Gravid Jackson Newbie Help

M

MiketheDude

New Member
So I went to a reptile convention last weekend with my sister so she could add to her ball python collection. While I was there I couldn't resist the urge to buy a chameleon. I ended up buying a gravid jackson (I really wanted a male) without knowing anything about it, I figured she would give birth and I could keep one of the males she birthed and just sell the rest and be able to make the money I spent right back. It wasn't until I got home that I realized just how much upkeep a cham is. I've been roaming these forums ever since I got back home and I'm trying to do my best for the chameleon, but I'm very low on money now (had no idea how much of an investment it was) and was thinking about trying to sell her to someone who can take better care of her. Just making this post to see if I can get a few questions answered and some opinions on how I'm doing.
My set up for the mother right now is a 16"X16"X30" ReptiBreeze with a ReptiSun 5.0 compact flourescent for light and a Zoo Med 50W infared heat lamp. Ambient temp around the cage is 75-80F and 85F under the heat lamp. I mist her cage at least 3 times a day, humidity is low at the moment, but I'm going to buy a ficus to put in her cage later today. I gutload her crickets with Zoo Med cricket care and various veggies but would like some advice on dusting, I know you're not supposed to give too much D3 so I have Reptivite both with and without D3, just not sure how often to switch them up, I also believe I need a Calcium dust?
I'm also wondering about when the babies come, would something like this be okay for a baby jackson? http://www.screameleons.com/portal/alias__Screameleons/lang__en-US/tabID__3467/DesktopDefault.aspx
And if so how long would I be able to keep them in there?
I'm thinking ahead and getting ready to start raising crickets of my own so I can have pinheads when the babies are born but I'm not sure about the dusting for these either.
If there is anything I left out let me know, and would just appreciate some advice.
 
Wow!! I would love to see that! I thought they all gave egg births? Does YouTube have any videos? I'm new at these critters sorry MiketheDude.
 
Everything you mentioned sounds good with the exception of the compact flourescent bulb. In the past they have been known to cause eye problems, but the problem has supposed to have been corrected. I recommend a Reptisun 5.0 or a Repltiglo 5.0 linear flourescent. Personally, I only dust my Jacksons with Miner-all O formula (no D3) once a month. If your female is definitely gravid, I think twice a month would be O.K., but I'd be reserved on the D3. Once a month or every 6 weeks would probably be even better. The Miner-all O will supply your calcium. I think most people on here prefer Repti-cal calcium with no D3. The little milk jug cage is an ingenious idea! I love do-it-yourself approaches to problems and I think that is really cool. I think there'd probablly be alot of people here who wouldn't recommend it, but if you choose that route for a cage, I would suggest some seriously close monitoring for a week or more to be sure they can' t escape.
 
About dusting. You should dust with calcium w/o d3 at every feeding. I usually feed twice a day so I dust on the second feeding. Vitamins and minerals/calcium with d3 should only be used twice a month. Vitamins one week and calcium with d3 the next is a good schedule. As far as raising the babies and selling them you're going to need a lot of food for them. Are you selling her? It's going to be quite a project raising the babies and trying to make a profit from what I hear. I have eggs from my veiled atm and have 11 cham's.
 
Hmm, I didn't know that about the compact fluorescent bulbs...and thanks for the advice on dusting. I don't know if I'm going to sell her or not yet, depending on how many babies she has (I've heard they can go upwards of 30? :eek:) I think if I can just get 1K crickets and start farming them I should be able to keep a ready supply of pinheads, I'm more worried about not having the money to house and set up lights to keep all the babies for a few months until they're ready to sell.
 
here are my thoughts on subjects like these. I cant remember where i heard it... "if you are wondering if you are over your head.. You're over head."
 
What are you trying to say, jacksons give live birth.......get real thats only in the movies............:rolleyes::D
 
I also had one more question about the mom, how much should she be eating each day? She usually has 2-3 crickets a day but today she hasn't eaten any
 
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