Do Panther Chameleon Eggs Need to be Incubated in the Dark?

[supe22]

Hey Guys,
I am new to this forum and fairly new to chameleons in general. I have been breeding amphibians and geckos for years and have now finally taken the plunge into chameleons. I have been researching and planning to get into them for a couple years and am glad to be giving it a shot. Anyway, I have a pair of panther chams on the way with a gravid female and have done my research on care and breeding. I have read in several places to keep panther chameleon eggs in the dark and I just wanted to see if that was required or if people have had success with some light from the room shining into the container. It would be easiest for me to incubate them on a low shelf in my frog room temp wise but they would be getting some light during the day from the room lights. Thanks in advance for your help and I appreciate everyone who took the time to read through my long winded post

 

[kinyonga]

Since eggs in nature are hatched in the dark in the ground, wouldn't it make sense to do the same with any eggs that you are hatching in captivity?
I remember reading an article about the hatch rate being better...but I don't know if I can find the article now.

Here's one...but not the one I was looking for...
http://www.turtledoctor.freeservers.com/custom3.html

 

[DeremensisBlue]

Since eggs in nature are hatched in the dark in the ground, wouldn't it make sense to do the same with any eggs that you are hatching in captivity?
I remember reading an article about the hatch rate being better...but I don't know if I can find the article now.

Here's one...but not the one I was looking for...
http://www.turtledoctor.freeservers.com/custom3.html

If memory serves me W. Schmidt wrote about P. Necas' experiments with light and spacing the eggs out in his Calyptratus book. I'll check tonight to see if my memory still works...

Supe22,
But as for incubating in the frog room, couldn't you incubate in a container that is opaque? If you only have the clear ones then wrap it something or just put it in a cardboard box.

 

[kinyonga]

That's the one I was looking for DeremensisBlue!

 

[Texas Ranger]

I have heard that too. And it does make since that they need to be dark beacuse they are in the wild. They are down in the dirt till they dig their way out. So I have put a old T shirt over the door of my incubator. I see no reason why it would hurt to put it there. So thats why Im doing it.

 

[supe22]

thanks guys

Thanks for all the replies and input. I feel kind of dumb for not thinking of using a colored bin instead of a clear one. Guess Im just too excited about my new chams to think straight That is exactly what I will plan to do. I will just pick up one of the gray colored rubbermaid tubs and put it exactly were I was hoping to put them. That way I will have good consistant temps and the tub shouldnt let in the light from the room. Thank you very much for the idea and everyones thoughts on this subject.

 

[DeremensisBlue]

Memory serves me halfway! The Necas experiment is documented in Vosjoli/Freguson's "care and breeding of panther, Jacksons, veiled, and parsons chameleons ". Page 92 shares that Necas got a 37% hatch rate from eggs exposed to daylight and an 81% from total darkness.