Ambanja Panther Chameleon Hatching/Hatchling concerns

[JohnnyLawrence]

Situation: I have two separate containers, each containing about a dozen eggs. They have been "incubating" for about 7 months now. On 7/27 I found a hatchling in one of the containers. I left the hatchling inside for about a day as I've heard it might help with getting the rest to hatch. After a day I pulled it out and put it inside it's own enclosure (16" x 16" Reptibreeze with sticks, bonsai tree, 5.0 CFL UVB Bulb and humidifier).

Problem: As of today, 8/1, I have not had any further eggs hatch and the lone hatchling will not eat any of the food I have offered (fruit flies, pinhead crickets, and tiny superworms).

Can any experts or experienced breeders offer any insight as to what's going on...anything I've done wrong...or make any predictions? Thanks in advanced for any assistance!

Johnny

 

[Theveiled]

I have not dealt with babies but I heard if you put a peice of fruit in the cage the fruit flies go to it and it easier for the babies to eat. Good luck though!

 

[jpowell86]

Hello Johnny.

First off, what temps are you incubating at?

The majority of my panther clutches have always hatched at the 8 1/2 - 9 1/2 month period. So, I would say that the little guy/girl that hatched came too early. How is the appearance of the chameleon that hatched? Could you post a pic of it?

Honestly, it is a good thing that they haven't hatched yet. I have had clutches where half of the eggs hatched in the 9 month range and the other half didn't hatch for 3 more months. Even slight changes in conditions can alter the timeline of hatch and the success of the hatch.

As for the little one. I fear if it shows no interest, it must be too weak to actively hunt.

It could possibly be that the enclosure is not setup in a manner that is conducive for the little one to hunt properly. Would you mind posting a pic of the enclosure as well?

 

[JohnnyLawrence]

Theveiled - Great idea! Thanks!

jpowell86 - Please see pictures. I live in Florida, so they are incubating at room temperature (anywhere between 75-78 degrees). Regarding the condition of the hatchling, I have no idea because this is the first time I've ever seen a hatchling (poor thing).

 

[Blang]

Sometimes it takes a few days for them to absorb their yolk sac! Keep offering food & water & in a couple days you should start to see them eat & drink! When mine hatched I had one hatch everyday for awhile & then every couple days!

 

[Theveiled]

I have also heard babies need higher humidity (i think this is true). How high is your humidity?

 

[JohnnyLawrence]

I have also heard babies need higher humidity (i think this is true). How high is your humidity?

Yes, they are more affected by lower humidity, higher temps...which is why I have a humidifier on the cage. It's about 70% humidity at the bottom. It should be even more humid at the top and when I mist manually. The little guy/girl took a drink today for the first time, but still not eating any of the fruit flies or pinhead crickets that I've seen.

 

[Chachi]

I have not done the just born baby thing, but i have seen it. There are a couple of people on this forum who have had many. Alphakenc has done many babies. I think your cage is very very much too big. I have heard of babies in 6x6 inch glass cubes..merujack, jajeanpierre, jannb all do babies too. Montain species but babies babies babies. Message any of the 4 they will be happy to help. But, for sure, the enclosure is too big. Get a small container, very small and a piece of fruit for those fruitflies to gather, he she can just sit and eat. Definitely water water water.

 

[Chachi]

This was my container for a 2 month old baby. See what i mean? The container was 7"x7"×7". Lots of misting. When more babies come you could go bigger to accomodate all but when they are a lone...

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[Chachi]

In the end, he didnt eat out of the cup in the beginning. He ate right off the orange slice. There was 8 or 10 on the orange and he would eat em all.

 

[JohnnyLawrence]

In the end, he didnt eat out of the cup in the beginning. He ate right off the orange slice. There was 8 or 10 on the orange and he would eat em all.

Thanks for the advice and the pictures...appreciate it!!!

 

[Chachi]

Hope your little guy comes along. You are probably bonding pretty tightly w this one. If he/she comes along you wont be able to part with this special one. Get ready. They make you feel something...hard to describe....lol.

 

[JohnnyLawrence]

Hope your little guy comes along. You are probably bonding pretty tightly w this one. If he/she comes along you wont be able to part with this special one. Get ready. They make you feel something...hard to describe....lol.

You're 100% right...so funny you made that point! I was just thinking yesterday that I don't know how I could part with this guy after putting so much effort into him/her and getting so emotional about it, LOL

 

[Chachi]

Did it eat yet?? Should have. Once he hits something, he will be famished and will eat and eat til he looks like he has a marbel in there. Lol

 

[JohnnyLawrence]

Did it eat yet?? Should have. Once he hits something, he will be famished and will eat and eat til he looks like he has a marbel in there. Lol

Hi Chachi - I'm out of town on business, but not as of yesterday; although, he's VERY active and likes exploring his cage. He is certainly wary of me so it may be that he's eating when I'm not looking...but I doubt it. I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping things turn soon

 

[guanagator]

Some of them won't eat in front of you, though Panther babies are usually less shy about it. I have a clutch of 39 right now about the 2 month mark and 75% will gobble down anything I put in front of them right away, the slower ones never have any food left the next day so I figure they are shy eaters.

 

[JohnnyLawrence]

Some of them won't eat in front of you, though Panther babies are usually less shy about it. I have a clutch of 39 right now about the 2 month mark and 75% will gobble down anything I put in front of them right away, the slower ones never have any food left the next day so I figure they are shy eaters.

Thanks guanagator, I appreciate the people who are taking the time out to offer help/assistance!!!! Since you breed chameleons, can you tell me what the reason would be for a chameleon egg to shrink, but the fully developed baby not to "pip" the egg and come out...ultimately dying?

 

[guanagator]

Thanks guanagator, I appreciate the people who are taking the time out to offer help/assistance!!!! Since you breed chameleons, can you tell me what the reason would be for a chameleon egg to shrink, but the fully developed baby not to "pip" the egg and come out...ultimately dying?

I can't tell you, too many factors at play. Was it just one or multiple? If multiple then likely an issue with incubation, one may just be a genetic defect. I had one egg in the last clutch that looked perfect all through the incubation like the rest then never hatched and molded a few weeks after the rest hatched out, figure 39/40 isn't bad and that one of the days when 7-8 hatched out at once and had a party in my incubator all day the one bad one could have been jostled or turned around causing the airsack to move and kill the embryo.

 

[JohnnyLawrence]

I can't tell you, too many factors at play. Was it just one or multiple? If multiple then likely an issue with incubation, one may just be a genetic defect. I had one egg in the last clutch that looked perfect all through the incubation like the rest then never hatched and molded a few weeks after the rest hatched out, figure 39/40 isn't bad and that one of the days when 7-8 hatched out at once and had a party in my incubator all day the one bad one could have been jostled or turned around causing the airsack to move and kill the embryo.

I had the eggs in a closed, plastic container with wet vermiculite. I used indentations to place the eggs and kept them at a safe enough distance from one another, and the container. I checked approx. once a week on the eggs to remove any molding ones and allowed air exchange. I didn't put any more water in the containers as I didn't want the possibility of them rotting (showed no signs of dehydration). Any ideas?

 

[guanagator]

Have the other eggs died? If they are still white I think you may just have an early baby and the rest will follow once they get to term, 7 months is a shorter incubation than mine have been 8-9.5 months typical at 72F.