Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I bred my pair of panther chamaleons almost a year ago and I finally have some baby panthers hatching. This is my first time breeding chameleons. The babies began hatching 2 weeks ago and six have hatched so far. Unfortunately 3 of the 6 have died. It does not appear that any have been eating the baby crickets i have tried feeding them. (I have not seen them eat, and there are no feces in the bottom of the cage.) The babies are in a 10 gallon tank with some fake vines and a screen lid. I take off lunch at work every day to come home and water them to make sure they get watered 3X daily. One side of the tank stays about 80-82 F* and the other side about 85 F*. Is there anything im doing wrong? Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks! TM

I feed my babies fruit flies the small ones and then in about 2 weeks ill give them small pinheads or move up to the bigger fruit flies. Make sure you see poop from the fruit flies before starting them on crickets. You can start them on aphids they like green colored insects you have to think small for about 3 weeks. Also its summer they should be outside in the shade and in the sun if monitored don't cook them. I keep mine outside in the shade when I'm at work then when I get home I give them sun. If they turn white and run for cover they had enough put them back in the shade. No sun if kept in glass a plastic container with a open or screened top works best make sure they cant get out. Thats what works for me I cant stress enough don't cook them and make sure they cant get out a small screened cage works well but its hard to find food.

I also feed small fruitflies first, for about two weeks, then larger fruitflies, then add in baby (really small, less than 5mm in length) mealworms and silkworms, and then pinhead crickets. And the lower end of the cage is 73F. Little ones overheat more easily than adults. Dont mist directly onto them, as I've heard (never experienced it so it could be false) that they can drown if the mist plugs their nostrils. Do mist at three (or more) times daily because they also dehydrate faster than adults. Fruit fly cultures are inexpensive to buy and easy to keep going. My local pet store carries them, and several internet suppliers, like canadianfeeders

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Sandra
BC Canada