Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I think it is imminent! I am guessing this weekend, they are getting a little darker - I'm getting so excited!

Questions:

1 once they are out of the egg how soon before I can handle them and place them in their baby tank?

2 I know I do not need to feed for a couple days - should I wait or try right away? I have yummy tiny Turk roaches and ff for them

3the adults burrow in sand to sleep - should I provide this? I have Stan & Ana's tank set up with just a corner or sand which they basically ignore until bedtime so I could do the same, just give them a little container of sand in case they want it? Maybe some layer of PT in case they don't?

OK, that's it for now - thanks!!
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
1.1 Side-blotched lizards - Ana and Stan for now
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skippy
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh, Died 4/21/06
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha, donated to science 4/4/06
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

do they tend to hatch any particular time of day or night? I assume daytime since they are diurnal, but wondered if it was early, midday, etc. I raise wild silk moths and they pretty much stick to certain hours of day and night so I get a bit fixed on that

thanks again...

lele
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
1.1 Side-blotched lizards - Ana and Stan for now
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skippy
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh, Died 4/21/06
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha, donated to science 4/4/06
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

But I can fill you in with my opinions...I have hatched collared lizards a few times, and it does not matter if the lights are on or off, day or night...they hatch when they are ready.

As far as the cage goes...I normally allow a newly hatched lizard to stay in the container in which it was hatched for a day or two. Offering food is not necessary, and I wouldn't force the issue. What I like to do is wait 3 or 4 days and offer a couple small crickets...very small. If they show interest in eating, great. If they don't, I remove the crickets so they don't get stressed out by them. Try again the next day. Never leave the food in there for them...always offer and remove.

Oh yea. I wouldn't keep them on sand for a week or two...easier to keep an eye on them to see that they are functioning and eating ok on paper towel substrate. Be sure to keep a cool side of the cage always available. If you keep them in a 2.5 gallon tank, you will have to be very careful with lighting...make sure the ambient temp in the cage is not too hot. I would allow some areas to remain at 70-75.

That's all I can think of...I hope that helps.

John Eddington

Hi John,

Thanks! One hatched! I checked at about 6:30 this morning when my cats got me up and sure enough one was scooting around! Looks like a very healthy male!

My main ? was when to move them. I will keep them in their little incubator for now. Once I move them to bigger (yes, I will be using a 2.5, but maybe I can use my tiny desk lights that have very small 40w bulbs) should I keep the heat pad on? I am guessing not, as it my fry them.

I'll take pics today - maybe I can catch #2 in mid-hatch.

thanks again!!
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
1.1 Side-blotched lizards - Ana and Stan for now
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skippy
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh, Died 4/21/06
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha, donated to science 4/4/06
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

For your light use the ZooMed light stand with a Powersun bulb, you can lift or lower the light to get the right temps and get the UVA/B you need and you're not going to get with your desk lamp

Cecil
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0.0.1 Bearded Dragon (Drago)
1.1 Desert Iguana(Dima, Dianne)
1.0 Green Iguana (Igor)
1.2 Collared Lizard (Fred, Wilma, Betty)
1.1 Desert Leopard Lizard (Simba, Kimba)
1.2 Desert Horned Lizard (Spike, Rose, Jade)
0.1 Hamster (Diamanta)
1.1 Kids
0.1 Wife

thanks. I only meant for heat since they will be in a small tank. I use ZooMed reptisun for all my herps and will for these guys, too. I do not like the Powersun and especially for such little tykes and find Repti-sun 5.0 to be fine. Depending on sex they will go in with parents in a couple months.

thanks!
lele
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
1.1 Side-blotched lizards - Ana and Stan for now
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skippy
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh, Died 4/21/06
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha, donated to science 4/4/06
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

The surface to body mass ratio of baby lizards is so much greater. Therefore, they overheat very easily. I don't even put any basking incandescent bulbs on my baby tanks until they get a bit of size on 'em.

Also, babies need more humidity than adults. Utas (your "blotchies" live in the desert, I'm not talking about a mushy wet mess here. But a very short misting once or twice a day, just a very brief "pssst" wouldn't hurt.

Food? Ideal food for baby utas would be wingless fruit flies and new-hatched crickets. You can get these at www.FlukerFarms.com, for example. You don't need to feed the babies for at least 2 days, as they are still living off yolk. After 2 days, offer them a few fruit flies.

Good luck! I've got some Italian wall lizard eggs incubating.

Hi Esther

thanks!

Although I have not hatched eggs before, I do know how easily they can overheat. Right now #1 is still in his little incu. setup (moist verm) while we STILL await the hatching of his sister (wishful thinking ) Of she is not out by Monday I will move him to his big-boy cage - lol!

