Baby Raising help..

[Kay930]

Hi! I've been raising an older Veiled Cham with no issues so far but yesterday came into care of a baby Veiled, age unknown but really tiny - fits on my thumb.

I've been getting differing opinions (I contacted breeders for advice) on the best cage set up.

I have him in a medium sized Reptibreeze with a T5 UVB and heat lamp. No live plant yet. He's eaten a little, 2 crickets that were probably a tad too large but not much. He is drinking when I mist his leaves. I've offered fruit flies with no interest really.

How often should I offer food? My older one eats 1x a day but I know babies need more.

 

[Beman]

Hi! I've been raising an older Veiled Cham with no issues so far but yesterday came into care of a baby Veiled, age unknown but really tiny - fits on my thumb.

I've been getting differing opinions (I contacted breeders for advice) on the best cage set up.

I have him in a medium sized Reptibreeze with a T5 UVB and heat lamp. No live plant yet. He's eaten a little, 2 crickets that were probably a tad too large but not much. He is drinking when I mist his leaves. I've offered fruit flies with no interest really.

How often should I offer food? My older one eats 1x a day but I know babies need more.

Do you have any idea on age or can you find out? maybe post pics so we can get an idea of baby on your hand. If it is really that small your probably needing pin head crickets. They should not have heat on them until they are 12 weeks old and at that point no hotter then 80 degrees. If he is under 12 weeks then you want T5 only. Under 12 weeks they eat as much as they want. They are eating machines. If the feeders are too big he may shy away from trying to eat them. Maybe start with some pics of baby on your hand and the enclosure that he is in.

 

[Kay930]

This is him (or her) on my thumb. The crickets I purchased today are pinheads I believe (extra small for dart frogs per my local pet store)

 

[Lpsouth1978]

Maybe @jannb will chime in. She is our resident Veiled expert and breeder!

 

[Beman]

This is him (or her) on my thumb. The crickets I purchased today are pinheads I believe (extra small for dart frogs per my local pet store)

Ok so yeah that is a very young baby... @jannb @kinyonga advice on feeding amounts and frequency for this small of a baby. No heat lamp correct only UVB?
I have tagged more experienced members in. I know at 12 weeks they are eating anywhere from 12-15 1/4 inch crickets every morning. But for one as young as yours they eat much more then that amount and it would be the pin head size I believe.

 

[Kay930]

This is the enclosure. I've been doubting the set up as I've gotten conflicting advice. Some say foliage, some say no foliage. Someone advised moving to a small glass exo terra (which I do have on hand) and someone else recommended the Reptibreeze I have that my older Veiled outgrew.

I'm definitely out of my league here. Someone was trying to surrender him to a pet store but they said no..the lady was asking people as they left the store if they would take him. So I did.

 

[JacksJill]

Fruit flies will work for that size. Hydei species or smaller.

 

[Kay930]

Fruit flies will work for that size. Hydei species or smaller.

I have wingless I believe they are, from Josh's frogs. And I have the ones for Betta fish.

 

[Beman]

This is the enclosure. I've been doubting the set up as I've gotten conflicting advice. Some say foliage, some say no foliage. Someone advised moving to a small glass exo terra (which I do have on hand) and someone else recommended the Reptibreeze I have that my older Veiled outgrew.

I'm definitely out of my league here. Someone was trying to surrender him to a pet store but they said no..the lady was asking people as they left the store if they would take him. So I did.

In my opinion that cage is fine.

 

[jannb]

I’d get him in a Rubbermaid tub. What are you feeding him? I’ll get you some photos of my baby set ups. I keep them in bins until around two months old, depending on their size.

Who sold you a baby that young? He looks like he hatched yesterday.

You can see pictures of my baby bins here.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/thr...babies-2-days-old-3-8-20.173911/#post-1551838

 

[Kay930]

I’d get him in a Rubbermaid tub. What are you feeding him? I’ll get you some photos of my baby set ups.

Who sold you a baby that young? He looks like he hatched yesterday.

You can see pictures of my baby bins here.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/thr...babies-2-days-old-3-8-20.173911/#post-1551838

I'm not sure who sold him. Whomever originally purchased him tried to surrender to a pet store and when they wouldn't take him, she was asking people to take him as they left. Since I have experience with Bruce, I took him. Now I'm second guessing that decision a bit.

 

[Kay930]

I’d get him in a Rubbermaid tub. What are you feeding him? I’ll get you some photos of my baby set ups. I keep them in bins until around two months old, depending on their size.

Who sold you a baby that young? He looks like he hatched yesterday.

You can see pictures of my baby bins here.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/thr...babies-2-days-old-3-8-20.173911/#post-1551838

What is your lighting? Heat or UVB?

 

[salty dog]

My babies have a hard time finding food in a large viv, much easier in smaller home, 16 x 16 x16 screen is what I use or as jannb says a tub is also ok, that way you can monitor food consumption and keep an easier look, although they are the experts on veiled, I am not, happy cham keeping!!

 

[AmandaS]

I'm not sure who sold him. Whomever originally purchased him tried to surrender to a pet store and when they wouldn't take him, she was asking people to take him as they left. Since I have experience with Bruce, I took him. Now I'm second guessing that decision a bit.

Dont regret the decision, you are in for one heck of an experience! The heat should be low 80s (81-82F) and use an older uv bulb (if you have one), keep it elevated, so it is inches above the screen (or plastic tub if you go that route) Your baby will climb the screen so you want your light to be, at least, 8 inches away

 

[jannb]

What is your lighting? Heat or UVB?

Both! I keep babies in the very low 80’s. 81 or 82.

 

[Kay930]

I

Both! I keep babies in the very low 80’s. 81 or 82.

I'm in S. Florida so my house is generally 76-78 during the day. Shouldn't be hard to bump the enclosure to 80.

 

[Kay930]

What is the best way to feed the fruit flies?

 

[AmandaS]

What is the best way to feed the fruit flies?

So, I kept mine in a plastic tote. I would dust the flies and just dump them inside, free range. Same with the crickets.

Its hard in a screen cage when they are on fruit flies, because they just go out the sides. To be fair, they also climb out of the top of the tote.

Another good feeder for that size is mantids and small pheonix worms. He looks to me like he has outgrown the rice beetle stage, but thats a good one too you might try.

 

[Kay930]

Now what would be the difference in raising for a bit in a tote (until bigger) and in the glass exo terra? I'm nervous to let him stay in the bigger one overnight and I have the exo terra on hand.

 

[AmandaS]

Now what would be the difference in raising for a bit in a tote (until bigger) and in the glass exo terra? I'm nervous to let him stay in the bigger one overnight and I have the exo terra on hand.

I see no difference. I used a regular fish tank for a day or 2 while I would clean out the tote as I only had 1 tote. Exoterra would be better than a regular tank at least since it has vents...