Cluth of Baby eyes closed....

[Justin Escajeda]

Hello All,

I am hoping to get some feedback on my current situation with a one month old clutch of baby (Ambil) Panthers Chameleons.

Up to this point I have been housing this clutch since birth in the convention hatchling enclosure: tuber-ware bin with a maze of wooden stacks and many fake plants. I did however incorporate a moss base on the floor which is something different for me. I have a basking spot of 80F and a gradient that goes to 74F other areas of the cage. They are misted 6 times a day at 30 second intervals. I have a t5 uvb and zoomed daylight 40w for 10 hours per day. We feed 1-3 times a day between fruit flies and pin head crickets with dusting every other day with repashy supercal nod. I have 12 hatched out of the 20 eggs that survived.

This was that females first clutch. All the hatchlings seemed fine up until 4-5 days ago (roughly at the 3-4week old mark), they were eating, climbing, alert, pooping, etc, now it seems that a lot of them have their eyes closed during the day. If I pick them up, most of them will open, others stay shut, some are still (sleep-like), others are climbing around with eyes closed.

I will be moving them into nursery cages this weekend (pvc with screen front), probaby 2-3 per cage - all live plants in enclosures.

I have researched that this may be caused by stress due to so many of them together, it could be caused by husbandry, and many other reasons. I am up for any ideas, or opinions what might be causing this and possible solutions to apply.

Thank You To ANYONE who has any input!

 

[Beman]

Sorry I am of no help but I will tag some people @jannb @kinyonga

 

[Justin Escajeda]

Thanks!

 

[kinyonga]

What supplements do you give to the mother? How often for each? I'm particularly interested in the D3 and type (beta carotene, retinol, retinyl, retinal) and amount of vitamin A in them.

Did you wash the plants before using them?

What UVB light are you using and was it brand new when you put it on the "cage"?

 

[Ruthless]

What are your UVI readings? A T5 in a open bin no screen could be very harmful if not at the right distance.

 

[Justin Escajeda]

We always wash the plants before using them, yes, very anal about that. We use (blue pink label- repcal 1:1) roughly once a month, alternate calcium plus with Lod bi weekly (repashy brand). Then use NoD all other feedings. Gut loaded crickets (feed kail), wax woms, dubia roaches, horned worms, butter worms (once every two months are so), and meal worms (rarely but sometimes maybe once every 3-4 months).

 

[Justin Escajeda]

What are your UVI readings? A T5 in a open bin no screen could be very harmful if not at the right distance.

We do have a screened top on them, but ill check uv reading and get right back

 

[jannb]

I’m thinking it’s the lighting. Most likely your UV light. Turn the light off for a couple of days and see it that helps.

 

[Justin Escajeda]

I’m thinking it’s the lighting. Most likely your UV light. Turn the light off for a couple of days and see it that helps.

Ok will def try that, should I leave the 40w light on though? Or no lights at all? Thanks!

 

[jannb]

The basking light should be ok. What are you using for basking?

 

[Justin Escajeda]

The basking light should be ok. What are you using for basking?

Zoomed day bulb (40w).

 

[jannb]

Zoomed day bulb (40w).

I use a regular household old style, for my basking light and keep the babies around 82 to 83.

 

[bobcochran]

I’m thinking it’s the lighting. Most likely your UV light. Turn the light off for a couple of days and see it that helps.

Jannb, couldn't agree with you more!

 

[kinyonga]

What ever happened with the babies...did the light thing work?

 

[Justin Escajeda]

So during this quarantine I actually had 4 clutches hatch (3 amb, 1 nosy b), with the extra time I the opportunity to do some experimenting.

The first two clutches I kept plastic bins (conventional method) for 1 month. Then I separated them into bioactive exo terras in groups of 4-5. So far they are doing great, after a month but i feel like they are growing a bit slower, still looking healthy though.

The clutch that had their eyes closing, I put them in two smaller screen enclosures in groups of 6-7. All of them died except for 5, and these 5 are thriving right now (all in one enclosure). Eyes are staying open, active all day, eating, pooping, growing fast, etc.

The other two clutches i put in nursery cages immediately (screen front and top, pvc sides), lighting is 6500k tube and t-8 5.0 tube. They are all eating, zero loss, with a 95% hatch rate for both clutches. These ones seem to be growing much faster.

So i am not sure what happened with the one clutch, maybe the mother wasnt as healthy as I thought? Maybe the lightening needed altered, i am not sure at this point, but at least the 60 that remain are all doing pretty well. Ill attach a picture, I would appreciate any critiques.

Thanks in Advance!

 

[Justin Escajeda]

Here’s a pic

 

[kinyonga]

Glad that the other clutches are doing well. It's a shame about the one..but sometimes things happen that we can't account for.