We have some eggs that were laid on the 19th of August and some of them look like they are changing shape? First time hatching eggs so I've been doing my research online as much as possible but thought I would ask as well. Anyone experience this? Almost looks like they as see swelling, one almost looks like it has a "bubble" on the shell. I'll try to upload some pictures later. Might they possible be hatching soon??
Veiled eggs?
- Thread starter Bluezoo
- Start date
Chameleon Crazy Chick
Established Member
Well...... ask the experts....
@jajeanpierre @Extensionofgreen @Andee
You guys have all the knowledge (excluding Brad, of course)
@jajeanpierre @Extensionofgreen @Andee You guys have all the knowledge (excluding Brad, of course)
Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
Swelling is pretty normal. I am not positive because I haven't actually gone into the hatching/breeding area of chameleon keeping, but I don't think they would be hatching quite yet? Though it does depend on the temps they were kept at etc. Sounds like the are sweating? Which is they are they are going to hatch. But eggs to grow throughout the process of incubation... can you take pics? I think veiled eggs take the shortest time of 8-9 months? If you aren't speed hatching them, which I never ever recommend.
I'll be home in a little I'll upload pics! Temps have ranged from 73~76 as we were told to keep them in laundry room cabinet (long story short we were given 4 eggs by an acquaintance) and we're told about 6 to 8 months. But! Yes I've read it can be anywhere from 6 to 10 months so we're just riding it out, I think I'm slightly anxious to see if they'll hatch! So far they are growing, and have healthy pink veins when we candled them 3 days ago still.
Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
I would assume since you have them on the lower end of temps from what I remember (don't quote me for sure) still waiting for the ACTUAL experts in this matter to weigh in XD, they will likely take a bit longer to hatch. I will tag @jannb as well because she is great with veileds and has done some amazing breeding of her own. I think it could take as long as 12 months with lower temps. But I usually prefer lower temps to higher temps that cause the speed hatching. Speed hatching causes dangerous health issues often and can stunt growth.
The lighting is making them look quite yellow/brown for whatever reason (they were laid in dirt and still have some on them). The one on the far left is the weird shaped one lol its just started to change the last few days. From all my searching I've found they can have all sorts of crazy hatch dates! I've always had reptiles, but never hatched any so when the opportunity came up to possibly see some baby chameleons hatch it was quite exciting!
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Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
To me they definitely look healthy. I don't see any sweating so I don't think they will be hatching very soon. They have probably grown though considering the size of most eggs when they come out of female veileds. The funky shaped one you mentioned does have that weird kind of growth thing going on. But I am betting it is just extra calcification because it otherwise looks fine. But be aware that the baby inside may also not make it. I mean eggs that look weird tend to have a higher death rate for embryos than even eggs that looks fine, and sometimes eggs that looks fine don't hatch well. But sometimes even the funkiest eggs hatch fine. So you just gotta hope and cross your fingers. Otherwise I think they look good. Hopefully someone else will confirm ^^
Thank you! Yeah I'll keep an eye on the wonky looking one, I know eggs are never a sure thing. Aside from the strange shape of the one, they seem to be healthy but I'm feeling a little anxious! I don't have their enclosure completely set up yet so I was hoping they weren't hatching quite yet. Fingers crossed!
I usually incubate them at about 74F. My incubator is unconventional so the temperature fluctuates a couple of degrees depending on the room temperature. They hatch at about 240 days the way I don't. Your temperature is a little higher so they should hatch a bit earlier than mine.
I also use vermiculite...but I don't know if that would make a difference.
The eggs should sweat and then shrink and an x shaped slit should open at one end and the head should stick out soon after that. From sweating to the head sticking out can be a few days or quite quick.
Sorry I can't be more helpful.
I also use vermiculite...but I don't know if that would make a difference.
The eggs should sweat and then shrink and an x shaped slit should open at one end and the head should stick out soon after that. From sweating to the head sticking out can be a few days or quite quick.
Sorry I can't be more helpful.
