Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok I am sure this has been asked a million times before but I am going to ask again. I have a female veiled cham who had a was born in November and currently weighs 51 grams. She has gained weight steadily over the course of the 5 months I have had her. Lately, she has been hanging out around the bottom of the enclosure and has been quite dull compared to her normal coloration however she isnt that grey color yet. So I have been trying to just leave her alone. She has her drip system on, do I even attempt to feed her? She has the forest bed as a substrate, but should I make her a container with the forest bed and a mix of sand? I haven't made any changes to her enviro or her feeding and she has been eating normally. Anything else I should do for her? Is she actually ready to lay eggs or is 9 months too young? Thanks for the help.

Have you provided her with a suitable place in the cage where she can lay eggs if she needs to? Failure to provide a place can lead to eggbinding and ultimately to death. I never use a substrate in my chameleon cages and in the egglaying container, I only use a certain type of washed sandbox sand that I have found passes through them without causing impaction or infection.

Has she been digging in the substrate at all?

I always continue to feed and water my chameleons even when they are digging the hole. However, I make sure that when they are in the hole, that there are no uneaten insects in the cage that could nibble on the female or the eggs.

You said..."Anything else I should do for her?"...just make sure that she has a nutritious diet, drinks well and that she's getting enough calcium and UVB light and that the cage is kept at the right temperature...things that you would already be doing!

You asked..."Is she actually ready to lay eggs or is 9 months too young?"...nine months is not too young for some. My females haven't laid eggs that young....in fact, I have some that are over three and still haven't laid a single egg (but if mated will lay eggs). I think it has to do with the controlled feeding and temperatures that I use with them. The clutch sizes are usually in the range of 20 to 25 too. Most of my females live to be over 6.

Provide her with what she needs, and she should do what she needs to. Occasionaly a female has a deformity in the reproductive system or in the eggs that can still cause eggbinding, but I don't hear of it happening all that often. There are usually signs that there is a problem that would let you know.

Well thank you for the reply. I haven't seen any evidence of her digging just yet. The reason I have substrate is because it is very dry where I live in Canada and the vet recommended this type because supposedly it is easy to pass and it holds humidity. I started out with no substrate but the most percent moisture I could achieve even with a live plant was 40%. Now it is about 60% however I do change it every week. Today, I put a rubbermaid container with washed playsand. I fed her 4 butterworms and she drank very well from her drip system. Also, I gave her a new UVB light because her old one was coming up 6 months old. Well, I guess I just have to wait and see. Thanks again.

You are welcome for the reply.

I don't use any substrate in any of my chameleon cages. Too many of them can cause impaction....and I'm not willing to risk it.

I live in Canada too....and I use plants and misting and drippers to provide humidity. In my experience, as long as veileds are well hydrated the humidity doesn't matter as much. Also, I don't use cages that are completely screen. It takes some extra work and knowledge about how to do it, but my veiled chameleons do well in my cages.

You said..."I do change it every week"...its good to keep the cage clean, but its the risk of impaction that worries me.

You said..."Today, I put a rubbermaid container with washed playsand. I fed her 4 butterworms and she drank very well from her drip system. Also, I gave her a new UVB light because her old one was coming up 6 months old"...glad to hear it all!

You said..."Well, I guess I just have to wait and see"...while you are waiting, here are some sites that are worth reading...
http://www.chameleonjournals.com/vet/index.php?show=6.Vitamin.D3.and.Calcium.html
http://www.chameleonjournals.com/vet/index.php?show=5.Vitamin.A.html
Here's a gutload that has been recommended by lots of people...
http://adcham.com/html/husbandry/gutload.html
And there's lots more information about keeping chameleons on these sites...
http://adcham.com/html/husbandry/gutload.html
http://www.chameleonnews.com/

Hope all goes well for your chameleon and that she will bring you enjoyment for years to come!