UGH ! Olive, your going the wrong way - now 127 grams

[little leaf]

ok, when Olive was 111 grams, I was told she was a "fatso" - lol and to put her on a diet - a SWEAR TO GOD she has been on a diet - only 2 roaches every other day - a few flies here and there - maybe once, 2 X a week max and only about 7 when she gets them - she gets no crix at all, has not had any type of worm for weeks - IFFFF she is preg AGAIN ( I hope not ) is this much weight normal ? she had her last babies on March 23 - I am going to take her for an X-ray to see if she is indeed gravid - but this seems like a lot of weight - and IF she is gravid, she would still have like at least 2 mos to go- is there anything else that can cause weight gain ? and she is still getting the gular edema off and on ( but she has done this ever since I have had her )

 

[kokom05lb]

She is a chubby little girl lol... I have no experience in this so I'm. Just guessing retained. Soerm, maybe?

 

[Olimpia]

All signs of being gravid, so it's very possible she might be. See what the radiograph says, but if she is you'll want to take her off the diet.

 

[jannb]

She is a lovely lady! How big are the roaches? She does look big. If she's not gravid maybe you could try 2 crickets instead of the roaches. I only feed my adults 3 times a week. You could also try that.

 

[Trace]

I've noticed that my female viviparous (live bearing) chameleons gain lots of weight almost immediately after conception and "look" gravid right away even though they won’t give birth for several more months. The same would apply for a retained sperm litter. The amount of viable offspring decreases with each successive litter as well so Olive may have a bunch of slugs inside but a radiograph will tell you for sure what is happening.

 

[laurie]

Well here we are again. I am glad you are getting the X-ray. When is Laurie going to do it? She almost has to be gravid. Sure hope my telling you to put her on a diet has not hurt the babies. But you were sure she was not gravid.

Has anyone told you how long from the first clutch to the second? I wish I knew but I just don't.

 

[little leaf]

She is a lovely lady! How big are the roaches? She does look big. If she's not gravid maybe you could try 2 crickets instead of the roaches. I only feed my adults 3 times a week. You could also try that.

Thanks Jann the roaches are about 1" - but they are VERY well gut loaded and so fat all the time when you pick them up the "leak" ( ewwww ! lol ) maybe its the roaches that need the diet !
Olive is very big for a Jax - much bigger than my male Jax, but I still think she is to heavy, I just don't know why other than being gravid - or cross bred w/ something ? and is just BIG - but I think she is fat too

All signs of being gravid, so it's very possible she might be. See what the radiograph says, but if she is you'll want to take her off the diet.

I will get the X-ray sometime this week or start of next

I've noticed that my female viviparous (live bearing) chameleons gain lots of weight almost immediately after conception and "look" gravid right away even though they won’t give birth for several more months. The same would apply for a retained sperm litter. The amount of viable offspring decreases with each successive litter as well so Olive may have a bunch of slugs inside but a radiograph will tell you for sure what is happening.

after what happen with the last gravid female rescue that was here (14 babies, and she died ) I am SO SCARED now - will you help me read the X-rays if I post them? my friend who is a vet ( not my reg cham vet) will do the X - ray for me, but she dose not feel confident enough in chams to "diagnose" them , but last time I was able to count all 14 babies in the last one, but if you see something else too - but I dont think I am going to try to get one of her on her side - she will FREAK ! will just an over head be ok ? Olive gets very upset easily. last time she had 11 - 6 babies, 5 slugs - are caring slugs just as hard on them ? I thought Olive was going to die last time she had babies ~ how long do they wait before they use retained sperm?

Well here we are again. I am glad you are getting the X-ray. When is Laurie going to do it? She almost has to be gravid. Sure hope my telling you to put her on a diet has not hurt the babies. But you were sure she was not gravid.

Has anyone told you how long from the first clutch to the second? I wish I knew but I just don't.

we will do them this week I hope, but YAY - we are doing the LAST day of building at the rescues new building Thurs/ so this week is kinda shot - but I still want to try for this week yet - I want/need to know so I know to cut her food even more- ? or take her off the diet -

 

[Trace]

after what happen with the last gravid female rescue that was here (14 babies, and she died ) I am SO SCARED now - will you help me read the X-rays if I post them? my friend who is a vet ( not my reg cham vet) will do the X - ray for me, but she dose not feel confident enough in chams to "diagnose" them , but last time I was able to count all 14 babies in the last one, but if you see something else too - but I dont think I am going to try to get one of her on her side - she will FREAK ! will just an over head be ok ? Olive gets very upset easily. last time she had 11 - 6 babies, 5 slugs - are caring slugs just as hard on them ? I thought Olive was going to die last time she had babies ~ how long do they wait before they use retained sperm?

I remember looking at the x-rays of that rescued female and giving you a little advice. If you can post tomorrows rads I’ll be happy to take a look but like I said I've got plenty experience with the live bearers but I’m no means a vet.

I have not noticed a real difference in behaviour between a real litter and one that consists of slugs. As long as they can have a normal, uninterrupted birth, the females are fine and bounce back like normal. Olive knows what she is doing so don’t panic. I have not worked extensively with the xantholophus but I’m under the impression they can be cycling embryos or litters in different developmental stages so the gestation on this clutch may not be as long as one from a viable mating. Don’t quote me on that though. The species I worked with (bitaeniatus complex) only bred and gave birth once a year.

 

[little leaf]

I have not worked extensively with the xantholophus but I’m under the impression they can be cycling embryos or litters in different developmental stages so the gestation on this clutch may not be as long as one from a viable mating. Don’t quote me on that though.

I wondered that - she acts like she is almost "ready" - but I could not figure why, it would be to soon if she had to go the full 5 mos - even on her diet, she has not been "begging" for more food - and normally she would eat a cow if I put it in there - she likes her food
I will see if she has time Monday or Tue/ to get her in for the x-ray

thanks (as always ) everyone for your help -

 

[tdismang]

I don't have any advice or words of wisdom to offer, I just wanted to say that I hope all turns out well. Oh, and she is absolutely adorable, with her pudgy little self