Need a bit of guidance and as much info as possible

[Uri]

Finally secured a captive born female hoehnelii and sure I’m working with lateralis and Brookesia thieli but my main focus will be hoehnelii from what I understand they have been difficult to establish and breed but I want to take the time to figure it out and will be starting with just a pair and slowly expand but I need as much information as possible from what’s out there if anyone can direct me to experienced breeders of this species my goal is to make them more available because I just love this species they are small live bearing and quite charming. I understand their care at least from the care sheet on chameleon academy and mine has done well for me so far and I just have questions on breeding the difficult of breeding and the main struggles with them so far as well as babies and what people have been successful with them

 

[MissSkittles]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/t-hoehnelii-i-am-an-expert.181132/

 

[Brad]

Best of luck with the Trioceros hoehnelii. That is one species I have always wanted to work with.

 

[Uri]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/t-hoehnelii-i-am-an-expert.181132/

So what I’ve learned is do NOT keep them together unless I want my boys to get pregnant I mean that’s one way to sex a chameleon

 

[JacksJill]

In my experience they breed like rabbits. I inherited several breeding pairs that came housed together in pairs for breeding purposes. I have since separated them. The previous owner had kept them all outdoors and raised the babies in bins. The adults have done well outdoors but It didn't go well with the babies for me. I switched to indoors in glass. I gave them very short periods of basking that I increased as they grew. They eat bigger feeders than you would expect for such tiny babies.

 

[javadi]

I don't think they're all that hard to keep and breed. They appreciate cold nighttimes though, in the long-run this seems to help them stick around for longer. They're pretty resilient in my experience. What people sometimes struggle with is the babies. They are prone to dehydration and they can get overheated pretty easily. They do like to bask though so it can be hard for folks to balance basking vs. dehydration overheating. But this isn't all that different from most other montanes. Compared to something like an ellioti or small Madagascar species, the babies are actually kind of large, which makes them a bit easier. They tend to breed pretty easily and can store sperm for up to 4 litters (in my experience). Sometimes they will not even look gravid and suddenly drop a litter of only a few babies. So, if after mating at least once, the female isn't receptive, she is probably gravid and working on another litter.

 

[Uri]

In my experience they breed like rabbits. I inherited several breeding pairs that came housed together in pairs for breeding purposes. I have since separated them. The previous owner had kept them all outdoors and raised the babies in bins. The adults have done well outdoors but It didn't go well with the babies for me. I switched to indoors in glass. I gave them very short periods of basking that I increased as they grew. They eat bigger feeders than you would expect for such tiny babies.

thank you I’ll definitely keep in solid sided especially with my low humidity what you are you keeping babies my adult gets 8 at the top of the screen and 5-6 on his basking branch but I feel like that’d be much to high for a baby

 

[Uri]

I don't think they're all that hard to keep and breed. They appreciate cold nighttimes though, in the long-run this seems to help them stick around for longer. They're pretty resilient in my experience. What people sometimes struggle with is the babies. They are prone to dehydration and they can get overheated pretty easily. They do like to bask though so it can be hard for folks to balance basking vs. dehydration overheating. But this isn't all that different from most other montanes. Compared to something like an ellioti or small Madagascar species, the babies are actually kind of large, which makes them a bit easier. They tend to breed pretty easily and can store sperm for up to 4 litters (in my experience). Sometimes they will not even look gravid and suddenly drop a litter of only a few babies. So, if after mating at least once, the female isn't receptive, she is probably gravid and working on another litter.

How many babies do they drop in your experience and what age/weight would you say a female is sexually mature I’ll be raising mine individually only introducing to mate. What are the max temps you would give babies 0-4 months? Would you Say 72 is the max temps for babies with only the slight warmth of uvb and led fixtures

 

[Uri]

And are these a species that require food at all times as babies or is it just one or 2 feedings as much as they will eat within 15 minutes or so per day? These guys will definitely be the largest species I’ll work with considering everything else in going to breed is like half the size

 

[JacksJill]

I don't have a gauge on sexual maturity as mine came with little history.
Clutch size was 9- 12. I kept them exactly as I do my Jackson's but only 2 30 minute basking sessions with a 40-50 watt lifted off the screen 2-3 inches. I moved to 4 sessions per day after ~2 months. Because they were in all glass cages I only misted 2 times a day. I moved them outside after 4-5 months.
I did 2 feedings per day but left enough for some to linger.

 

[kinyonga]

Best of luck.

This is just a bit of info...
https://www.adcham.com/html/taxonomy/species/chhoehnelii.html