As for feeders I have hydei ff and tiny baby turkistan roaches. They are very fast, but don't think he will have a problem, his folks are loving them! No pinheads right now, I am tryignt o do away with crix altogether and move to roaches as stpales for all my herps...it's been a long slow process. :-O

I have a piece of fitted plexiglass with air holes in one third (had been a setup for arboreal tarantula) and I think that will help maintain heat and some humidity.

How soon should I get UVB bulb on him? As soon as I setup in new tank? Should I begin dusting then? I rarely dust my adults, just put down calcium when I see Ana licking the rocks and sand (when gravid)

thanks again for help
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
1.1 Side-blotched lizards - Ana and Stan for now
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skippy
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh, Died 4/21/06
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha, donated to science 4/4/06
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

As to overheating, I was referring to the baby lizards, not the eggs. I would NOT go with the plexiglas, no way. That will trap way too much heat and cook your babies. Also, it will filter out the beneficial UVB rays.

Use a screen top and a UVB light. Wait on the incandescent basking light until they get a little bigger and less delicate. If the baby tank is large enough, maybe you could try a 15W bulb in one corner for basking, leaving them plenty of room to get away from the heat.

The hydrei and mini roaches sound like good food. Never heard of turkistan roaches, but I don't want to introduce any roaches of any kind into my apartment! Just got rid of the mice the management dragged their feet on (with help from my Jester the Wonder Cat).

Best of luck with your adorable babies!

As to overheating, I was referring to the baby lizards, not the eggs. I would NOT go with the plexiglas, no way. That will trap way too much heat and cook your babies. Also, it will filter out the beneficial UVB rays.

I just meant for the first few days w/o using any heat source (warm enough in the house and I monitor all temps with heat gun so feel confident about the REAL temp. I tend to get obsessive (just ask Eve or anyone on Cham forum! lol!) and check temps several times a day. So do you think that is OK? I also have plastic canvas cut to fit tightly as top for tank. Again, this is before UVB and heat light.

Stan and Ana are currently in a 10 gal but have a 20(?)gal (it's a weird size so not sure of its gal. Approx 26Lx12Hx14D) that I am going to move them into. Now I am thinking of setting up the kids' tank next to it, hanging one of my 4' fixtures and use a 48" reptisun 10.0. I could hang it above both tanks and since UVB rays reach down further it will be sure to get everyone.

Use a screen top and a UVB light. Wait on the incandescent basking light until they get a little bigger and less delicate. If the baby tank is large enough, maybe you could try a 15W bulb in one corner for basking, leaving them plenty of room to get away from the heat.

how long do you suggest? A week? a couple weeks?

I hear ya on the roaches! I ONLY use non-climbers. had lobster roaches once and what a pain in the butt trying to keep them contained - I gave them to someone for free. The turks are similar but non-climbers, unfortunately they are very fast. Not so good for beardie or cham, but the blotchies are just as quick! The babies are tiny and should be great for the tykes.

#2 has not hatched yet - getting anxious {:-O I have pics just no time yet for upload!

thanks
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
1.1 Side-blotched lizards - Ana and Stan for now
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skippy
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh, Died 4/21/06
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha, donated to science 4/4/06
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

Do utas really need a ReptiSun 10.0? Or would a 5.0 be more appropriate? I'd ask Zoo Med before I put a 10.0 on a tank with such tiny lizards. I just emailed them myself and they recommended a 5.0 since my tanks are not deep. They said the 5.0 was fine for up to 12" depth, and I pointed out that my various lizards generally do NOT stay on the floor of the tank but are in branches or vines most of the day, keeping them very much within 12" (or usually much closer) to the bulb. That clinched it for the 5.0 being sufficient, and not needing the 10.0. The 10.0 is more for deep tanks where the animal is more than 12" away from the bulb, such as housing for chucks, desert iguanas, or other biggies.

I'd just keep it at a 15W on one side of the tykes' tank so that they could move closer or farther to it as they saw fit. When they get a bit of size on them, maybe you could increase it to a 25W bulb. Put a branch or rock under the light so that they can get to the heat if they want it. I once lost some tiny baby lizards due to too much incandescent heat and I'd hate for your utababies to suffer the same fate.

I don't know if I'd put the tykes' tank right next to Mom & Dad's tank. It might drive Mom & Dad nuts to see what THEY view as scrumptious prey items just on the other side of the glass, and it might spook the babies to have big things jumping at 'em. If you must juxtapose the tanks, I'd put a visual separator--even a piece of xerox paper--between the tanks to avoid this.

Stan might just be getting a little long in the tooth. Or maybe he just needs his beauty sleep with all that breeding going on! Utas are generally only offered as wc ("wild-caught" and so exact age of specimens is unknown. Utas reproduce furiously because they only live a couple of years. Nevertheless, I just love 'em!! I will be looking for a boyfriend for my 2 uta ladies.

