soil for eggs?

[joer]

Well I dont think Jade is old enough to have eggs yet but I am going to lay a cake pan in her cage with soil in it. At what age should this be done at and you think a cake pan at the bottom of the cage will work?

[Trace]

Hey Joer! :D

I'm glad to see you are getting prepared for the possibility that Jade may lay eggs for you. That is awesome.

A cake pan probably would work, but I would try and find something a little deeper like a Kritter Keeper or something. Something that she could dig at least 6" into the soil. Keep the soil fairly moist... moist enough to hold a tunnel, but not wet, not mud, if you know what I mean.

Personally I don't have any temporary egg laying sites in my cages for the females, but I have the luxury of being home most of the time and I can keep my eye on the girls. I usually palpate them every day when I clean their cage to see if they have produced eggs and/or I know approximate laying dates if they have been bred. When it comes time to lay, I transfer them into my bucket and let them do their thing. I think I've posted a pic of my egg laying bucket for you already, but I can post it again if you need an example.

That being said, a temporary container in her cage will indicate to you that she is gravid when she starts digging around in it, but I think supplying them with a large pail filled with dirt is better. They have a larger area in which to find an appropriate spot to dig and deposit eggs. Sometimes the girls need it "just right" before they will dig and a smallish container may not fit their needs. Then again I've seen some females that will deposit eggs in a small area too. I'm curious to see what other members suggest for you as this is what has worked for me.

Cheers!

Trace

Oh... and females can start producing eggs after about 6 months of age.

[Trace]

I suppose I should add, she is going to look fat when she is gravid, particularly towards the end. Baseball shaped with feet and tail basically. She will go off food a few days before she digs and she will spend more time near or at the bottom of her cage. She will dig at the bottom as well. She isn't with, or in the presence of a male, but she may (?) sport gravid colours for you... generally black with yellow spots.

Just a few other things/signs to look out for.

Trace

[Collide]

I have planted enclosures and in the female enclosures the entire front half is a sand / soil mixture that i have free for them to lay. I have a divider so no roots from the plants can interfear. illl try and take a pic this weekend. this seems to work well for me they always dig/lay in the same spot. they are about 1 foot deep +or-.
the way i test the soil is by weting it and squeeseing it u dont want to see water drip out but for the soil to stick togeather well.
thats how i do it.. and my females tend to get ressless 2 weeks b4 they lay they will spend more time near to botom scoping things out.

[joer]

What are some signs of them besides stop eating and getting fat.
And thanks alot for all the info.

[Trace]

Gestation in female Veiled Chameleons is about 20-30 days so you may not see much for the first few weeks while the eggs are developing. She will gradually put on weight and anywhere from a couple of days to a week before depositing the eggs she will stop eating, yet still gain weight. Her whole body cavity is filled with eggs, pushing the internal organs around that she can't fit the food in. At the end, physically you can see the egg shaped areas in her body and she will look lumpy. (I'm not sure if I have a pic of this for you). I've noticed their water intake increases during this time as well. She might show darker green spots on the emerald green background too. She will be more restless in the cage and as Collide said, scoping a place to lay the eggs. Very near the end of pregnancy, she will move to the ground and start digging at whatever.

When my females ummmmm get in the mood for lovin', they sport blue dots on a green background to signal to the male that they are ready. Keep your eye on Jade for this period, she just might lay eggs a month later for you, then again she may not. I have some non-breeding females go through the blue period without laying infertile eggs at the end. I do keep my females on very strict diets though and these girls aren't producing eggs for me.

So Joer, if you pay attention to Jade every day, and I know you are, you should see the subtle signs that she might be gravid. It won't sneak up on you in another words! Again, I'm happy that you are looking into preparing a nest box for her ahead of time, even if she NEVER becomes gravid, it's always better to be safe then sorry when it comes to the girls. You should post some pics soon, I bet she's gotten even bigger since the last time you did.

Trace

Collide: I wouldn't mind to see a pic of your egg laying site, it sounds interesting and might be beneficial to Joer. For me, having multiple chameleons, it is easier just to have the separate egg laying bucket in the corner of my chameleon room at the ready. For the people who only have one or two chameleons, there might be better things available that take up much less space.

[Collide]

yea ill try and take a pic. the new female i got has no place soo ill have to watch her ill just switch the cages when she is ready.

[choriona]

Well, I have noticed with my female that what I think the bottom of the cage is, is not what she thinks. In other words, my one female was ready to lay when I found her out of her house and climbed down from the dresser and on the floor. Even though I provided her with about 6 inches of moist sand in a 10gal aquarium in her enclosure. She didn't even attempt to dig in it.
SO, instead of the digging urge or the color cues - I basically noticed that she was restless and not eating like her usual self and trying to be DOWN even if it ment being in danger. (people walking by, the cat, in view of the 2 other males that live in the same room...etc.)
Watch Jade's behaviour. You'll know it when you see it.