Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a veiled chameleon, I purchased in January 04. She was 4-5 months old then, so now I guess she'd be 9 months old. Last Tuesday, she decided she didn't want her worms. I had been alternating between superworms and crickets(gutfed and dusted), sometimes I catch wild bugs which she loves. I usually hold her food up to her in a jar, and she munches out! No thanks she said. I also leave some in a bowl in the bottom of her cage, and in a small container hanging off a limb. She seems healthy otherwise, good color, no bulges or bumps in her skin. Also wants out of her cage! Everytime I open the door now, she zooms over and wants to climb on me! Before, she really didn't care about me holding her, so I really didn't bother her much. She also seems to be moving around alot in her cage, exploring the plants in there and just generally busy. Could she be gravid? How can I tell? OR just tired of the food I provided? I ordered her some goliath horn worms, but they haven't arrived yet -any help would be appreciated!

How long has she not been eating? If just for a day or two, that can be normal. Might just be tired of her food. I wouldn't start to worry unless she's been more than 3 days not eating, even with varried food.

Since last tuesday she has had 3 superworms and maybe a cricket. I took her outside into my screen house, and she had big fun walking around and ate a worm then, and today at lunch she ate 2 worms! Maybe she's just tired of her food. I have had a time trying to catch wild bugs - but I will keep trying!

if it was just off her food I might be inclined to say she needs a change, but from all that you have mentioned and her age I would say she may be looking to lay a clutch of infertile eggs. Has she gained weight lately? Can you post a pic? I just went thru this with my female veiled, Luna (for 6 months) and much of the behavior you describe fits. She laid a little over a week ago and today I kept her cage door open all day in case she wanted to wander and she doesn't care at all wheras two weeks ago she was trying to get out ever chance she got. They get very restless right before. You may want to provide a laying tub for her and show her that it is there, if she is ready and does not have appropriate spot she can become eggbound - not a good thing

the other possibility is that she has outgrown her cage. At this age she needs to be in a 4x2x2 - at the least. What is your setup? What do you use for light? water? temp? basking? heat?

lele

p.s. in case you are not aware females will lay even if not bred and it typically happens around 9 months to a year
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia (MIA
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

thanks for your response! My cage set up is a 100 gal reptarium - which is 30"x16.5"x48". Yesterday at lunch she ate two superworms! Yeeah! I put a terracotta pot in there filled with dirt, sand and peat moss. And I've been taking her outside into my screen enclosure when I'm home, and letting her walk all around. I'm thinking of moving her cage outside - I live in Florida, so I could leave her out most of the year. I was going to put her out there in the first place, but I wanted to be able to see her more, so I haven't. Anyway, maybe she is gravid and this will help! THanks so much for you imput!

Sounds like she's living it up! Make sure that the pot is large enough for her to dig down further than her body length. I found that builder's sand (play sand) mixed with coco-fiber (eco-earth, etc.) was a good mix. the fiber kept the sand from drying out and the sand held nice and packed. You can check it by just sticking your finger in the mix and if the "tunnel" holds well with no collapsing it should be OK for her.

I got a scale which was helpful in tracking her weight. She lost 1/3 of her total weight after she laid!
Go to the gallery (link below) and you can see her before and after pix - 2 days apart!

lele

Luna before and after

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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia (MIA
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

Oh wow! I just love your pictures!! What cool plants! I will check and see if the soil I used will tunnel ok - I will enjoy having this weekend off to spend time with her and I just got a redfoot tortoise hatchling-it will be fun to have them out in my screenhouse. And I got a butterfly net, so I can hopefully catch some different bugs for her - she has eaten another worm and some tiny moths, so I don't think I'll worry - I have a feeling she's going to lay those eggs and be ok - thanks for your advise! She is the first chameleon I have had and I guess I'm a worry wort!!

just a few thoughts...when you catch bugs make sure they are not toxic to your cham and other herps. Bright colors such as red, orange, yellow often combined with black (like a monarch butterfly and its caterpillar) are warnings in nature and you best stay away from them. Also be sure they have not been exposed to pesticides - just because you may not use any your neighbors might.

You sunhouse sounds neat, but will you have be keeping your cham and tortopise hatchling together???If so, you might be out one hatchling! I would keep them separate.

As for being a worry wort - I am the queen of worry wort land! Better to worry than ignore

have fun!

lele

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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia (MIA
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

Oooh thanks for the info on the butterflys - I didn't know that about the colors and we have all orange ones here - but I haven't had the heart to feed one to Olive yet...guess that was a good thing! And thanks for the warning about the hatchling- I haven't left the two alone together and I can't leave Olive out in my screenhouse by herself because I have a big pond in there and I'm afraid she'd drown! So I just let her visit when I can watch her. I am thinking about moving her cage out there for the summer, when I got her I was going to keep her out there, but it was too cold at night (45-55*) so I have her inside. But maybe it's time to move her cage out there! My area outside is in partial sun/shade and she loves being out there!
I made a nesting area out of one of those tin turkey roasting pans - do you think that's deep enough?