Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[Budsteam]

As some members may recall our Yemen Bud had a pretty tough time of it last time she was gravid. We had to help remove a couple of eggs to enable her to lay the rest 'naturally' and this laying took longer than usual. Even then I suspected that although she laid around 20 eggs not all of them came out.

She is once again laiden with eggs and despite go up and down to her nesting pot (the same one we have used since the beginning) she doesn't have the strength to expel the eggs. She is drinking but has not eaten for 3 days, not even calcium dusted waxworms, her fave treat. Now she is struggling to put one foot in front of the other and looks absolutely exhausted and thoroughly fed up. You can see the egg build up and she is trying to lay, she just doesn't have the energy. Is there anything we can give her to ease the eggs out ?

I fear she will soon fall off a plant or vine through exhaustion and that will be that.

Bud is about 2 1/2 years years old.

Thanks for any suggestions folks x

[redbelly]

You need to get to a Vets ASAP,and have her induced with oxytocin,
the longer you leave it the worst it will get,and from your discrption sounds like it maybe too late
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[Budsteam]

Will take her to vets in the morning our concern with injection is that its pretty stressful to the system, but may be our only option.

[kinyonga]

I'm afraid that if you don't get her to a vet ASAP and get this problem solved she will be dead very soon.

Problems with egg laying or egg binding are usually husbandry related. There are some cases related to physical problems, for instance where there is an internal deformity and there are cases where the eggs are misshaped or fused.

Does your chameleon show signs of MBD (inability to hold her body up off the branches, arms that have the appearance of having an extra elbow above the real one, inability to shoot the tongue out all the way, flexible casque or jaw, etc.)?

Does she have a UVB light or is she exposed to sunlight? (The UVB from either source should not pass through plastic or glass). Are the temperatures in her basking area appropriate and does she bask?

What do you use in the way of gutloads and supplements...specifically in regards to calcium, phosphorous, vitamin D3 and vitamin A?

You said..."Even then I suspected that although she laid around 20 eggs not all of them came out"...did you have an xray taken to determine if there were eggs that weren't laid the last time?

Perhaps she has not been happy with the nesting spot? Do you let her see you watching her when she is digging or in the nesting spot?

[Rickeezee]

Knowing the history, to a degree, of Yemen Bud via previous posts on here I would say she is very well looked after.

oxytocin is an aggressive drug, vets usually only give half a dose initially and then say see how it goes come back tomorrow. Sometimes by then tomorrow is to late but try to get the vet to give a full dose in one go!

Chams simply dont have the luxury of time to wait to see if things work, if she needs the eggs out best get it done quickly for her sake, if possible.

I cover my yemen's viv when its egg laying time and ensure a gradient of heat in the nest tub via a heat mat, and also a gradient of moisture in the egg laying medium. Planting a ficus or something of the like in the nest tub also helps. CHams like to lay their eggs near root systems as this is where moisture is better retained in the soil also when the babies hatch they have somewhere to climb to take cover or run about like mad things seeking space and cover.

Some of my yemen's can take a good few days to lay their eggs and can be quite fussy about the laying site. Some just get on with it no fuss at all.

Unfortunately Yemens in captivity tend to over egg produce and have quite abnormally high clutches. In turn leading to associated problems such as high calcium depletion etc.

I hope Bud is OK, all the best of luck.
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[shelby]

can't give you any advise but i hope bud is ok and she manages to lay her eggs.hugs

[kinyonga]

I only recently joined this forum and asked the questions as a place to start. However the way the chameleon was described ("she is struggling to put one foot in front of the other and looks absolutely exhausted") along with her last egglaying problems IMHO it doesn't bode well.

Oxytocin is not usually useful in cases of eggbinding (don't know if she is eggbound or not for sure...a vet should determine that) and can even be dangerous to the female. If she is carrying enlarged eggs use of oxytocin may cause egg or oviductal rupture or hemorrhage--and even death.

Oxytocin will work if the timing is right..often within the first 48 hours or so. Arginine vasotocin (reptile equivalent) is more effective in causing contractions leading to normal oviposition (egg laying)...but not commercially available. Calcium gluconate is often given in conjunction with the oxytocin....and sometimes even helps when used on its own.

Rickeezee said..."Unfortunately Yemens in captivity tend to over egg produce and have quite abnormally high clutches. In turn leading to associated problems such as high calcium depletion etc."...while it is true that veileds in captivity can produce large clutches and it can lead to problems, if the food is controlled at the appropriate time within the females cycle and the temperature kept a little more moderate, the veiled clutch sizes seem to be able to be controlled somewhat. The size of the last clutch Bud laid was a good size...if no eggs were retained.

I have done this (control thing) for years. I have a three year old veiled female that has not produced one egg. Her mother was also over three before I mated her and altered her diet, etc. which resulted in about 2 dozen eggs being laid. I have two other females right now that are over 5 years old and they have never produced a single egg. When I do have fertile eggs from my veileds the clutches are always around two dozen and I have close to 100% hatch rate and at the end of two months, about 95% survival rate of these fertile. I have raised quite a few veileds to adulthood without them having any health issues. Generally my females live to be over 6 years old and the males live to be even older.

I hope Bud will make it through this and recover well!

[Budsteam]

Thanks folks - Jerry off to vets now.
Unfortunately Bud lays eggs every 2 1/2 months, last time being Feb so she has probably laid as many eggs as a cham twice her age.

Will let you know how she goes, was digging around in the pot again this morning so she is trying bless her, hope the vet can give her some help, just wish we could reduce the frequency she gets gravid .

[kroakykaren]

Any news on Bud?
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[aidan]

yer i want to no if bud is OK
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2.4. beardies
1.1 fire n uce beardies
1.1.0 yemen chameleons
0.0.1 corns
0.0.2 crested geckos