need help with chameleon birth!!

[FreshWaterFish]

i came back to my place and i found that my chameleon gave birth.. i was already kinda suspicious about her being pregnant at first, but didnt think she would have babies this soon. none of the babies were alive, sadly (i found 5 fetuses), but she still looks pregnant. i dont know what to expect from this.. should i look out for more babies? what is going on!? haha. please let me know so i can help her.

oh, she is a red phase jackson chameleon.

 

[davider]

I dont know anything about jacksons but congrats...I hope she does well.

 

[FreshWaterFish]

thanks me too. shes resting now, but shes still a little lumpy.. i hope she has more later! that would be awesome.

 

[xanthoman]

mine completly lost all lumpyness after birthing , but then she birth them all, and 5 would be an unusually low number for a reasonably healthy xanth, (i am assuming its a xanth) so there is the possibility that she had more and the mom ate them, but if shes still lumpy, that would most likely be one of two things, either she ate some (which is entirely possible, but i think maybe the lessor probability scenario) or more to come, so i would be prepared for more birthings just in case, it usualy happens in the morning, so i would check daily and be prepared to deal with them right away, or there is a strong possibility they will get eaten (if they are alive)

 

[Trace]

and be prepared to deal with them right away, or there is a strong possibility they will get eaten (if they are alive)

Does that really happen?

 

[xanthoman]

i was right handy when my female gave birth so it wasnt a problem, but i have heared of it happening and have no doubt that it does. the problem is, the mom often goes off of food a week or more before birthing, and then when they birth they are ravenously hungry and they no longer have all of that pressure on their stomach. im fairly confident had i left the neonates unattended with mom for the day the she would have at least tried to munch one or two. as some of you may know, i kept my neonates in an open top(during the day) 10 gal. one night about three weeks back, i fell asleep for the night and forgot to put the lid on, when i got up in the morning i didnt even think anything of it until i looked in the tank and noticed the count looked suspiciously low, a count revealed one was missing altogether and another one was dead on the floor of the tank with undeneiable munch marks around the mid section, my first instinct was to check the mom who was in the perch that she rarely leaves, but further inspection revealed my normally free ranging male(not the father) (who is a normally super stubborn and picky eater) suspiciously close by (on the lamp cord leading up to the cage) looking much plumper than usual. just my personal opinion , but i would never doubt the possibilty from either parent.(or any nearby cham for that matter)the odd thing was that male would often hang out on the cord and watch the neonates for hrs at close range (while i was in the room) and never gave any indication of viewing them as food

 

[Trace]

Holy punctuation Batman.

I’ve been working with various montane species for many, many years so you don’t have to explain their eating habits during and after birthing. In fact, not once have any of females eaten their offspring. I’m not saying it doesn’t or can’t happen but is filial cannibalism a myth we need to finally dispel? Or have I just been lucky?

Mom is not going to look lumpy if she did eat some babies. Do chameleons look lumpy if they’ve eaten crickets or roaches. No. To an inexperienced owner a skinny, just given birth, chameleon may look lumpy. They will see ribs and other internal parts that weren’t present due to the fuller abdomen a few days previously.

If that female is not straining to defecate or give birth, her colour is good, eyes bulgy then I think she’s finished the birthing process. She probably really hungry and thirsty; offer her some good gutloaded bugs and plenty water. A pic taken since the birthing would help tremendously too.

Good luck.

 

[FreshWaterFish]

thanks so much for the responces!! when i first checked on her i gave her some crickets and a ton of water and she seemed happier. she still seems kinda lumpy, so ill wait a few days and keep a close eye on her. ill post a picture when i can.. thanks for all your help!!
i hope she has more. her babies would have been so pretty. they were all white.