We thought she was a boy

CarolenRunsen

CarolenRunsen

New Member
Hi Everyone,

Brand new to this sight but right away am asking for some help.
We have a veiled chameleon about a year old. We decided to get a male because this was our first chameleon. He hasn't been eating for about a week and stopped moving around his cage. Last night we noticed him walking around on the ground, and was constantly thirsty. My boyfriend found an egg this morning, I guess it wasn't a HE after all.

I know this is a difficult time for her, i just wish we would have figured it out sooner. My boyfriend is as we speak going to get a sand enclosure for her, but I'm worried that it is to late. Is there anything else anyone can suggest we can do to save her?
 
Get her a sandbox quick!! Chameleons can hold their eggs and become eggbound and die. You need to save and incubate the eggs as they may be fertile. How long have you had her?
 
BTW... Welcome to the site!! Everyone here is very helpful and will do their best to help you. David
 
Thank you so much for the quick reply!! She was quite large when we got her but we have had her for about 6 months. I don't know much but I doubt there would be any way that the eggs could be fertile. My boyfriend thought that he would just put the sand bucket in the bottom of her existing cage (we have a 6 foot tall terrarium) is that a good idea? or should we just move her back and forith??
 
Just put the bucket with slightly moist sand in the cage with her and a branch going into it that she can use. If you've had her for six months then they are most likely not fertile. Veileds can retain sperm from a previous mating but if you've had her for six months and she's only a year old then that is highly unlikely. Good luck. You can search the threads for the proper sandbox setup if you need to. It needs to be about 8-12" deep and moist enough to hold it's shape so it doesn't cave in on her. Keep us posted. David
 
I would just fill a 5 gallon bucket (or something similar) with moist playground sand and put it in her cage. I would also cover the cage so that she cannot see anyone or she may choose not to use it. I have a female digging at the moment to lay an infertile clutch, and I have towels covering the exposed 3 sides of the cage. Good luck!
 
Dont move her back and forth, they need to be left alone when laying eggs. Any signs of predators (you) and she will abandon her laying - if this happens too much, she will become eggbound and die. We have seen it happen here on the forums too many times to even count.

Do some searches on it, there is a fantastic technique alot of people use with a 10 gallon trash bin.

Defiantly need to give her space, time, and most importantly, solitude - don't let her spot you watching her.
 
Thank you all again for your help.

We have everything set up for her, a container of sand (its about a foot deep) and various towels, and boxes that we set up to block us from her sight. When i went to sleep last night she had already dug quite a large hole in the corner of the sandbox.

So i guess all there is left to do is wait.
 
Excellent.
Leave her alone until she is back up on her branches then feed and water her well.
Make sure to dust all her feeders with calcium (no D3) she will be quite depleted after this.

-Brad
 
Hi everyone,

I have another question about my cham (her name is Emilio). She has been digging all day long. I left her alone to dig, but its getting late and i only had a chance to spray her first thing in the morning. I'm afraid she might try to dig around all night. Should i be trying to get her to drink if she is still digging around?
 
I try to spray mine twice a day while they are in their egg laying trash can, before they commense serious digging. Once one is seriously digging I will spray in the morning and then leave her alone. If she's underground I don't bother. When I do spray, I do it surreptitiously, angling the nozzle so I can't be seen.

When she is done laying her eggs you will want to rinse her down and mist her very well. Normally, they simply go without drinking at all while laying eggs. So it is very important to hydrate her, get her warm, and feed her when she's done. Like Brad Ramsey said.

When I have one digging through the nite, I leave a light on for her.

Our oldest female veiled will dig for a while, then come to the opening of her tunnel and lay there and rest a while, then go back in for some more digging. She repeats this throughout the day and night. If she comes out for a rest and is caked in dirt/mud and looks a little weak I will lightly mist her to help her clean her eyes and get a little moisture. But, she is experienced and so she doesn't freak out. Each cham is different.
 
gesang said:
If she's underground I don't bother. When I do spray, I do it surreptitiously, angling the nozzle so I can't be seen..
Click to expand...
LMAO...I have a picture of you in my head, crouched behind a table with your arm up and spraying a stream at her. Just struck me funny. The things we'll do for our chams.
 
Don't be discouraged by a prolonged digging phase. My first veiled hole digging by my female lasted a good 10 hours. I was totally freaking out because I hadn't seen her for hours. I was worried about the tunnel collapsing on her and such. I would get down on my knees and listen on the side of the trash can to make sure I could still here her digging. But the next morning I found her back on her plant all skinny and her hole covered and tamped down.


I've done the bucket and the trash can method. I've found (not through true empirical research, but just experience) that they will dig to the bottom of whatever container you provide. I now just use the bucket method because it's less digging to find the eggs for me :rolleyes:.

Calcium and water replentishment is important over the next few days after laying.

One thing you will need for this hobby (soon to be obsession, trust me!) is PATIENCE!

Good luck!
 
dectr6 said:
LMAO...I have a picture of you in my head, crouched behind a table with your arm up and spraying a stream at her. Just struck me funny. The things we'll do for our chams.
Click to expand...

Yes, that's about the size of it. I also have a stethoscope that I would press to the side of the trash can, so I could hear her digging and assure myself that she was not lying in there under a pile of damp soil, or passed away or something. But I have calmed down now and don't worry every hour the ladies spend digging their tunnels. Our first cham dug 10 inches down, and then an 18 inch tunnel. It took about 10 hours. We were both exhausted when she was done! :eek:
 
AFH said:
I was worried about the tunnel collapsing on her and such. I would get down on my knees and listen on the side of the trash can to make sure I could still here her digging.
Click to expand...

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I used a stethoscope! I would have used a periscope if I could have!
 
As funny as that sounds, I'm sure I would be using both methods if I ever breed mine. The stethoscope is a good idea.
 
FYI...If your in need of a stethoscope and don't have one handy, cut about a one foot piece of garden hose and put one end up to your ear and the other to whatever your trying to hear. Not quite as good as a stethoscope but almost.
 
Sounds like the "telephone" with string and some cups :)

Thanks, but now that I've been through it a couple times, I don't worry near as much!
 
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