 exo terra