I couldn't have said any of that better myself.

I just noticed this morning, for the first time, my new lil' zebra tailed girl is flashing a bright orange throat and underarms. I believe these are neon announcements that she is gravid. If I can successfully retrieve her eggs from that 40 gallon breeder tank and they are fertile (no WONDER she's been eating like a pig lately...), it would be very exciting to hatch zebra tail eggs--which I've never done.

The Podarcis sicula eggs seem to be developing fine. I'm not sure of the official incubation time, as accounts on the web have varied. Seems one of my green anole girls just laid 3 infertile eggs, which is incredible, seeing that Mr. Studmuffin green anole (man, he just OOZES testosterone!) was apparently shooting blanks that time. Oh well, as I've found 2 live neonates in the tank (which unfortunately died for 2 different reasons), I have reason to expect more little tiny eyes peeping out from among the vines.

AWESOME, I like zebras alot but never thought I had enough space to keep them happy.

I'm super happy your girl did so well and hope you will post some pics when you see lil faces peek out soon, LOL

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PHEve / Eve

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I noticed just this morning, by the orange spots under her throat and behind her front legs that apparently she's gravid. It could be a week or more before the eggs are laid. And then I've got probably a couple of months before they hatch. So let's not count our zebras before they hatch, LOL!

IF I can find those eggs when she lays 'em, IF they don't dent or mold in incubation, then I'll celebrate.

But at least happy things are happening on the forum, eh?

I'm in Maryland right now. I got up at 1:00 am and drove to Chicago (actually my mom and dad drove me), then I flew up here and worked all day. Just got back in and have to be back at the facility tomorrow around 7:30. Whew.

Get a camera Esther! makes things really happen :O)

I take it you got a hold of Ian? I hope you have a great trip over there. I really want to try Utah this year sometime.

J

Whew, you're making my head spin with all your traveling, my mon!

That is some sched.

Yes, I got in contact with Ian, we're on for an invasion of Albuquerque by your truly.

No, Terry Johnson ("Reptilist" never ever answered my emails or anything. I wonder what's up with him, hope it isn't something bad.

I did all the national parks in Utah except for Capital Reef last year with Denver friends. Bryce Canyon and ZION are awesome! You must, if you're in Moab, take the family on the "Canyonlands by Night" boat cruise up the Colorado River through Canyonlands. They have an interesting guy giving you a spiel about various rock formations you see, and when it gets dark, they play gigantic spotlights on various cliffs while they tell you of Utah's geological history and then Utah state history. Good wholesome fun, well worth the money. And I saw 3 shooting stars while out there on the water!! We also saw some water birds and a beaver before it got dark.

Yes, Utah is definitely worth seeing, it's full of natural beauty.

It's got the most beautiful YELLOWHEADED collareds

YEA..... for UTAH Love them YELLERS
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PHEve / Eve

Contact PHEve

on the river ride was probably paying some kids about $5.00 to throw glow sticks on the cliffs while he took the boat buy...Make those look-a-like shooting stars to make the trip more memorable for everyone LOL...

I really would love to go. Yea, I hope to use all my frequent flyer miles to get the family a free trip (to catch lizards)...ha, ha.

J

Your just an OLE runaround, LMAO

Hows it going (The new job)? Do ya like it?
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PHEve / Eve

Contact PHEve

I think I will be giving a presentation next week, so that will be exciting. I will be in Chesterfield, MO next Tuesday/Wednesday, then Peoria, then Springfield Late Wednesday. Got to keep busy :O)

J

Gee I jumped the gun, thought I read she layed. Oh well soon I WILL read she layed and I will then wait to see cute lil faces,

Yes, GOOD things are happening, AWESOME
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PHEve / Eve

Contact PHEve

I know you've hatched out lizardbabies. Do you use vermiculite? And how do you arrange/care for the incubating eggs?

My Podarcis eggs are in ESU Lizard Litter Jungle Mix which I keep barely moist, in a small tupperware type container with 4 holes I made in the lid with a hot screwdriver. They seem plump and white as of this morning. I wish I knew the incubation time of Podarcis eggs.

Being too lazy to look it up right now...are those your Italian Wall Lizards?

J

But our friend Johneee I know uses perlite and likes it. But heck what does he know, hehehhehee (Kidding buddy) LOL

I arrange the eggs also in a plastic container filled with dampened vermic about 3 inches of it. Put my lid on, that has a hole about nickel sized in the top for air ciculation, and put in the hovabator at about 83 / 84 degrees. Usually takes about 53ish days to hatch.

This is collareds eggs, and black agama eggs. I will do the same with my new granite spinys IF they lay Most deserty lizards are about the same.
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PHEve / Eve

Contact PHEve