Why is my chameleon walking around on the bottom?

Skygravemix

Member
Hello! My chameleon has been active and healthy eating normally and acting normally. She recently has been walking around the bottom of her cage every day the past week. I have a 18 inch high bucket with plain no added stuff in the dirt from home depot. And a a few pebbles on top to help keep flies out. I am wondering if she has been trying to look for places to lay eggs but she seems to look everywhere but her bucket. Does anyone know whats going on?
Also here is the specs -
Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - Nosy Be female. Born Oct 1st 2019. So 9 months old
  • Handling - about 15 minutes every 2 days. She really hates interaction
  • Feeding - 7 large crickets and 1 hornworm daily
  • Supplements - i use no d3 calcium every day and then reptivite vitamin supplement twice a month
  • Watering - I use a mister on a timer it mists for 1 minute every 3 hours. I see her drink frequently
  • Fecal Description - nice white urates and huge poops.
  • History - I bought her from cbreptiles

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - All screen cage 2'x2'x4'
  • Lighting - i use 2 t5 florescent bulbs and 100 watt Basking lamp. I have that on all day from 9am to 9pm
  • Temperature - Basking spot - 85 degrees, mid cage 75-80, bottom 72-75. Lowest it gets at night is 68 degrees
  • Humidity - Humidity stays around 70 dipping into 45-50 once in a while
  • Plants - yes i have 2 ferns, a hibiscus, and Japanese lemon grass
  • Placement - in my room lifted off the ground with a rack and has a bucket underneath to catch water
  • Location - Warm beach, Washington
 

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If you don't give her privacy so she can lay eggs, she will die eggbound, putting a deep laybin in her viv will also kill her from exhaustion, they always lay their eggs on the bottom, every single time!!! I hope you understand what I just said, you can pm me I will give you very good detailed instructions, with pictures
 
That's too much uvb imo, she needs to be able to get out of the uvb if she wants to, this is kind of like forcing someone to stay in the sun, they will get sunburned.
 
Do you mind posting a picture of the lying bin and what substrate are you using?
Im using plain potting soil with nothing added and yes ill attach pics. The bucket is 18" deep but i realized its only 8" wide so ill need a wider bucket so ill have to buy a wider one but is the depth still okay?
 

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I use this for my laying bin it fits in the cage perfect. It’s not to deep and it wide enough to give her space to find a good spot. I find they like to lay against the wall of the bins. I like to use a mix of sand and soil, hold tunnels very well and moisture.

https://www.target.com/p/sterilite-32qt-clear-view-storage-bin-with-latch-purple/-/A-13794492

I would also reduce her food intake to every 3 days instead of every day. Lowering her heat to 80 would be better
to slow down egg production.

Also covering the cage a little to give her privacy will help her feel more Secure on laying her eggs
 
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