My Town Monday: News from the Veiled Chameleon Cage
NEWS FLASH! Our veiled chameleon has laid another clutch of eggs!
!t's been about two months since the last batch, so it's her quickest turnaround time. From everything I've read, she's shortening her life span by being so prolific. But I don't know how to convince her to stop and take up another hobby. You see, she'll produce eggs with or without the male. And she has to lay them, or become eggbound and die.
Anyway, here is our brave little mother in the five-gallon flower pot "birthing chamber". She has been digging for 3 1/2 hours. You can see she still has quite a bit of work ahead of her.
The male chameleon is inches away from the flower pot and seems oblivious to all the digging activity. He's basking under a warm sun lamp and shedding.
Seven and a half hours later, the little mother emerges, smoothes over the sand and climbs up the artificial silk plant. I sprayed her down and brushed off the dirt. She drank from a leaf and gobbled down a few crickets then, then vegged. Can't blame her!
She laid the LARGEST egg she has ever laid!! It was ONE INCH LONG. Sorry for the blurry pic. I probably shook in my excitement. Or stood too close. :) Keep in mind that she's only about six inches, minus the tail. Anyway, she laid THIRTY-THREE EGGS. (Less than the 51 of the last clutch, but more of these eggs are big.)
Anyway, here is our brave little mother in the five-gallon flower pot "birthing chamber". She has been digging for 3 1/2 hours. You can see she still has quite a bit of work ahead of her.
The male chameleon is inches away from the flower pot and seems oblivious to all the digging activity. He's basking under a warm sun lamp and shedding.
Seven and a half hours later, the little mother emerges, smoothes over the sand and climbs up the artificial silk plant. I sprayed her down and brushed off the dirt. She drank from a leaf and gobbled down a few crickets then, then vegged. Can't blame her!
She laid the LARGEST egg she has ever laid!! It was ONE INCH LONG. Sorry for the blurry pic. I probably shook in my excitement. Or stood too close. :) Keep in mind that she's only about six inches, minus the tail. Anyway, she laid THIRTY-THREE EGGS. (Less than the 51 of the last clutch, but more of these eggs are big.)
Posts
She's certainly prolific. But she's so beautiful so I can understand the impetus to continue the genes.
ReplyDeleteIf I were a chameleon, I’d want you taking care of me. ;)
ReplyDeleteBest of luck to all!
And we humans complain about our periods? Wow!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Mrs. Chameleon. I hope these ones hatch successfully.
ReplyDeleteCute! I can't wait to see baby chameleons!
ReplyDeleteSeriously this chameleon needs to understand life is NOT just about the kids. I'm thinking she needs a nice trip to the spa for Mother's Day.... will share post with my kiddos!
ReplyDeleteEgad! Truly, that's all I can say.
ReplyDeleteWhooooa. That's some egg!
ReplyDeleteI'm wore out just thinking about that many babies...
wow thats a big egg! I wonder why this batch contains larger eggs? Congrats Mama Chameleon!
ReplyDeleteAmy, I don't know. I tried googling, but all I found it that the number of eggs in a clutch can vary A LOT! I wonder if these eggs will be super healthy.
ReplyDeleteJanie: I think she's beautiful too!!
ReplyDeleteBeth: I would happily dust live crickets with calcium powder for you! :)
ReplyDeleteSarah: I would've made a terrible veiled chameleon. I'm far too wimpy!
ReplyDeleteTeresa: From your lips to the veiled chameleon gods of healthy births!
ReplyDeleteJ Celestial: I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the eggs make it that long! It would be so fantastic.
ReplyDeleteIrene: I know. I Know. I keep telling her!
ReplyDeletehope the babies come out healthy :) I shall dub the big egg with the name Big Bubba for now.
ReplyDelete