Hatchling Experts?

[DerangedMonkey]

I'm finding it difficult and confusing with gaining help for hatchlings. Most all information are for Chams that are 3mo and older. I do realize that it's highly uncommon (and irresponsible of the breeder) to sell tiny hatchlings. I wished I'd known that sooner rather than later. But here I am...trying my best to learn all I can to raise my two girls.

They're only 3 weeks old. Enclosure, feedings, lighting, heat and humidity requirements...all leave me sooo confused. I read some that say treat them as adults...put them in a big enclosure. Others say different and use totes.

Is there a list of resources or a list of posters I can follow here...that have hatchling expertise? I'm still trying to figure out how all the features of this forum works.

 

[Chameleoking]

@Sonny13

 

[Chameleoking]

Sorry your having so much trouble finding resources and help for your cham. Like you figured out its because its so young. But anyways I've never hatched a chameleon but I can provide what I know until someone with more knowledge comes along to help you. Could you please post a pic or two of your chameleons and also a pic of their enclosure ( the whole thing) please. It helps the people on this forum provide the best help they can. Also what do you have a veiled or a panther or...? I'm gonna assume a veiled. Hopefully I'm right.

BABIES 0 – 4 WEEKS:
Caging? The first few days upto two weeks are the most crucial for baby Veileds. Although food and water are the most inportant in a hatchling veileds life, the enclosure is also important. There are quite a few key parts in keeping and raising veileds. First the amount of babies per enclosure. Second small thin branches for there little feet to grip. The size of the branch should allow the little feet to grip the branch securely. The height of these branches is also important some breeders like to keep the branches close enough to the floor of the enclosure to allow for easy hunting access to feeder insects on the floor as well as the branches . Caution needs to be used when using this form of feeding. Reason being is cleaniness the cage for should be free of all fecal matter when free range feeding. Cup feeding is a much better way of feeding. Baby veileds can be fooled very easily and a fresh dropping of feces can look like a droplet of water or a small cricket and can be accidently consumed. Misting three times per day is recommended for young chameleons . You will notice most babies will drink readily from the branches and leaves in there enclosure . Using a wet cricket food/gut load is also an advantage for the veiled chameleon babies to get a little more water from a properly hydrated feeder insect . Vegetables can be used or a wet gut load to feed the crickets.

MISTING
Water is key to keeping and raising a healthy baby veiled chameleon. A newly hatched veiled that can weigh in at less than one gram is in need of water atleast three times daily. Knowing how little the babies are and weigh misting for water consumption is super important. Purified water is recommended to use for misting but tap water is just fine. ( Do not use any chemicals to purify your tap water there’s a possability it may harm your baby (s). Using a container or a screened enclosure misting only one side of the cage is advised. You should see your veiled go and drink of the wall of cage furniture or off the leaves of plants. You should not directly mist you small chameleon this will make them retreat and they will not drink. Your no doubt gonna get water on your baby (s) but they should be water in a matter that isnt harrasing to them. It is best to mist with water thats at room temperature. In the wild the water temp is a bit cooler than the air temperature. But no where close to an ice cubes temperature. We can debate over the type of spray to be used . But as long as water is supplied and the animal is drinking you have it correct . Spray type bottles are fairly common all over the world. Ideally a small green house mister could be used on a automatic timer as long as you allow for the water to drain from the cage/container​

 

[Chameleoking]

Depending on the hatch size of your baby veileds you should only be feeding them fruit flies for about 3. to 5 weeks tops. You will be able to judge how long your babies will be on fruit flies. Baby veileds grow very rapidly so in the first few weeks they can almost double in size. Usually with in the first 4 weeks a baby veiled can out grow the needs for fruit flies. Once they’re passed that stage you will need to fill that food gap with pinhead crickets. As the babies grow try and remeber as with anything a variety in diet is a good thing. Feed your chameleons pinhead crickets, dubia roach nymphs, there are a variaty of different worms to feed off. (Note feed worms with an exoskeleton sparingly.) This is all bits and pieces I've read and gathered off of internet mostly.

