spaying?

[liberty]

Ive had my female veiled chameleon for a little under 5 months. She has not layerd any eggs yet & I am trying to prepare myself for this when she finally does. I know that egg laying can take a huge toll on their bodies and shorten their life span. I also know that they are easily stressed out and can be complicated when it comes to vet visits. So, any recommendations or opinions on spaying? Would the surgery be too much & would it be worth it? I've heard some bad ending stories but also some good ones and many things that say it can really add to their lifespans. Just looking for some opinions!

 

[Chachi]

I had my female spayed. She came through it beautifully. There is a little bit of baggage to their story but to briefly summarize : I liberated my female veiled right before Petco had almost killed her. I looked into her 1'x1'×18" glass cage and she was eaten up with mbd. Her ribs looked crushed, every joint was compromised, her casque was collapsed and those idiots had a bowl of water in her cage and nothing for her to stand on.
So, brought her home and nursed her little body back to health and she became gravid but would not lay her eggs.
I took her to Western Veterinary Hospital in Wheatridge CO and then docs there did a complete hysterectomy. Now, she lives in a specially built cage and loves her cushy life.

 

[Lathis]

It's not something typically done as a preventative measure for chameleons. It's a major surgery, few vets have experience outside mammals, complications are a concern from both the surgery and the anaesthetic, and in some rare cases the tissue can regenerate. More commonly, we see it here as reaction to a health compromised (like the case above) or egg-bound chameleon.

I would suggest finding a really good reptile vet and discussing the possibility and possible issues with them. I imagined it's quite costly.

 

[bobcochran]

I agree with Lathis. A better option would be to keep temperatures lower and inhibit food intake, making clutch size smaller and less stressful for your chameleon, thereby extending her life. A reasonable target for egg count would be between 20-30 eggs per clutch.
Also reducing temps and food intake could result in fewer clutches per year, also extending her lifespan.

 

[liberty]

thank you all!

 

[hagmegsis]

Stories like yours are the reason I only go to reputable breeders or rescues. Your poor cham is so lucky you got to her in time.

I had my female spayed. She came through it beautifully. There is a little bit of baggage to their story but to briefly summarize : I liberated my female veiled right before Petco had almost killed her. I looked into her 1'x1'×18" glass cage and she was eaten up with mbd. Her ribs looked crushed, every joint was compromised, her casque was collapsed and those idiots had a bowl of water in her cage and nothing for her to stand on.
So, brought her home and nursed her little body back to health and she became gravid but would not lay her eggs.
I took her to Western Veterinary Hospital in Wheatridge CO and then docs there did a complete hysterectomy. Now, she lives in a specially built cage and loves her cushy life.