Rhampholeon brevicaudatus just layed eggs

[Buakaw]

Hey everyone.
My name is Dylan, from NJ.
This is my first post, and would like to start off by saying its an honor to be a part of this community with all of my very educated fellow chameleon enthusiasts!
Anyway as the title says I have a single female Brev in an 12x12x18 exo terra enclosure by herself. I just caught her right now (7/2/2014)
digging then lay the eggs.
I didnt get her to breed.. but now that she layed the eggs I would like to try and help the little ones hatch.
My substrate/media is coco coir and catappa leaves.
I am no expert but I don't think the eggs will make it in that substrate.
I was thinking to jack the eggs and buy an incubator for best results.
Any feedback would be much much appreciated.
Thanks,
I look forward to speaking with you guys/gals

 

[SolidSnake1]

That's awesome, congratulations, I am also from NJ originally, (Exit 4) lol

Welcome , lets see some pictures of your girl.

 

[NHenn]

Welcome to the forums and congrats on the eggs!

I'm sure Kyle will chime in and help you out as he is our pygmy expert. But to get you going in the right direction, I would get some vermiculite from somewhere like Home Depot, add a little bit of water to it and squeeze it in your hand until you can't get any more water to drip out of it. That should get you the right moisture content.

Then place the moist vermiculite into a tupperware and place the eggs in the vermiculite. Put the lid on and put the container in a dark area where the temp is around 72-74. No need for an incubator as long as the temps don't get too hot (78+) or too cold (70-) and in about 70-90 days you should have babies.

 

[laurie]

Hi, glad to have you join us. I have a silly question. Did your girl come to you gravid? If you have had her for a while and she has not bred, then the eggs may not be fertile. How long have you had her? If there is any chance the eggs are fertile then by all means incubate them. I never hurts to try.

Nick gave you the perfect directions for how to care for the eggs. I would get them out of the terrarium and into a container to hatch.

Congrats!!!

 

[kdc5019]

Nick you got it right!

If you do decide to get an incubator set it to 74-75 degrees and in 70-90 you will have little ones assuming they are fertile. Just make sure to count your days as you will need TINY feeders redilly avaiable when they hatch!

And congratulations!

 

[junglefries]

Make sure to buy the organic vermiculite, not the miracle gro brand. Home Depot sells both. The organic is $7.98 for a bag. If you need to mix in perlite, you'll have to go to a nursery for that.

 

[Buakaw]

Wow,
Thanks for all the warm welcomes and kind words!
My specialty is growing carnivorous plants, mainly Heliamphora, Cephalotus and Nepenthes so I know my vermiculite and peat moss very well. Thanks for the tips. It is almost like germinating seeds in a way hahah
I originally bought a male and two females (wc) but unfortunately the male and the other female didn't make the acclimation and died after a few weeks. So either she mated with that male or one that was in her enclosure before I ordered her, or retained sperm?
But yes I was also thinking there is a possibility they are not fertile.
Only one way to find out

 

[laurie]

Hey I say we go for them being fertile!! Such tiny cuties when they are born. You will fall in love all over again.

 

[Buakaw]

Hey I say we go for them being fertile!! Such tiny cuties when they are born. You will fall in love all over again.

Im going to try.. I will keep everybody posted.
I cant just have eggs, and not try to get them to hatch..
I will post pics of the eggs ASAP

 

[Buakaw]

Nick you got it right!

If you do decide to get an incubator set it to 74-75 degrees and in 70-90 you will have little ones assuming they are fertile. Just make sure to count your days as you will need TINY feeders redilly avaiable when they hatch!

And congratulations!

Will do kdc5019
Thanks for the help
and Nick as well.
everyone really

 

[Buakaw]

Welcome to the forums and congrats on the eggs!

I'm sure Kyle will chime in and help you out as he is our pygmy expert. But to get you going in the right direction, I would get some vermiculite from somewhere like Home Depot, add a little bit of water to it and squeeze it in your hand until you can't get any more water to drip out of it. That should get you the right moisture content.

Then place the moist vermiculite into a tupperware and place the eggs in the vermiculite. Put the lid on and put the container in a dark area where the temp is around 72-74. No need for an incubator as long as the temps don't get too hot (78+) or too cold (70-) and in about 70-90 days you should have babies.

My ambient house temps are very low because of my Highland plant collection.
would one of those heating pads used to germinate seeds work to regulate the temp? I want to make sure I grab all supplies ASAP for best results if in fact they are fertile.
Which I am treating as they are.
Thanks

 

[NHenn]

Yes one of those pads should work fine. I don't know what temp they get up to so be sure to monitor the temps of the pad before you put the container on it. You might have to put a thin piece of foam between the pad and the container to keep the temps lower.

 

[Buakaw]

Yes one of those pads should work fine. I don't know what temp they get up to so be sure to monitor the temps of the pad before you put the container on it. You might have to put a thin piece of foam between the pad and the container to keep the temps lower.

Thank you I was thinking about that situation as well.
I got the organic vermiculite so I officially have everything to try and hatch these eggs.
So I will remove the eggs from the enclosure, place them in the moist vermiculite and periodically check the moisture levels.
Am I missing anything?
thanks again btw..

 

[Buakaw]

Will do kdc5019
Thanks for the help
and Nick as well.
everyone really

Ok so I couldn't find an incubator today but I found the organic vermiculite and also I couldn't find any seed germinating warming pads so I bought a vivarium heating pad for the bottom of the enclosure.
I think I will stick it on the side of a large critter keeper and seal the top with the vents..
I figure its the exact same concept but given my lack of resources I think it will still work.
My thought process is as long as the micro environment meets the required conditions temp humidity moist etc.. it should be no different than doing it the way you recommended.
Hope to hear back from you
Thanks
-Dylan