Veiled chameleon digging

[Old&bold]

Need some advice on my female digging in her lay bin it’s been 7 days now and she is still going down and digging every day she has not been mated so they will be infertile but is 7 straight days too long we covered her Viv when she first started digging and are both at work full time during the day and monitor her through a camera in the Viv but are now staring to get concerned about how long she has been digging for is this normal or should I now be looking at getting her to a vet

 

[janjan20]

Is this her first clutch? It shouldn’t take that long but I’ve had it happen to me with my girl. If possible can you send a pic of the bin? If not, how big is it…height/depth and substrate.

 

[Old&bold]

First time substrate is 50/50 playsand and soil damp enough to hold a tunnel, container is a square washing up bowl, approximately 1 foot square and 6 inches deep, lights are out now so can’t get a photo

 

[kinyonga]

Photos of her from today (when she’s NOT digging somI can see what she looks like….and if the lay bin and cage.

I’m sure you know… it don’t let her see you when she’s digging the hole.

 

[Old&bold]

 

[Old&bold]

This was her this morning lay bin is difficult to see just got home from work and she is still down there digging and has been on and off all day I have a vet appointment booked for tomorrow as a precaution

 

[Old&bold]

 

[Old&bold]

This is her now image not good but you can see her tail

 

[janjan20]

Is this the farthest she has dug? Seems like she is committed if she has dug down that far. I would hold off on the vet appt for tomorrow if she is still in there digging, you don’t want to disrupt her if she’s actively digging in the hole. She may sleep in the hole if she’s still digging when the lights go out. Just make sure you provide lots of hydration for her after. Either by misting and feeding hornworms. She is probably tired from digging all week and her cheeks don’t look as full so she may be a little dehydrated. Keep us updated!!

 

[Old&bold]

Thanks for the advice, yes this is as far as she has dug she had one hole the other side of the lay bin but then moved to the other side and started over again. I am in the UK so no horn worms available here, they are illigal she went up to her sleeping branch about half hour before lights out last night, I am misting twice a day but will add a misting midday for a few weeks to help with hydration once she has laid

 

[Old&bold]

Took her to vets as a precaution and she is full of eggs but vet says not egg bound vet gave her a shot of calcium as a bit of a booster and said if not layed by Monday then I need to take her in for an operation to remove them.

 

[elizaann2]

View attachment 351941Took her to vets as a precaution and she is full of eggs but vet says not egg bound vet gave her a shot of calcium as a bit of a booster and said if not layed by Monday then I need to take her in for an operation to remove them.

Poor baby bug, she looks so full. I hope all goes well with her. Please keep us updated on her progress!

 

[MissSkittles]

Oh my goodness! Poor girl is loaded! Having produced so very many eggs increase the risks that she won't be able to pass them all on her own. @kinyonga what do you think?

 

[kinyonga]

How much have you been feeding her in the last few months per week? What has the basking temperature been at?
What supplements have you been using and how often and how heavily for each? I’m looking for calcium, phos, D3 and the form of vitamin A in particular.

She has a lot of eggs in her….and I’m not sure if they are ok or not.

 

[Old&bold]

How much have you been feeding her in the last few months per week? What has the basking temperature been at?
What supplements have you been using and how often and how heavily for each? I’m looking for calcium, phos, D3 and the form of vitamin A in particular.

She has a lot of eggs in her….and I’m not sure if they are ok or not.

Calcium no D3 3-5 medium locusts every other day, multi vit every other week. Arcadia T5 12% UBV. Day time humidity is between 40-50% night time 100% basking temp are 28-29c ambient temp is around 24-25c misting twice a day morning and night

 

[Old&bold]

She has laid her eggs all 100 of them and is doing well, going to have to review her parameter's to get this number reduced for next time

 

[kinyonga]

I’m so glad she was able to lay them. I hope she didn’t retain any.
That’s definitely too many eggs and nest time she might not be so lucky. Feed her well for one or two feedings and then cut her back to 5 or 6 medium sized insects a week…and see how many eggs she lays next time. (It’s important to start the diet after only one or two good feedings so who’s wont start producing too many follicles).

 

[MissSkittles]

Oh! My! Goodness! 100 eggs! Holy ! How was she able to breathe?! She’s done an incredible and unbelievable job is pushing all of those out. Give her a yummy silkworm or hornworm for me. Wow! Definitely follow @kinyonga’s advice. Having done so myself, my one girl didn’t lay for 3 years (until her passing) & my other girl was laying once a year, but it’s now been 2 years. My Panther girl has never laid.

 

[janjan20]

Wowza! So glad she laid them!!! Follow @kinyonga’s advice. She has had lots of experience with females and her protocol is what we all go by. I also have been able to reduce clutch size and have gone over a year without my girl laying eggs.

 

[Beman]

Additional to the cutting back food intake. You have to really dial in basking temp to be 78-80 max. This will help control her appetite with the reduced feeding. Make sure you put the bin back in... If she has more then she will go looking for it to lay them. Unless she retains some which is not a good thing.