 

[Chameleoking]

Hello and welcome to the forum! If you'd like a husbandy review, please fill out the following form and experienced members will take a look. Please include a picture of your enclosure from lights down. This is to ensure that you get the best care for your little baby chameleons.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

 

[DerangedMonkey]

Depending on the hatch size of your baby veileds you should only be feeding them fruit flies for about 3. to 5 weeks tops. You will be able to judge how long your babies will be on fruit flies. Baby veileds grow very rapidly so in the first few weeks they can almost double in size. Usually with in the first 4 weeks a baby veiled can out grow the needs for fruit flies. Once they’re passed that stage you will need to fill that food gap with pinhead crickets. As the babies grow try and remeber as with anything a variety in diet is a good thing. Feed your chameleons pinhead crickets, dubia roach nymphs, there are a variaty of different worms to feed off. (Note feed worms with an exoskeleton sparingly.) This is all bits and pieces I've read and gathered off of internet mostly.

Thank you so much for posting this. At least I'm doing all the basic care for the babies accurately. I really appreciate you taking the time to post what you found. The babies are finally on pinhead crickets and can even take on 1/8 in. I still give them a mix of larger fruit flies and once a week, chameleon french fries for a snack. I mist three times a day and have a dripper. I had posted an enclosure review in the appropriate forum. But I will post a link to that post, pics and reply with the filled out form below. Thanks again

 

[DerangedMonkey]

I originally posted an enclosure review here...

Thread 'New Enclosure...review pretty please' https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/new-enclosure-review-pretty-please.184212/


But, I only received harping on the size of an enclosure that doesn't even exist yet. I simply put in the minimum size that is widely recommended, (by just about every other source)..as a note that they would not be in this smaller cage and together, forever. We are building our own enclosure and the girls will have large bioactive enclosures by the time they need to be separated.

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Two Veiled Chameleon, going on 4 weeks of age. I have had them since they were 1 week old.

Handling - Maybe once a week if needed for some odd reason. Mostly previous enclosure issues or cleaning.

Feeding - Larger fruit flies, small Dubia and 1/8in Crickets. Gut loading with grated carrots, apples, spinach leaves and sweet potato. I feed them three times a day. The cup feed on the Dubia and Crickets. Fruit flies are free range.

Supplements - I use RepCal Calcium, calcium w/D3 and multi. The calcium no D is daily. Two Sundays a month I dust with calcium with D3 and the other two Sundays I dust with the multivitamin

Watering - I hand mist three times a day. Morning and noon have a lighter misting while evening is a heavier misting. I mist for 1-2 Min in the new, larger enclosure. I also have a dripper that drips into the pothos.

Fecal Description - fecal is healthy and hydrated. The urate is white, with a hint of yellow streak. They have not been tested.

History - They were bred by a local breeder who decided she was done raising Chams. She sold off mom and dad, and placed the clutch on Facebook for sale.

Cage Info:

Cage Type - Reptibreeze 16x16x30, fully screened. I know this is not the accurate size for mature chameleons. As I stated above...we are building custom enclosures and they will be adequate size.

Lighting - Reptisun 24" hood with a 5.0 HO Linear UVB and a 60w heat lamp. Both sitting off the cage screen...since the babies are cage climbers. Lights go on at 8:30am and off at 8:30pm. As does the heat lamp.

Temperature - Basking area is 75 and cage floor is 61. At night basking area drops to 68 and the floor remains around the same as during the day.

Humidity - Remains between 40-60% depending on the time of day. I will skip a misting if the humidity is high at the time of another misting. I hand mist so I can keep better control of their humidity. I use a thermometer and hydrometer combo...one in the basking zone, mid zone and bottom zone so I know what each area of the enclosure is at.

Plants - Live Pothos and spider. Both in organic soil and the soil is covered in 1.5-2in flat river rock from my yard...sanitized. the branches are olive tree branches of various sizes. Again, from my yard..no chemicals..dried, cleaned and washed before I placed them inside the enclosure.

Placement - cage is in a non traffic, no draft area of our livingroom. They sit on a table and the cage is seated taller than myself (I'm 5'2".

Location - I reside in Arizona

 

[Sonny13]

@Sonny13

I’m sorry, I wish I could share some info regarding this subject, however I’m completely inexperienced with hatchlings

 

[Lindasjackson]

They sure are cute!

