Hoehnelii Neonates

spadefish

Member
Dropped in to my LPS yesterday to stock up on mammal food. They hav reptiles and do a decent enough job. Got pulled aside by one of the employees who knows I keep chams. Apprently, they got in a gravid Hoehnelii last week who was purchased by someone I will call Joe. Joe got her hm and two days later she dropped 12 babies. She told me they had no idea how to keep them, could I help. Apparently, Joe brought the babies back because he didn't want them if you can believe it.

So, off I go to their other store location. I will not even describe to you the conditiions they had them in. Suffice to say that they are now in a proper container with proper care. I spent nearly an hour with the manager (a nice enough guy) and he mae al the changes I suggested right then and there. We hand watered all 12 and they all drank! There were a couple I could have sworn were actively departing but what an amazing thing water is!

Anyway, I have the runt of the litter. I told him that either someone had to take him home and care for him one on one, or euthanize him. So, he lived through the night. He ha been hydrated and the little turn is drinking and even trying to gape at me. Here's the issue -- he is deformed. Hisright rear leg seems useless and has no toes that I can see. His left eye turret is black but he moves it, but it is impossible for me to see at this point if he can see out of it. His right eye turret seems normal and much better now with the hydration. But it is closed. I am going to use some saline in about an hour to see if it is just "sticky" which I suspect. I am far from certain that he will make it, but I am trying.

I am keeping him in a small container without substrate within a heavily planted exo-terra (no one else is in there) to keep up the humidity. He is being kept at prope montane temps, with a little bit warmer basking spot since he is a baby.

Anyone who has raised hoehnelii, if you have any suggestions about neonatal care, I would love to hear from you. Please PM or email to [email protected] . I don't want to disturb him with photos right now, but will try later. Thanks.
 
Well, it's always difficult to raise a montane species under this cirumstances but here's what I can recommend you:
The water supply has to be perfect, the juvenile should have the option to drink when it wants
Handle it as less as possible, stress can be lethal for juveniles in no time
There should be one spot under which it's warmer than in the rest of the enclosures, this spot should be one for half an hour every other 1-2 hours
The best food are some Drosophilas, but never too many, because they can stress juveniles too

You can't do much more at the moment. It's a difficult situation but I hope you can manage it ! All the best

Benny
 
Thanks, Benny. I just checked on him and he is actually basking with hi head up. I am very pleased about that. I put a few d. melanogasgter ff in with i earlier and he showed no interest, bu i am not so sure he could see them. If he hasn't eaten in a couple of hours, I may try baby food.

Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated. Theresa
 
Glad that I can help. The water supply is the most important thing. If he will drink again on his own, I'm quite sure that he will eat the next days too
 
The little one died overnight. Definitely not unexpected as he had multiple deformities.

Benny, is it possile to sex these neonates? I am not sure when the hemipenal bulge should be noticeable/definitive in sexing. Thanks.
 
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