Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, so if my veiled chameleon decides (for whatever reason) not to lay her eggs, and she doesn't ever lay any, will she die, or is it just a chance, or what exactly? She didn't lay her eggs, and the bulges have slightly disappeared, though they are still visible, just less visible. The main thing is that she is acting very weak, and she doesn't run from me, and she is always on the bottom of her cage, but when I put her in an egglaying chamber, she sits in one place and doesn't move at all.I put a chamber in her cage, but she just doesn't seem interested. I'm really hopin that she will just drop some infertile eggs so that she will be ok, but this death by egg binding thing has me worried.

Yes she will definitly die. What are you using as substrate in your egg laying chamber? and how deep is it? I use about 10" of moist peatmoss in a 5 gallon bucket. My veiled just layed her eggs in it about 2 weeks ago and everything is going well.
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Frisk

I am using regular dirt that watered so it is moist. She just doesn't want to dig and lay her eggs. Now I don't know if she is strong enough to dig the hole. I went ahead and started a hole for her, but she still isn't interested.

Potting soil doesnt work. I had about 5" inches of peatmoss and she dug a couple holes but didnt lay eggs, i assumed that it was too shallow and filled it with potting soil and she didnt even touch it. Later i found out that they dig practice holes on their first laying. I put a new bucket filled with peat in the cage and she was digging in it within the next hour. Try peatmoss, it should work. I am not very experienced with chameleons so you might want some other opinions
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Frisk

I use moist sand filled half way up a 5 gallon bucket. Packed tight so it won't collapse. I sometimes have to leave a female in there for 2-3 days. If I know she's ready to lay, I'll leave her alone til the deed is done.
If she is ready & don't lay, then yes, she'll definitely die. The only hope of saving her would be a trip to the vets office. They should be able to surgically remove the eggs. However, if she's ever ready to lay again, you'll have nothing but problems.
Is her eyes sunken? If so, she's definitely eggbound. Get her to a vet quick! Or you'll watch her die an agonizing death.
Sad but true,
Cricket

this is not something to mess around with. if you have been reading the posts for the last month or so we had one death, from 2 surgeries. the other we have not heard from for weeks and can only imagine the worst.

As for laying pot, she apparently may not happy with it. I found that a combo of coco-fiber and play sand (home depot) that is moist (not wet) works well. pack it tightly and stick your finger in it to make sure it will not collapse.

leave it in there and leave her alone - they usually lay at night and want privacy (think of how it would be in nature for her to safely lay her eggs). make sure she is hydrated but do not bother with food. have you been keeping her weight tracked? did she get enough calcium during egg development?

I would really consider a vet trip if she is struggling even if it is only to get an x-ray to check her status. keep us posted

lele
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta
1.0 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.5 Mad. Hissers
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula (no name yet)
?.? Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula (no name yet)