Incubating not required?

[biffle]

I didn't plan on breeding my chameleons just yet. My daughter let my female out to walk on our plant bridge after I had already let my male out. my daughter and wife said they didn't see any fooling around. fast forward a month, my female layed a clutch. I looked up pictures of fertilized and underutilized eggs on this forum. These eggs didn't look like the fertilized pictures. I was about to through them out when my daughter asked me to save them just in case. reluctantly I agreed to keep them until they started smelling. I left the rest alone in the laying bucket. Curiosity got the best of me 6 months later. I dug two up. They were completely white but in good shape. I cut one open but didn't see anything but yellow yolk. At this point I was sure they were unfertalized but was confused why they hadn't molded. I listened to my daughter once again and left the rest alone. We are at 9 months now so I cut another one open. This one had eyes. I'm a little freaked out as I didn't plan on this.

Should I leave the eggs alone or should I rush out and get an incubator?

 

[dagy24]

Most people go through a process of digging up and setting up the eggs for incubation, and then incubate them in a closet or something. At this point you shouldn't be moving or turning or digging up the eggs so don't attempt to do that. What type of chameleon eggs were they? And what tempuratures did you keep them at? I only ask so someone can give you a rough estimate of hatch time. Otherwise, you should leave the eggs alone.

 

[Leroux2008]

o wow! 0.0 That is crazy! How many eggs did you end up with left?

 

[biffle]

The room that I keep them in stays about 75-80. I'm guessing 3-4 months until hatching. I didn't dig up all of the eggs so I don't know how many there are. Based on her past unfertilized clutches I’d say there is about 20.

I got my male from Kammerflage Kreations. He is from the Holman blood lines. My female is an ambilobe that I got from a local breeder.

Can I feed the baby chameleons new born crickets or should I start with flightless fruit flies?

 

[Leroux2008]

You would probably want to start with some flightless fruit flies.... that is what Ive heard from most people on the site. then when the babies start to gain a little weight move on to some new born crickets...

Your gonna have some pretty little babies!

 

[bigcappa]

Wow congrats and good luck from a fellow Texan! Go with flightless fruit flies and I'm sure your male looks great coming from that bloodline!

 

[biffle]

To sum up my experience on this...

I used shredded palm bark and a bucket stored in a closet. I added water to the bucket bi-weekly to keep the soil moist. It took 12 months for 13 of 25 eggs to hatch. The others dried up (I believe). The babies were eating new born crickets from day one. They seem OK with the crickets but Loooove Hydei fruit flies. The babies are 5 weeks now and seem to be big and healthy.

IMO incubators are not required but are highly recommended. They obviously increase the hatch rate and reduce incubation time.

Jason

 

[Hoj]

very cool, babies are awsome

 

[pssh]

They can eat pinheads as babies. Hydei fruit flies are larger than the melanogasters and therefore more filling. Pinheads and D. melanogaster fruit flies are about the same size at 1/16" and the D. hydei flies are about 1/8" Most people start out with the hydei flies for panther babies.

 

[biffle]

Geoffery at 5 weeks

This is Geoffery at 5 weeks. I'm thinking he is the one I'll keep.

Does he look like a male? I think I see a bump and a thick tail base.

 

[heartben]

want! what kind are they? i dont recall reading it.

 

[biffle]

My male is a mix from the Kammer Flage Kreations Holman line.

My female is an ambilobe from a local breeder.

 

[heartben]

oh duh, i did see that and just forgot. pics are better anyways! they both look fantastic. going to have some nice babies!

 

[biffle]

Geoffery just before 4 months.

 

[biffle]

Geoffrey right after his 4.5 month shed. His dad Blu is in the background.

 

[coldbloodedAL]

Geoffrey is looking good! Should be a stunner just like his dad!

 

[biffle]

Geoffrey at ~ 9 months

 

[aholgate]

I just stumbled upon this thread, what a great story! And Geoffrey certainly looks like he's becoming quite the stud.

 

[biffle]

updated photos