Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Looking for a good informative source on care for gravid fems, and setting their cage up so they can lay when ready.Also info about the timespan care of eggs. etc. Thanks

Any egglaying chameleons (such as veileds, panthers, fischers, deremensis, etc....some species have different requirements) that I have ever kept I have always placed a container of washed sandbox sand in so that they have a place to dig in to let me know that they are getting near egglaying time. This container need only be big enough that, when its empty, the chameleon can fit into with several inches to spare in length and height. I use a specific kind of sand (King, with red, blue and yellow sand box toys on the bag) because if ingested, it passes right through the chameleon without causing impaction. When she first starts to dig, I moisten the sand and let her continue to dig holes in it until I feel she is intent on it.

With any of the species listed above, when she's intent, I move her to a 65 liter rubbermade type container that I have modified the lid of and added a large bag of the same kind of sand as mentioned above to. I also add a branch and a plant can be added too. The modifications to the lid consist of cutting out most of the center of the lid and covering the hole with screen. The lid can then be placed back on the container and a light can be placed over the lid. The sand should be kept moist enough that it can hold a tunnel.

I don't let the female see me when she is digging and I let her finish covering the eggs and return to the branch before I dig them up.

For care for gravid females...just feed them well with gutloaded insects that have been properly dusted (depending on the area you live in and the conditions that you keep your chameleon in), make sure they are well hydrated and that they are kept at good temperatures to ensure that they can digest their food properly. You want to ensure that they get all the nutrients that they need to produce healthy eggs.

The length of the incubation will depend on the species of chameleon you are referring to and on temperature that you incubate the eggs at. It also depends if they go into diapause or not.

Again, for any of the species listed above...once the eggs have been laid and the female has finished covering them up to her satisfaction, I dig them up carefully with a plastic spoon, removing one layer of sand at a time until I find them. I place them in rows spaced about one inch apart in all directions shoebox sized tupperware-like containers on slightly moistened vermiculite in small dents made with my finger trying not to rotate the eggs as I move them. The vermiculite should be dry enough that, when you take a handful of it and squeeze it only about 1 drop of water will come out. I fill the containers about half full thus leaving "headroom" for the chameleons to move around in after they hatch until they can be removed from the container. In the lid of the container, I punch several very small holes. The lid should be put back on the container once the eggs are inside.

I incubate the eggs at the proper temperature for that species until they hatch checking from time to time to see that all is well. If I have to add any moisture to the container during the incubation time, I don't drip/spray it onto the eggs. I don't throw out any eggs until I'm absolutely sure that they are not good. Mold on bad eggs shouldn't cause any problems with healthy eggs if left in the container for a while.

Hope this helps!

yes it does thanks.