What's normal growth rate?
- Thread starter Daschmidt
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radstusky
Avid Member
I made a chart a while back for my panther's growth. You can see it here: https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/entry/spring-2011-growth-update.429/
Daschmidt
Member
Very well put together and not to sound like an ingrate as that's exactly what I'm looking for but from birth/hatching to the critical 3months or even 6 months age at which time breeders can or should sell or did your little guys weigh 10grams at birth? Time to go weigh one of my little guys by the "weigh" How are your two dudes doing? I hope we'll thanks again great chart
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Craigwyatt
Avid Member
They should pretty much double in size every 30 days for the first 3/4 months.
That's if you are feeding them properly. If you don't feed fruit flys they will grow faster than if you did. Fruit flys are are tiny and are enough to keep them healthy for the first couple weeks but I start on crickets from day 1. And not pin heads. 1/8 inchers for the first week or 2 then I go start on 1/4.
That's if you are feeding them properly. If you don't feed fruit flys they will grow faster than if you did. Fruit flys are are tiny and are enough to keep them healthy for the first couple weeks but I start on crickets from day 1. And not pin heads. 1/8 inchers for the first week or 2 then I go start on 1/4.
radstusky
Avid Member
I didn't start weighing him until about 5 or 6 months old. I got him at about 2 months old, and I'm sure he was only a couple grams at that point.
Daschmidt
Member
Lol yeah that's why I put "quotations" around "normal" haha I knew it would be an inflamitory word in our forum. A general idea would be great. So I have I think seen growth but ever so little I'm breaking out the gram scale today I should of started weeks ago and I'll measure two of them. I see poop and I see crickets dissapearing but no real solid growth. After seeing what I was told 3 month old panthers at the stores I figured they have a long way to go to catch up. I haven't seen any shedding yet? Also the last week I've given them some serious 5.0 UVB bulbs and natural unfiltered sunlight which I can tell by there body language they love
Daschmidt
Member
Awesome great to know thanks
Daschmidt
Member
Here is some more great info so yeah fruit flies are pretty much done do you leave any stragler crickets in with them? Like overnight I know that can be dangerous with adults so I imagine just as if not worst for babies? At one month how much do you think they should weigh as general rule of thumb? And did you dust your pin crickets at chameleon months old or any kind of supplement or you just make sure crickets are gut loaded?
Craigwyatt
Avid Member
I gutload my crickets but I also dust them with calcium every once in a while. People house there babies in lots of different ways. I prefer 16x16x20 screen cages from day one. And this is for a very good reason. Crickets tend to stay on the screen. Always up top. Make sure there are things to walk on close to the top so they can easily pluck them off. Yes I leave crickets in overnight. My cages 100% of the time has crickets in them. (For babies). Lots of people use storage tubs and put fake plants on the bottom. I've tried this and don't like it. Since the crickets can't climb the sides you will often find them all over the babies. BAD. I've tried tubs a few different ways and the crickets seem to like to do 2 things. #1 hide- if they are not visible there not getting eaten fast. #2 they also seem to like to go to highest points which a lot of times is on the chameleons backs and heads. They won't eat stressed out.
Craigwyatt
Avid Member
Here's what I mean by the crickets liking it up top. They stay pretty stationary causing the chameleon babies not to much of a threat at all. I personally have never had a problem. Sorry for the crappy picture. But you get the point
Daschmidt
Member
Haha again great info thanks so much 16x16x20 cages times 16 hmm yeah not sure about that one wife already upset I'm taking up as much room as I am lol but I'll keep an open mind did you make your cages and if so how wood frames? Aluminum frames? I just started weighing my little boogers and they range from 1g to .4g he's the new runt
Daschmidt
Member
Ahh I see you house them all together okedokie great pics I did too at first and they seemed happy but I got a tiny cham amount of slack from the "avid members" Who Recomended if you can separate them to individual cages is ideal which honestly makes more sense if you study how they live right from birth there solitary creatures.
Daschmidt
Member
How many babies do you have and how old are they in e above pic?
Craigwyatt
Avid Member
Just always remember it's just as important to think about the crickets as it is to think about the chameleons when it comes to setting up a cage.
Besides the lights.
Besides the lights.
Craigwyatt
Avid Member
If you can separate them that is for the best. Or keep them in small groups. I don't have that luxury to keep them in individual cages. They do extremely well in groups of 10-15. Every once in a while one falls behind. At that point I will separate that individual until he catches back up.
You will find tons of different opinions on the same topic. A lot of the times they will all work in there own way. I've tried several different ways to house babies and I find that putting them in small groups works great. My babies are often much much bigger than others at the same age simply because of what I feed and don't feed combined with the size of feeder. I suggest you listen to everyone's opinions and average everything out. That's what I usually do. Lots of good advice here!!
**those babies are hatchlings.
You will find tons of different opinions on the same topic. A lot of the times they will all work in there own way. I've tried several different ways to house babies and I find that putting them in small groups works great. My babies are often much much bigger than others at the same age simply because of what I feed and don't feed combined with the size of feeder. I suggest you listen to everyone's opinions and average everything out. That's what I usually do. Lots of good advice here!!
**those babies are hatchlings.
