Veiled Chameleon female can't catch crickets? HELP!

[Mastiff4me]

We purchased what we have just learned is a female Veiled from a reptile show. The VC is a year and a half and just laid her first batch of eggs. (which is the only reason we know she's a she-we have sense learned there are very easy ways to spot a female) She has laid 13 eggs...which just blew our minds. Ever since she did this about a month ago so has really become at best description, lethargic. She seems to be moving at the same speed in her cage but when she attempts to reach for a cricket she throws her tongue out with mouth very very wide open and almost appears to gag when she tries to retract it. She does this and can not catch a cricket and at very slow speeds. We think she is getting some of them as the cage has far less of them in there but we are extremely worried. It's been several weeks like this and it's a new behavior. Could she be egg bound? Calcium deficient? He dusts her food well. Help! Our son's in tears thinking she is dying and I don't know if I should be doing something else for her.

Thank you for any help or advise you might be able to offer,

 

[jannb]

I would recommend you get her to a good chameleon vet right away. I'm no vet so I can not say what her health issues will be but I can say that she does have health problems. 13 eggs would be an extremely small clutch for a veiled so she might still have eggs along with other problems. If you fill out the Ask For Help Form we can make sure you are doing everything correct for her but a vet visit with an experienced chameleon vet it what you need right now.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/
My blog for new keepers
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html
My blog for egg laying and the laying bin
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/jannb/345-egg-laying-laying-bin.html

 

[Thezillaman21]

yeah, from what iv bn reading thats a warning sign of MBD (metabolic bone disease). like said get her to a vet. also u can tell male and female with veileds cuz males have a spur(bump) on thier hind legs. hope it works out for you.

 

[Mastiff4me]

We found two additional eggs in her cage just now that look fairly fresh. But the first 13 were dropped about 30 days ago. You mention that it's a small clutch of eggs, how many would you expect from a healthy VC? I'm guessing it's not normal to lay them over a 30 day period. Ugh...poor girl. I will start looking for a vet that treats lizards in our area.

 

[jannb]

We found two additional eggs in her cage just now that look fairly fresh. But the first 13 were dropped about 30 days ago. You mention that it's a small clutch of eggs, how many would you expect from a healthy VC? I'm guessing it's not normal to lay them over a 10 day period. Ugh...poor girl. I will start looking for a vet that treats lizards in our area.

Most veileds lay 30 to 45 eggs and some even more.

 

[kinyonga]

Normally they would lay more eggs...and they should dig a hole and lay them in the ground all at the same time...you should have provided her with a place to lay them.

It sounds like she has retained eggs (lethargy...sitting low in the cage, etc. can also be indicators of this) and its likely that surgery will be needed ASAP if you want her to live. I'm sure its too late for oxytocin to work.

As for the tongue...it could be a calcium issue. A vet can tell you.

 

[ataraxia]

she needs some xrays (to see if she has retained eggs) and a calcium shot.

care from that point.

Cage:24x24x48' SCREEN cage lots of rope, vines and live plants if you can. live plants will help with the humidity. make sure you cover the soil with screen or large rocks. put cage as high up in the room as you can. not near any vents, fans or windows.

Lighting: 5.0 reptisun or reptiglo linear tube (length depends on cage size)/house hold bulb for basking. the house bulb watt will depend on how far your nearest branch is from the light and your ambient room temps.
***change UVB bulbs every 6 months.

Temps: low 80's* for female / ambient temps 72* measure by digital gauges.

Hydration: manual spray 2-5 minutes/2-3 times a day. provide a dripper.

Feeders: gutload (24 hours before feeding) check out sandrachameleons blogs for gut loading tips. Crickets, meal worms, silk worms, horn worms, dubia roaches, repti worms, flies, moths, butterflies, preying mantis.

Supplements: repcal phos free calcium w/o d3 every feeding, reptivite twice a month

taken from janns blog:
*For females at about 6 months of age provide a laying container. When the female is getting ready to lay she will often go off food and will become restless, spending more time near the bottom of her enclosure and frequently pacing it's edges. A laying container should be about 14X14X14 . You need to have 12 inches of substrate in the bottom of the container. you can use washed play sand. It’s very important to have the sand moist .so that it will hold a tunnel and not cave in on your female. I take a big spoon and dig a tunnel all the way to the bottom to make sure it’s going to hold the tunnel. If it’s too dry or too moist they will refuse to use it. Some females will dig several test holes before they finally get one they like. I usually leave my test hole and sometimes your female will use them.