Moved panther eggs twice already due to knat larvae

happiness

happiness

New Member
I had to move my panther chameleon eggs twice already. The knats keep getting in the bin and laying eggs.. The first time I noticed the larvae, they were already inside one of the eggs.

I have about 20 Eggs that look Healthy out of 37. I'm hoping they make it. The person I bought the female panther from had 30 eggs from her already and he said all his eggs didn't make it after 2-3 months. he was even using an incubator! I just have my eggs in a bin above my chameleon cages.

Will the chameleon eggs be harmed since I moves them twice already? They're a little over 2 months old. I tried my best not to rotate them. I cleaned them
Off with lightly warm water and carefully place them
In new vermiculite. The temp stays around 72 and humidity is 90
 
Assuming she has actually breed or has retained sperm, you should really avoid moving them as much as possible, washing them was a No No, you can suffocate them. Not sure of the validity of this, but my understanding is that even the oils on your fingers can suffocate them as well, prob just being paranoid but we use large tweezers to move the eggs from the lay bin to the incubator container. And I know there is a lot of debate and theories on incubation temps, but the norm is a good stable temperature range of 73-80 degrees. We typically incubate at 76-78 degrees. And you should really place them in the top of a closet where it's dark, and check them once a month or so for the first several months. And once a week after about 5 months, until signs of hatching, then everyday.
 
crazychamzoo said:
washing them was a No No, you can suffocate them. Not sure of the validity of this, but my understanding is that even the oils on your fingers can suffocate them as well,
Click to expand...

That's what everybody believes. It is not true. I wash all of mine in room temperature distilled water. I even float them and swish them around for awhile if they are really dirty. And I use my bare fingers to touch them. They have a coating on them that makes them really slippery. My hatch rates are near 100 percent. I've never had an egg mold unless it was infertile. By the time I put them into the container, they are pristine. After that, you don't want to handle them or move them at all if you can help it.
 
Mike Fisher said:
That's what everybody believes. It is not true. I wash all of mine in room temperature distilled water. I even float them and swish them around for awhile if they are really dirty. And I use my bare fingers to touch them. They have a coating on them that makes them really slippery. My hatch rates are near 100 percent. I've never had an egg mold unless it was infertile. By the time I put them into the container, they are pristine. After that, you don't want to handle them or move them at all if you can help it.
Click to expand...

Good to know! I handle them like they are fine china. The very first clutch we ever had was a clutch of Veiled Cham eggs, I washed them and everyone I talked to freaked out, so ever since the eggs have gone straight to the incubation container.
 
I have had a very bad gnat problem the last couple months. They get into the smallest little pinhole, and lay eggs on everything. They are a pain. However, they did not touch my chameleon eggs at all. I have a feeling your eggs were bad already. If you move the eggs just be careful. You do need to make sure they are in an appropriate place. I keep mine in a cabinet that does not get used.

As far as handling the eggs. I have always used my fingers to move the eggs and clean them off. Also it is not uncommon for me to pick up an egg and inspect it during the incubation process. I'm just careful not to rotate it. I also have had very good hatch rates for the most part.
 
crazychamzoo said:
The very first clutch we ever had was a clutch of Veiled Cham eggs, I washed them and everyone I talked to freaked out, so ever since the eggs have gone straight to the incubation container.
Click to expand...

People like to freak out over stuff they have no reference for. I'm betting your hatch went just fine.
 
Thanks for the comments! I'm going to move the eggs to a cabinet in my kitchen that we rarely use and only check it a few times a month (if possible!) I've been checking them every couple days :eek:

I guess I'll see what happens.
 
Ive seen the ones that flutter their their wings as they walk and are a black color in the egg bin multiple times. The larvae looked like maggots. I guess a fly could have got in there too.. Unless knat larvae look the same? There are both fruit flies and the black color knat looking bugs flying around my chameleon room. Luckily not as bad as a month or two ago! I'd be killing several on my computer screen every few seconds!
 
I keep an eye on mine. If I see a hint of trouble, I usually move the egg(s) another container in another incubator , in another room. The little white worms seem to attack only the dead eggs, but I don't give them the chance. I use a mix of organic vemiculite 3/4 to organic perlite 1/4. Holes in the container or incubator are unnecessary. However, I do have several tiny ones, in case of early hatchers. The room I keep my eggs in is immaculately clean, also. I have not dealt with gnats yet, so I can't help there, sorry. Good luck. (Sorry, about worms, I read from bottom up starting with kinyongia's. Didn't realize until afterwards, it was the only worm part. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.)
 
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