absolutbill
Chameleon Enthusiast
I'm just curious how you find the time to do anything besides stare at this cute little babies all day long? I'd be completely useless for weeks on end...
Baby Melleri Madness!!
- Thread starter jpowell86
- Start date
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
So you lost all 8? Sorry to hear that!
BackwaterReptiles
Avid Member
Yes, it was a confounding experience. I shipped one to a customer, then it died a few days later. His setup was fine, so I shipped a free replacement. That one died in a few days as well. So, rather than shipping again I just refunded the cham, stopped shipping them, and observed.
jpowell86
Chameleon Enthusiast
jpowell86
Chameleon Enthusiast
So, I am happy to report that my other two babies successfully hatched and are with their siblings now!!! I was getting a little nervous!
So my final count on babies is 41/43. Technically...all 43 hatched, but two died after about ten minutes of being out of the egg.
Just for the future keeper of this species and those who are currently working with them. I incubated this clutch in my closet. They were laid on 03/22, so at that time it was fairly pleasant in my house without any temp. intervention. I did however buy a stand alone A/C unit that you can run piping from the back to vent out the nearest window. For the first two months, I kept them at 70 degrees during the day dropping them nightly to 67 degrees. Over the course of the next two and half months, I slowly raised the day time temp but still dropped nightly to 69. I want to add, this was not an incredibly controlled incubation process in regards to temps. The numbers stated prior were my goals for the day. Some days may have gone a few degrees over or under. That's why I tried to stay so neutral with my temps so I could allow for fluctuation and not feel that I may have compromised the clutch. I incubated on vermiculite grade 2. I was going to use grade 4 and changed my mind at the last minute and I think it worked out well.
I prepped the vermiculite in a 1/8 ratio(water to vermiculite). I kept the eggs in containers with no holes at all. This is the reason I went so light with water. I knew that I wouldn't loose much water like I did with containers that I pierced holes in prior. I only opened the containers twice the entire time they were incubating. This also helped me retain the moisture levels that I had. I weighed them weekly just to see the progress of the egg growth. Granted, the numbers aren't exact, because I had to lose some water weight, even if it were a meniscal amount. I was admittedly on pins and needles the entire time they were incubating. This was a huge goal for me. I have wanted to experience the process of incubation for this species to further my knowledge for future CB opportunities, which maybe happening sooner than I thought! Future thread material!!!!!
I hope that this helps someone a little bit in the future and I hope that more keepers will become engaged in helping this species become more abundant in CB numbers state side. They are amazing chameleons!
Just a few more photos for those who asked!
So my final count on babies is 41/43. Technically...all 43 hatched, but two died after about ten minutes of being out of the egg.
Just for the future keeper of this species and those who are currently working with them. I incubated this clutch in my closet. They were laid on 03/22, so at that time it was fairly pleasant in my house without any temp. intervention. I did however buy a stand alone A/C unit that you can run piping from the back to vent out the nearest window. For the first two months, I kept them at 70 degrees during the day dropping them nightly to 67 degrees. Over the course of the next two and half months, I slowly raised the day time temp but still dropped nightly to 69. I want to add, this was not an incredibly controlled incubation process in regards to temps. The numbers stated prior were my goals for the day. Some days may have gone a few degrees over or under. That's why I tried to stay so neutral with my temps so I could allow for fluctuation and not feel that I may have compromised the clutch. I incubated on vermiculite grade 2. I was going to use grade 4 and changed my mind at the last minute and I think it worked out well.
I prepped the vermiculite in a 1/8 ratio(water to vermiculite). I kept the eggs in containers with no holes at all. This is the reason I went so light with water. I knew that I wouldn't loose much water like I did with containers that I pierced holes in prior. I only opened the containers twice the entire time they were incubating. This also helped me retain the moisture levels that I had. I weighed them weekly just to see the progress of the egg growth. Granted, the numbers aren't exact, because I had to lose some water weight, even if it were a meniscal amount. I was admittedly on pins and needles the entire time they were incubating. This was a huge goal for me. I have wanted to experience the process of incubation for this species to further my knowledge for future CB opportunities, which maybe happening sooner than I thought! Future thread material!!!!!
I hope that this helps someone a little bit in the future and I hope that more keepers will become engaged in helping this species become more abundant in CB numbers state side. They are amazing chameleons!
Just a few more photos for those who asked!
Great hatch rate and total cuteness! They look great. Now get to work feeding all of them! 
Action Jackson
Chameleon Enthusiast
This is so great. Congratulations again on a successful hatch. If you have a small gram scale it would be cool to know what these babies weigh. Do they show any signs of aggression toward each other? I would separate some into individual cages in case down the road you start losing some you might be able to determine if it's from underling stress from group housing. I know with my Parsonii babies they exibit displeasure at being housed together right from the beginning and did very well being housed individually.
Veild Cham Owner
Avid Member
Hold up, let me get this core eg. You currently have 41 baby chameleons right in your house. Props to u and ur chameleon!!! Bravo!! I wish you so much luck and love to your new baby chameleons, they are the cutest things in the world!!
jpowell86
Chameleon Enthusiast
Thank you very much! I have actually weighed quite a few of them. They are anywhere between 2.4 and 2.8 grams.
I have actually been torn on this. I have read multiple accounts of it being done both ways with melleri. Both sides swear by their methods.
I haven't seen any of the babies exhibit aggression towards each other..but of course I don't know what is going on all the time. They are in an enclosure that is 6' long by 3' tall and 3' wide. They can be very spread out at times and some I have noticed sitting in little clusters. I have three different basking areas so there wouldn't be much competition in that regard.
I have thought about separating a portion of them out too. I have also thought about raising some in my greenhouse. I can't help but feel that they would be healthier in that environment. I hate options...lol
scchameleon
Member
Jpowell86, when the time comes out me down for at least 1 maybe 2 of these Beauties!!!
Abba's Amanda
Established Member
congrats on your babies they are so cute!
Dave Bolamperti
Avid Member
Hi Joel,
Congratulations on the fantastic hatch they look great. They are on my watch list
Dave
Congratulations on the fantastic hatch they look great. They are on my watch list
Dave
