Laying Lotus

Female chameleons frequently lay infertile eggs. The last Cham* I rescued laid eggs in one of my plants a couple days after I got her. 

Lotus is obviously filled with eggs. You can see the egg-shaped bulges in her belly. But she hasn't touched the lay box in her cage. 

Time to be more creative. 

I drug in the houseplant that the last Cham* laid her eggs in, set the mercury vapor bulb above it, and am letting Lotus 

free roam in it. Hopefully, she'll find the big pot of dirt and go crazy! 

It's not a very pretty houseplant, but it's got nice, sturdy limbs that are perfect for Cham feet. 

Here she is-- not sure if she's okay with her new digs or not. 

Eggs can be tricky with female chameleons. If they don't lay them, they will die. If they lay too many, they can die. They don't even have to be with a male Cham. They just lay eggs. It can be very nerve wracking. . . Okay, at least for me it is. 

I'll give Lotus a couple days to lay her eggs in the dirt. If she doesn't, she'll get an oxytocin shot on Monday to induce her laying. 

*Note-- I cannot remember what that girl's name was! That's why I keep a blog. It's part educational and part an external memory for me. :) I'll look it up.