Advice for Bitzy Baby

[DocFox]

Greetings all, I am new to this Forum.

2 Weeks ago tomorrow I visited a Pet Store and came home with a baby Veiled Cham. OMG! I wasn’t really in the market, but this thing was so tiny I just couldn’t live with the idea of some 12 year old buying it. The Woman at the store said she had had it for two weeks, but I’m not so sure. I think it’s a little boy, but its little feet are so tiny I can’t see whether he has a little spur or not. His little Bitzy body is just around 2” (not including tail). I’m sure not going to handle him just to try to find out its sex.

I’ve never had a baby before, only a fully grown rescue female. I’ve done a lot of reading online, but there are some things I haven’t been able to find and could use some advise.

First, about growth and size. Are there any general rules of thumb that would help me better guess the age of this wee one?

Second, right now Bitzy is just eating baby crickets. I read that you shouldn’t give them any kind of worms until they get older- but how old? I still have a good breeding stock of mealworms and superworms, so teensie worms are available. But I sure don’t want to feed them prematurely.

Third about watering… I have only, on rare occasion seen this little tike take a drink. Never, ever have I seen him “Advance toward the water” as all the websites suggest they should do. I mist at least three times a day, and run a dripper a few hours a day too. He doesn’t look dehydrated- but my question is as long as he’s looking good is it safe to assume he’s drinking while I’m not watching, or should he really be “advancing toward the water” when I mist? Suggestions on doing a better job?

Finally, some general feeding questions. I’m trying to train him up on a cup feeder that is mid-height in his cage. It’s a cottage cheese container cut down to about an inch and a half in height. He watches the crickets in it, but I only see him going after the crickets that are roaming around freely. Is there some trick to get them to key in? Anyone have suggestions on when and how to start introduce veggies and leafy greens? My adult female never, ever cared for anything other than bugs, so I kinda figure she has never been offered it in her youth…

I’m open to any other sage advice on the little ones…

 

[Texas Panther Man]

As far as worms go. I would wait til he's about 3 months. Feed supers or silks or horns. Silks and horns being better than the supers. Dont feed meals they are too high in chitin.

the water issue: they usually run from water when being sprayed initially. Just keep spraying and make it "rain down on him. He should start to smack his lips and drink after a few minutes. 3-4 mistings a day for a cpl of mins should do nicely. As long as his urates are white he is fine and not dehydrated. Its the white thing attached to his poo.

I assume you know about supplementing feeders with calcium dust at every feeding. Calcium w/d3 2x a month.

 

[JCDenton]

I've attached a picture of the cup feeder that will solve all your problems. It gives some of the enjoyment of free-range while still keeping the crickets confined.

All you need for this is aluminum screen, a small milk jug, a hot glue gun, and some clear packing tape (it's slippery so crix can't crawl out the sides, and velcro or a twisty tie to secure it to the side of the cage.

PROTIP 1: Be careful that there is not anything sharp sticking of of the screen to hurt your cham's tongue. Sharp parts of the milk jug edges are covered by the same tape used to keep the crickets from climbing out.

PROTIP 2: Inspect the screen extremely closely after using the hot glue gun as there could be tiny glue strings left. Remove every single piece of glue that could come off stuck to your chams tongue no matter how insignificant it is.

 

[jannb]

I had baby veileds earlier this year. I'll give you some links to pictures so you can see how they compare size wise to yours and also a link with some info to keep your little guy healthy.

Baby Info:https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html

Three week old babies:https://www.chameleonforums.com/more-baby-pics-video-40162/

One month old babies:https://www.chameleonforums.com/babies-one-month-old-40584/

Six weeks old:https://www.chameleonforums.com/luie-camille-babies-6-week-old-pics-40991/

Two month old babies: https://www.chameleonforums.com/9-week-old-baby-pictures-41952/

 

[DocFox]

Yes, so far very good poop!
And yes, have the two kinds of powered vitamins, and a good lighting situation.
Thanks for the advice.
Do you breed your own Silks and Horn worms? The one pet store nearby carries them occasssionally, but very rarely do I feel comfortable buying them, there's always a bunch dead on the floow, and they just don't look, well sanitary...

 

[DocFox]

Oh My, younger...

Wow JannB, based on these photos, I would have to guess my little Bitzy is under a month old. Just in the last few days has his (I think) little casque started showing a little more ridge, and it isn't anything like your 4 week olds. Also, there is just a smallest hint of a color stripe, but it's never vivid.

Here's a couple of pics:
Aug 23rd:

Today (Aug 30th):

 

[jannb]

He is very tiny and just so cute! I miss my little babies so very much. Take really good care of him/her and just ask if you have any questions.

 

[DocFox]

What kind of emergency back for heat up do folks use in the event that power goes out in winter? For my fish tanks I have those muscle ache heat pads that can be wrapped around tanks. Last week we lost power one morning (rare actually), but it really got my heart rate going thinking about what to do...

 

[Texas Panther Man]

I have a gas powered generator that can power up everything in the house short of the central ac. Next i will get a natural gas powered generator. But not until i get in the house i plan on staying in for a long time.

As far as purchasing worms: I get all my horns & silks from mulberry farms. They are a site sponsor and are very easy to work with if you have any problems with dead arrivals due to shipping temps.

 

[DocFox]

Checking in again with an update. It's a boy! Hurray! He's finally gotten big enough to see his itsy Bitzy tarsal spurs. He shed on Saturday, finished on Sunday (tail and feet), and showed polka-dots for the first time. Wow. This raising from a youngun is so different than taking in a rescue. So JannB, in your video, your little babies were like all over you- do you have any tips on how to get them used to handling? I have only asked Bitzy to get on my finger twice since I've had him (three weeks as of yesterday). He's so, well, Bitzy that it can't be easy for him to hang on to my fingers, and I sure don't want him to fall. For the last week I have been starting the hand feeding process by offering a cricket on a little piece of egg carton to him. This has gone well, and we do it a couple of times a day at least.

Still not happy about the watering situation though. He's getting enough, I know because he looks good- I just wish he'd drink more in front of me so I can watch it happening for my own piece of mind. He really doesn't like the spray thing, and I just make sure there's plenty on the leaves around him a couple of times a day, and have a drop for a few hours too.