First time breeding and raising babies.....some help!

[Cham_dad]

Hi all,
I have 2 veiled chameleons which I breed successfully. I finally had 4 eggs hatched back at the beginning of October 2021. I think my incubator went bad so only 4 babies made it out of 40 + eggs. Now I had the 4 babies in a 10-gallon tank with a 40watt heating and a UVB bulb as well. The temps stay around 84-86 degrees Fahrenheit. Been feeding them flyless flies, and pinhead crickets. Misting several times a day. Now I lost one the other day just laying dead on the floor. Then a few days later, another one died. I am beside myself because I didn't want this to happen. What could have caused this to happen? I heard you will have some casualties. Is this true? What am I missing here?

Thanks for your support and input.

 

[kinyonga]

What was the temperature in the incubator? What was the substrate the eggs were laying on? Do you have any photos of the eggs when they were incubating?

Can you post a couple of photos of the remaining babies please?

 

[kinyonga]

You temperatures in the basking area in the cage are too hot for babies. Can you post some photos of the cage setup too please and photos of the adults.
What specific UVB light (long linear, compact, brand, etc.) are you using on the babies? What specific supplements are you using. Do they contain vitamin D3 or prEformed Vitamin A? How heavily do you dust with them? Do you use the same lights and supplements on the adults?

 

[Cham_dad]

Hey, thanks for getting back quickly. Here are some photos showing the conditions I have the last 2 baby chameleons living in. I am not sure if I am not feeding them enough, or what other foods I should give besides pinhead crickets and flyless flies. I ordered the next size-up crickets that should come tomorrow. They are 1/8" in size. How much water should I be giving them as well?

 

[MissSkittles]

Where is your uvb? You need a linear T5 fixture with either a ReptiSun 5.0 or Arcadia 6% uvb bulb. This is essential for them. They aren’t able to get adequate uvb levels with the screw in type bulbs. Also, thermometer reads 90. Babies shouldn’t be kept any hotter than 80 max.

 

[kinyonga]

Please answer the questions I asked so I can see if I can help.

Regarding the cage...you need more branches and greenery, the proper UVB light (either a reptisun 5.0 or Arcadia 6% long linear tube light).

Feed them as much as they will eat in two or three minutes at least twice a day...early and mid day...all insects dusted with PHOS free calcium at all feedings but one a week...on that one alternate between a phos free calcium/D3 powder and a vitamin powder that contains nonD3 and has aorEformed source of vitamin A in it. All dustings should be light....nit like ghosts or powdered donuts. Insects should be no lager than the space between the chameleon's eyes.

 

[kinyonga]

Be careful with the watering that the water doesn't pool...fine mist on the leaves is good.

 

[Cham_dad]

Where is your uvb? You need a linear T5 fixture with either a ReptiSun 5.0 or Arcadia 6% uvb bulb. This is essential for them. They aren’t able to get adequate uvb levels with the screw in type bulbs. Also, thermometer reads 90. Babies shouldn’t be kept any hotter than 80 max.

Hey sorry for the delay. Having 8 kids takes my time up and we are renovating some of our house too. I use a Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 UVB mini compact fluorescent bulb. That's what I have been told by the pet stores and others who have chams as well. I didn't know I could use something else. So far the 2 left baby chams are hanging. One seems stronger than the other, though. I was feeding pinhead crickets and giving fruit flies as well. Also, I remember when I bought my male cham from a pet store for over a year. Now I remember they were housing the babies in a glass tank with the same lighting. I just want to do the right thing for the babies.

​

 

[bbyoda]

Welcome and best of luck with the home renovations.

I don't have any experience with chameleon breeding. But I know you need a linear T5 5.0 Reptisun. The compact screw in bulb doesn't given sufficient UVB.

I'd suggest reading through this entire husbandry module. It's a reliable and great source of information and there's a ton of misinformation out there. You can also subscribe to the Chameleon Academy podcast to learn best in class husbandry for chameleons.

https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-academy-podcast-2021/

 

[Cham_dad]

I have a weak baby cham right now. Its eyes are closed, but it moves around in my hand. I tried putting it in a separate cage and gave it some crickets, but it doesn't seem interested. How can I nourish it or give it some water to drink?

 

[CasqueAbove]

That temp reading in the pick said 90f. You are cooking them! Don't go above 80 at the highest, low 70s ambient. I am not trying to be mean but what you have set up is a cham killer. Follow the advice you have been given and they can be OK. Decrease temp. UVB at this stage is critical as the grow fast and will quickly develop MBD without it and proper supplements. You need to start growing the Fruit fly cultures. They look small for 1/8 inch crickets, but maybe.

 

[Cham_dad]

That temp reading in the pick said 90f. You are cooking them! Don't go above 80 at the highest, low 70s ambient. I am not trying to be mean but what you have set up is a cham killer. Follow the advice you have been given and they can be OK. Decrease temp. UVB at this stage is critical as the grow fast and will quickly develop MBD without it and proper supplements. You need to start growing the Fruit fly cultures. They look small for 1/8 inch crickets, but maybe.

I appreciate the feedback. I am using a daylight 40-watt bulb that was recommended to me. Of course, I have the temp wire at the top so it reads higher. I am not trying to cook them; I have been following the pet store instructions and others who have raised baby chams before posting here. So I thought I was getting the right advice. How can I get it to drink if it's not drinking or eating at the moment?

 

[Kaizen]

Be careful with the watering that the water doesn't pool...fine mist on the leaves is good.

Good point, K! Babies can drown in a drop of water

 

[Cham_dad]

what is the smallest screen-size cage that would be good to house baby chams in?

 

[Lindasjackson]

18x18x36 screen cage would be good with lots of live plants, linear 18 inch reptisun 5.0 in a T5ho fixture and the basking branch 8-9 inches below. A 40 watt heat bulb on top. That should help them. I’m not sure when you need to separate them but you eventually do have to as one will stress the other out until they die.

 

[MissSkittles]

I have been following the pet store instructions and others who have raised baby chams before posting here. So I thought I was getting the right advice.

Unfortunately you are not alone. There’s just so very much misinformation and outdated info out there that it’s often hard to know what’s right. The most accurate and up to date source for info is https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/
I hope your little ones pull thru, but the sooner you can get the correct uvb and make other corrections, the better their chances.

 

[CasqueAbove]

I appreciate the feedback. I am using a daylight 40-watt bulb that was recommended to me. Of course, I have the temp wire at the top so it reads higher. I am not trying to cook them; I have been following the pet store instructions and others who have raised baby chams before posting here. So I thought I was getting the right advice. How can I get it to drink if it's not drinking or eating at the moment?

If I were to guess it is dehydration. I would keep it around 73 cooler at night and 100% humidity. At that size I am afraid there’s not much you can do. Pretty small to try and force feed. Hope is he will hydrate enough to come back. I would stick to fruit flies and make sure they are available to him. The flies will gather on a piece of banana to help keep them in place.