What is her problem?

[iya78]

My female chameleon, who is now a year and a half, is usually the most loving little girl. She loved to be hand fed her lettuce and sometimes her crickets. She would come all the way to the opening of her encloser when she seen me, she just absolutely loved attention. She always tried to climb on my head when I was cleaning out the bottom of her cage. But now all of a sudden for the past week or so she had not let me near her, to hand feed, to clean her cage, she gapes real big and sometimes even hisses at me, she also sometimes changes color a little. I have decided that it is a given that her nature has changed to a more aggressive one, and give her the respect by just only going to her cage to put her food in and mist her, and of course clean her cage, but she doesn't like that much either. But does anyone know the reason for the change? Does this usually happen? I don't know, but I sure do miss my sweet little Boogy...

 

[growing zoo]

my 14 month old male has done exactly the same behaviour pattern to yours. He used to be so loving but now he hisses at me and gaps like you have witnessed with yours and like you i miss my little kevins loving nature

 

[kinyonga]

Do you have a place in her cage for her to dig to show you when she needs to lay eggs?

 

[iya78]

I don't have a place for her to lay eggs. I asked the reptile store if this is needed, because after finding out that she was indeed a she, I was worried about that. But he said that as long as her diet and temp were controlled that that should not be a problem. Do you think that this is what it might be. But the web also said that she would show signs, like trying to dig at the bottom of the cage, which she hasn't done. And also growing zoo said that they too are having the same problem in their male.

 

[KarmaChameleon1337]

ALL females need a laying bin with dirt or play sand. They will lay eggs regardless of there being a male there or not, do not let her see you watching her lay. If she does she won't lay and will become eggbound and die.

 

[Carlton]

My female chameleon, who is now a year and a half, is usually the most loving little girl. She loved to be hand fed her lettuce and sometimes her crickets. She would come all the way to the opening of her encloser when she seen me, she just absolutely loved attention. She always tried to climb on my head when I was cleaning out the bottom of her cage. But now all of a sudden for the past week or so she had not let me near her, to hand feed, to clean her cage, she gapes real big and sometimes even hisses at me, she also sometimes changes color a little. I have decided that it is a given that her nature has changed to a more aggressive one, and give her the respect by just only going to her cage to put her food in and mist her, and of course clean her cage, but she doesn't like that much either. But does anyone know the reason for the change? Does this usually happen? I don't know, but I sure do miss my sweet little Boogy...

If nothing around her cage has changed, no new animals in view that might stress her, she may well be gravid. Have her colors changed recently? Is she looking fatter? Gravid chams often get less tolerant of things they used to accept. Never assume a female veiled can't produce eggs. The person who said this may not matter is dead wrong. It probably has nothing to do with other posts about changes in personality in a male cham. Any female veiled can develop infertile eggs regardless of being with a male or even if her diet is controlled. There is forum sticky info on providing a laying bin for her cage you'll need to read up on.

 

[hinoco1225]

ALL females need a laying bin with dirt or play sand.

^ agreed. Remember that things like scratching at the bottom of her cage and color changes are only possible signs that she's gravid and all females do not necessarily exhibit all signs. Another sign that she could be gravid is a behavioral change, which your cham is exhibiting. It's true that it could be due to something else since both females and males do change temperaments from time to time for reasons we may not be able to determine, but on the other hand, you can never be too careful with females.

 

[iya78]

Thank you so much everyone. I will provide a bin for her to dig in, I do not want anything to happen to my little girl. I really appreciate everything...