Veiled Cham mortality rate

[reptileszz]

Hi all, a friend of mine recently hatched out 30 baby veileds. 3 of them have died already as she is pretty sure they didnt eat. Another 2 look skinny and weak. They have been removed from the general population to see if they will eat by themselves. She has been feeding mini-mealies, small crickets and isopods. The rest of the babies look ok and some of them are very fat. Is this normal mortality to expect?

Thank you for any advice.
Carole

PS I have not seen the chams in question but am assured they are at the correct temps, humidity and with uv lighting.

 

[Brian]

Dont feed mealworms...not even to big chams. Try and feed them mostly Fruit flies and pinheads.

Brian

 

[kinyonga]

With veileds at the end of three months I still usually have 95% of the babies alive....but don't forget...I've been breeding veileds for over 13 years.

 

[reptileszz]

I mentioned the "no mealworms" thing and this person claimed that they are fine and very small. A different species of tenebrio than I am familiar with? Could mealworms be causing this? I think 4 more have perished now.

Thanks,
Carole

 

[kinyonga]

You mentioned isopods...are these WC's??

Can you give husbandry information....please be specific...
UVB light...compact or linear/tube?
Basking temperature?
Supplements...brands and how often for each?
Gutloading/diet of insects used to feed the babies?
Method and frequency of watering?
Any live plants in the cage? Well-washed both sides of the leaves?
Caging?

 

[mattjillson]

Your friend "could" very well be having impaction problems in those babies by feeding even what they consider to be mini meal worms - or maybe they are normal sized meal worms in comparison to say a super worm. Their shell is fairly chitenous, even a "mini's". Add that to a new born's fresh digestive tract and they could very easily be having impaction issues. Or, of course, the babies could just be the runts from the clutch not making it. Happens all the time. Or, they could.... hahaha. Too many what if's with baby Chams.... These are all guesses though.