Veiled Incubation

[Katatonic]

Hey there all you chameleon fans,

Recently, I have had bestowed upon me, the awesome responsibility of incubating a clutch of veiled chameleon eggs.
I personally have a slight background covering chameleons and have knowledge of the basics, i.e. temperatures and that whole "rise/fall" issue regarding incubation.
What I was wondering, was if you enthusiasts could give me slight pointers regarding incubation, such as: constant temperature and its effects on the eggs, medium used *which is an opinion on which I would appreciate, what have y'all had success using*, what COLOUR should these eggs be one week into incubation, and what are the average lengths of incubation at specific temperatures??
Thank you in advance to anyone who can give me a few pointers here and there, and share their knowledge/experience.
Cheers ladies and gents.
LATER.

[norman]

I second that request for information!!!

[Xetox]

This comes from a site I use for alot of information...hope it helps!


There is controversy regarding the proper temperature and humidity for veiled chameleon egg incubation. The mistake most often made in incubating veiled chameleon eggs is incubation at too high a temperature. The greatest degree of success with veiled chameleon eggs is generally achieved at temperatures of 75° to 80°F [24° to 27°C] during the day, with a five or ten degree (F) temperature drop during the night. Veiled chameleon eggs that are incubated at a static 85°F [29°C] or above have a very low hatching rate, and a high rate of hatchling deformitites. There are indications that incubation at even lower temperatures may be successful. Likewise, it is very easy to incubate the eggs with too much humidity, which often results in spoiled eggs. The incubation medium may be sphagnum moss, peat moss, perlite, or vermiculite, but no matter what the material, do not incubate the eggs in wet medium. The incubation medium should be slightly moist and no more. If you notice that many of the eggs are molding, reduce the humidity. If the eggs are beginning to cave in, increase the humidity a bit. The eggs themselves are your best guideline. The best incubation containers I have found are square Tupperware containers with several holes drilled in them for ventilation, but no matter what container is used, make sure the eggs are kept in the dark. Veiled chameleon eggs incubated in lighted conditions have a very low hatch rate. Once the eggs are set up, the difficult part of veiled chameleon breeding occurs--waiting.
Veiled chameleon eggs can take from 4 to 9 months to hatch and can test the mettle of even the most patient herpetoculturist. In the first four months, check the eggs once a week; after that time, check them twice or three times a week. Before the eggs hatch, they shrink slightly and beads of water form on their surface (this is known as "sweating" for obvious reasons). Soon, the hatchling will slit the egg and begin to emerge. You may notice the eggs "oozing" a little before hatching as well. Baby veiled chameleons are extremely cute in a non-traditional sort of way, and generally are very hardy.

[norman]

where should the holes be drilled in the tupperware container?

[Xetox]

I started with the top but later moved to around the sides seems to get better ventilation in my set up, but that would all just depend on ur set up, I have a freezer incubater set up....all you can do is just go for it and see what works best for you!

[Katatonic]

Thank you Xetox, that was very informative!!

[norman]

yeah...that wil come in handy in a while.thanks!

[Xetox]

n/p I have dealt alot with veilds so if ya need anything just let me know!