 

[Chameleoking]

Thank you so much for posting this. At least I'm doing all the basic care for the babies accurately. I really appreciate you taking the time to post what you found. The babies are finally on pinhead crickets and can even take on 1/8 in. I still give them a mix of larger fruit flies and once a week, chameleon french fries for a snack. I mist three times a day and have a dripper. I had posted an enclosure review in the appropriate forum. But I will post a link to that post, pics and reply with the filled out form below. Thanks again

Sounds like you got it under control and are doing a great job. Good work.!

 

[DonKeesh]

I think at that size they should still be on fruit flies.

 

[Chameleoking]

I originally posted an enclosure review here...

Thread 'New Enclosure...review pretty please' https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/new-enclosure-review-pretty-please.184212/


But, I only received harping on the size of an enclosure that doesn't even exist yet. I simply put in the minimum size that is widely recommended, (by just about every other source)..as a note that they would not be in this smaller cage and together, forever. We are building our own enclosure and the girls will have large bioactive enclosures by the time they need to be separated.

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Two Veiled Chameleon, going on 4 weeks of age. I have had them since they were 1 week old.

Handling - Maybe once a week if needed for some odd reason. Mostly previous enclosure issues or cleaning.

Feeding - Larger fruit flies, small Dubia and 1/8in Crickets. Gut loading with grated carrots, apples, spinach leaves and sweet potato. I feed them three times a day. The cup feed on the Dubia and Crickets. Fruit flies are free range.

Supplements - I use RepCal Calcium, calcium w/D3 and multi. The calcium no D is daily. Two Sundays a month I dust with calcium with D3 and the other two Sundays I dust with the multivitamin

Watering - I hand mist three times a day. Morning and noon have a lighter misting while evening is a heavier misting. I mist for 1-2 Min in the new, larger enclosure. I also have a dripper that drips into the pothos.

Fecal Description - fecal is healthy and hydrated. The urate is white, with a hint of yellow streak. They have not been tested.

History - They were bred by a local breeder who decided she was done raising Chams. She sold off mom and dad, and placed the clutch on Facebook for sale.

Cage Info:

Cage Type - Reptibreeze 16x16x30, fully screened. I know this is not the accurate size for mature chameleons. As I stated above...we are building custom enclosures and they will be adequate size.

Lighting - Reptisun 24" hood with a 5.0 HO Linear UVB and a 60w heat lamp. Both sitting off the cage screen...since the babies are cage climbers. Lights go on at 8:30am and off at 8:30pm. As does the heat lamp.

Temperature - Basking area is 75 and cage floor is 61. At night basking area drops to 68 and the floor remains around the same as during the day.

Humidity - Remains between 40-60% depending on the time of day. I will skip a misting if the humidity is high at the time of another misting. I hand mist so I can keep better control of their humidity. I use a thermometer and hydrometer combo...one in the basking zone, mid zone and bottom zone so I know what each area of the enclosure is at.

Plants - Live Pothos and spider. Both in organic soil and the soil is covered in 1.5-2in flat river rock from my yard...sanitized. the branches are olive tree branches of various sizes. Again, from my yard..no chemicals..dried, cleaned and washed before I placed them inside the enclosure.

Placement - cage is in a non traffic, no draft area of our livingroom. They sit on a table and the cage is seated taller than myself (I'm 5'2".

Location - I reside in ArizonaView attachment 309341View attachment 309342View attachment 309343

Your pretty much spot on with everything. Nice set up you got going on there. And awesome veileds. Can't wait to see their progression pictures... hint...hint.. LOL. We all love pics. And would love to see enclosures your building when done if that's all right with you.

 

[DerangedMonkey]

Your pretty much spot on with everything. Nice set up you got going on there. And awesome veileds. Can't wait to see their progression pictures... hint...hint.. LOL. We all love pics. And would love to see enclosures your building when done if that's all right with you.

That's such a relief...thank you so very much! There is soooo much conflicting information. In the last three weeks I have felt like a yoyo in my husbandry lol

 

[DerangedMonkey]

I think at that size they should still be on fruit flies.

Our tiny one, Moon Star, is still on the fruit flies. She's not ready for the crickets unless they're pinheads. But the bigger one, Primm,is a voracious eater and hunter. Fruitflies don't do it for her. She is crazy for crickets and dubias. When I put in fruit flies she looks at me like...bitch please