No that is actually very helpful! Thanks everyone for the quick responses! Very excited and hopeful I'll get to meet some babies when they are all done cooking
jajeanpierre
Chameleon Enthusiast
@Bluezoo Before eggs hatch, they sweat. Beads of fluid will leak through the shell. They can often end up looking pretty grey and soggy. Don't think they are dead just because they look so bad.
They will slit the egg, usually at one end but it could be at both ends and even in the middle. After slitting the egg, they usually rest for a day or more. The activity of slitting the egg is what triggers them to pull the egg yolk into their body. Before hatching, there is a tremendous amount of yolk still outside their body that must be pulled into their body and sealed off. They count on that egg yolk to sustain them for several days after hatching. The circulatory system that runs around the inside of the egg must also shut down and be clamped off. All this takes time, which is why you shouldn't interfere. You can bleed out a baby by cutting the shell before the circulatory system has closed off. Quite often the baby's head pokes out but they lie there with their eyes closed looking very dead. I've had babies that had their heads stuck out like that for a couple of days and they were just fine. In one case, the humidity of the container must have been too low as the shell started to harden again so I did have to cut the baby out but that was just for one clutch. Usually, the shell stays soft and leathery.
Your eggs look very round, but I've had eggs that were quite round hatch just fine. Do you have a lot of fruit fly cultures going? You'll need a LOT. Good luck.
They will slit the egg, usually at one end but it could be at both ends and even in the middle. After slitting the egg, they usually rest for a day or more. The activity of slitting the egg is what triggers them to pull the egg yolk into their body. Before hatching, there is a tremendous amount of yolk still outside their body that must be pulled into their body and sealed off. They count on that egg yolk to sustain them for several days after hatching. The circulatory system that runs around the inside of the egg must also shut down and be clamped off. All this takes time, which is why you shouldn't interfere. You can bleed out a baby by cutting the shell before the circulatory system has closed off. Quite often the baby's head pokes out but they lie there with their eyes closed looking very dead. I've had babies that had their heads stuck out like that for a couple of days and they were just fine. In one case, the humidity of the container must have been too low as the shell started to harden again so I did have to cut the baby out but that was just for one clutch. Usually, the shell stays soft and leathery.
Your eggs look very round, but I've had eggs that were quite round hatch just fine. Do you have a lot of fruit fly cultures going? You'll need a LOT. Good luck.
I have everything except their uvb light fixture all set up, fruit flies and all! Just waiting on the light to come in the mail and hopefully I will have a few babies to take care of in a bit!
Chameleon Crazy Chick
Established Member
So, I've been reading this thread a while, and I'm wanting to make sure i've got all the information right:
Eggs are laid, then you carefully dig them up and place them in a soil-y substance ( any good ones? not hatching any babies, just storing away for future referance) and you incubate them. Do you put them INSIDE the incubator or what? then, eventually, they sweat, slit, and then hatch about a day later. Tell me if I'm missing anything.
Eggs are laid, then you carefully dig them up and place them in a soil-y substance ( any good ones? not hatching any babies, just storing away for future referance) and you incubate them. Do you put them INSIDE the incubator or what? then, eventually, they sweat, slit, and then hatch about a day later. Tell me if I'm missing anything.
Chameleon Crazy Chick...the eggs are laid and when the female returns to the branches after she has filled in the hole and tamped it down, you dig up the eggs. when you move them to the container to incubate them you need to be careful not to turn/rotate them. I use shoebox sized plastic containers with lids to incubate them in. I fill the containers half full of slightly moist coarse grained vermiculite. To test the moisture take a hand full of it...you should only be able to squeeze out a drop or two of water. Make dents in the vermiculite with your thumb in rows so the dents are about an inch apart in all directions. Place the eggs in the dents. Put the lid on the container and place the container in the dark somewhere that the temperature is right for the species of eggs you're incubating. Hope this helps.
Chameleon Crazy Chick
Established Member
Oh, thank you! This makes everything a lot more clear.......
