How Many Eggs Do Chameleons Lay

Are you interested in learning about breeding chameleons?

Have you ever wondered about when your chameleon was born?

If you are curious about chameleons and their reproduction, you may have asked the question:

How many eggs do chameleons lay?

The number of eggs a chameleon lays will vary based on the species and the size of the animal. Smaller species of chameleons will lay between two and four eggs at one time, while larger chameleons can lay between 80 up to 200 eggs at once.

If you want to know more information about the number of eggs chameleons will lay, keep reading this post.

How Many Eggs Do Chameleons Lay?

There are over 150 species of chameleons identified by researchers, and most of them reproduce by laying eggs.

This egg-laying form of reproduction is known as oviparous reproduction.

These oviparous chameleons will lay varying number of eggs each time, based on the species and the size of the animal.

Small chameleons, like members of the Brookesia species, might only lay two or four eggs at one time.

The larger the chameleon is, the larger the number of eggs they will lay.

There are some larger veiled chameleons which have been known to lay up to 200 eggs and as few as 20 in one clutch.

Clutch sizes will even vary amongst the members of the same species.

We can’t just say all veiled chameleons will lay a set number of eggs each time, for example.

A few factors are coming into play to increase or decrease the number of eggs a female chameleon lays.

This number can increase or decrease based on the female’s size as well as her age.

Younger chameleons who are just reaching maturity might produce a smaller amount of eggs the first time around.

Also, look at how well she is fed or her hydration levels as a factor.

How Often Do Chameleons Lay Eggs?

If you have a female chameleon who has reached maturity, you might also be wondering how often she will be laying eggs.

Again, the answer to this question can vary.

On average, a female chameleon will lay her eggs every three to six months, but the frequency might be altered based on environmental conditions.

If the chameleon is too hot or even too cold, how well she is fed and whether she is adequately hydrated or dehydrated, will all play a role in how frequently she lays a clutch of eggs.

Laying eggs is very taxing on a female’s body, and researchers have concluded, the process greatly shortens her lifespan in comparison to her male counterpart.

If you have a female chameleon, you may want to lower the temperature just a few degrees to slow down the frequency and prolong her life.

Another thing to do is to feed her just slightly less.

Instead of every day, you might feed your female chameleons every two or three days.

Ultimately, you cannot stop the egg-laying process completely, and she will eventually lay a clutch of eggs.

Do Chameleons Lay Eggs Without Mating?

Female chameleons do not need a male to lay eggs, but they will not be fertilized.

This means you will not have any baby chameleons running around, but you will still have to go through the process and give her what she needs to lay her unfertilized eggs.

This is part of a natural cycle of developing common to many species, where the female produces the eggs capable of being fertilized.

If the small window of time where the eggs could become viable comes and goes without the introduction of a male, the female has to lay the eggs so she can begin the cycle once again.

She is always preparing for the chance of a male to come along and fertilize the eggs, so yes, a female chameleon will still lay eggs without mating with a male of her species.

At What Age Do Chameleons Start Laying Eggs?

Again, this question is not one with a simple and definite answer.

Thinking of humans, we all develop just a little bit differently and at slightly different paces, and a chameleon is no different.

Some factors are causing the age of when a chameleon will start to lay her eggs to vary, including genetics, environmental conditions, and the overall health of the animal.

Some species of chameleons will begin laying eggs at around six months, and others can take a year or slightly longer.

Most chameleon species become mature at one or two years of age.

There are exceptions to this timeline, including the Madagascan chameleon, who claims the prize of the shortest lifespan of all chameleons.

They reach adulthood at just two months old, lay their eggs at three months, and then dies.

Their whole life is lived in just a short three months.

Do All Chameleons Lay Eggs?

While most chameleons do lay eggs and are known as oviparous, there are a few species who do not give birth to their young in this way.

These chameleons are ovoviviparous and have a live birth.

Female chameleons who give birth this way, keep the eggs inside their body in a sense.

The Jackson’s chameleon is known to give birth to her babies in this way.

The eggs will incubate inside the female and do not have a shell, but the embryos do get their nutrients from an attached yolk sac.

The chameleon babies emerge from their mother covered in a sticky membrane.

A female chameleon will then press the egg sac to a tree branch, sticking it there.

Baby chameleons will then emerge and begin searching for food. 

Conclusion

Some chameleon species do not lay eggs, but the vast majority do, and the number of eggs they lay depends on their size and species.

Depending on the size and species, chameleons can lay anywhere from two to 100 eggs.

After reading this article, we hope you have a better understanding of the number of eggs a chameleon can lay at one time.