Incubation data

If you want to breed chameleons, there is usually no way around incubating the eggs under controlled conditions. However, for many less commonly kept species, the question is how exactly to incubate? In general, we recommend using the soil temperatures of the habitat of the species in question as a guide. You can find temperatures for this under the respective species pages under the heading Species & Habitat Data. We have annotated all species for which we have measured ground temperatures in the following tables. However, measurements of soil temperatures do not already exist for all habitats. Therefore, we have compiled here a collection of literature dealing with the incubation of Malagasy chameleon eggs. The data are sorted by genus and alphabetically. More information on incubation substrates, incubators, and containers can be found on this page.

Brookesia

Unfortunately, earth chameleons from Madagascar are not very well represented in herpetoculture due to their rather inconspicuous colouration and small size. Nevertheless, there have been breeding successes with some species for some time.Soil temperatures are available here for the habitat of this species.

Species		Incubation period	Temperature	Source
Brookesia stumpffi		50-60 days	18-22°C	Schmidt, Henkel und Böhme (1989): Zur Haltung und Fortpflanzungsbiologie von Brookesia stumpffi. Salamandra 25 (1): 14-20.
		45-50 days	20-21°C	Brygoo (1978): Reptiles Sauriens Chamaeleonidae, genre Brookesia et complement pour le genre Chamaeleo. Faune de Madagascar 47: 1-174.
		67-68 days	23°C	Raxworthy (1991): Field observations on some dwarf chameleons (Brookesia spp.) from rainforest areas of Madagascar, with the description of a new species. Journal of Zoology 224: 11-25.
		60 days	20-21°C	Schmidt (1993): Minisaurier aus dem Regenwald. Aqua Geographica 1(3): 62-69.
Brookesia ramanantsoai		Soil temperatures are available here for the habitat of this species.
Brookesia superciliaris		68 days	27°C during the day 15°C at night	Lippe (1994): Wieder eine gelungene Nachzucht eines Erdchamäleons (Brookesia superciliaris). Chamaeleo 12: 3-4.
		Soil temperatures are available here for the habitat of this species.
Brookesia therezieni		Soil temperatures are available here for the habitat of this species.
Brookesia thieli		103-118 days	22°C during the day 15°C at night	Flamme (2005): Haltung und Nachzucht von Brookesia thieli. Chamaeleo 31: 37-43.
		51-60 days	23°C during the day 18°C at night	Flamme (2005): Haltung und Nachzucht von Brookesia thieli. Chamaeleo 31: 37-43.
		58-70 days	21-23°C during the day 19-20°C at night	Nash (2022): Keeping and breeding Brookesia thieli. Responsible Herpetoculture Journal 5: 84-91.
		Soil temperatures are available here for the habitat of this species.

Calumma

Most Calumma species need a so-called diapause. Diapause in chameleons refers to a cooler phase during which development in the egg almost stagnates. The cool phase takes place in Madagascar during the dry season between April and October. It bridges the time until the rainy season from October, when the hatching juveniles have much better starting conditions. It also ensures better hatching synchronisation: this means that all the young of a clutch hatch as close to each other as possible. For some chameleon species, diapause during incubation is very important for hatching success and healthy juveniles. How cool it gets during the diapause depends on the origin of the chameleon species.

Species	Incubation period	Warmth phase	Diapause	Procedure	Source
Calumma brevicorne	Soil temperatures are available here for the habitat of this species.
Calumma emelinae	Soil temperatures are available here for the habitat of this species.
Calumma gastrotaenia	Soil temperatures are available here for the habitat of this species.
Calumma globifer	540 days	20-22°C	16°C	1. warmth phase 1. diapause 2. warmth phase 2. diapause 3. warmth phase	Weiß (2005): Chamäleons die unbekannten Wesen; Vorstellung von Calumma globiferum. Chamaeleo 31: 22-23.
Calumma linotum	150-210 days	14-28 days at 16-21 °C, then 1. diapause, then 22°C during daytime and 16,7-19,5°C at night until hatching	30-45 days at 10-15°C	1. warmth phase 1. diapause 2. warmth phase	Nash (2023): Keeping and breeding Calumma linotum. Responsible Herpetoculture Journal 7: ??-??.
Calumma malthe	Soil temperatures are available here for the habitat of this species.
Calumma nasutum	Soil temperatures are available here for the habitat of this species.
Calumma parsonii cristifer	Soil temperatures are available here for the habitat of this species.
	395 days	21°C, maximum 23°C	17°C	1. warmth phase 1. diapause 2. warmth phase 2. diapause 3. warmth phase	Kalisch (1998): The care and breeding of C. parsonii cristifer. Chameleon information network 27: 15-17.
	390-420 days	22°C	21-28 days at 13-14°C	1. warmth phase 1. diapause 2. warmth phase	Augustin (2021): Nachzucht von Calumma parsonii . Chamaeleo 48: 78-88.
Calumma parsonii parsonii	537-781 days	28 days at 20°C, 28 days at 24°C, then 1st diapause, all other warmth phases at 24°C	each 28 days at 13-14°C	1. warmth phase 1. diapause 2. warmth phase 2. diapause 3. warmth phase	own experience
	546 days	28 days at 22°C, then 1st diapause, all other warmth phases at 23-24°C	each 21-28 days at 13-14°C		Augustin (2011): Eine Inkubationsmethode für Eier von Calumma parsonii (hier der Variante “orange eye”). Chamaeleo 42: 8-12.
		90 days at 24°C in 1st warmth phase, from 2nd on 23°C	each 90 days at 18°C		Kalisch (1994): Chameleon profile Parson’s chameleon. Chameleon information network 12: 10- 18.
	600 days	21-24°C during the day, 18-20°C at night	each three months at 18-19°C during the day and 13-16°C at night		Tröger (1997): Remarks about the long-term captive care and first steps towards captive breeding of Calumma parsonii. Chameleon information network 25: 29-36.
	480-600 days	22°C	each 21-28 days 13-14°C		Augustin (2021): Nachzucht von Calumma parsonii . Chamaeleo 48: 78-88.
Calumma roaloko	90-120 days	21-22,7°C during the day, 19-20°C at night	not applicable	not applicable	Nash (2023): Keeping and breeding Calumma roaloko. Chamaeleo 49: ??-??.

Furcifer

There are also some species in the genus Furcifer that benefit from a cooler phase. However, it is not necessary for successful incubation in all species. Accordingly, even some species have incubations both with and without diapause. The species for which column “Procedure” only says “not applicable” are incubated continuously at the temperatures under “warmth phase” without a cooler period.

Species	Incubation period	Warmth phase	Diapause	Procedure	Source
Furcifer angeli	Soil temperatures are available here for the habitat of this species.
Furcifer antimena	360 days	27-30°C	not applicable		Schmidt (1992): Über die erstmalig gelungene Nachzucht von Furcifer campani, sowie eine Zusammenstellung einiger Ei-Zeitigungsdaten von verschiedenen Chamäleon-Arten in Tabellenform. Sauria 14 (3): 21-23.
Furcifer balteatus		22°C	17°C	1.  warmth phase 1. diapause 2. warmth phase	Althaus, Weiß (2009): Vorstellung von Furcifer balteatus. Chamaeleo 29: 19-21.
Furcifer campani	228-236 days	45 days at 26°C	45 days at 10-15°C	1. warmth phase 1. diapause 2. warmth phase	Schmidt (1992): Über die erstmalig gelungene Nachzucht von Furcifer campani, sowie eine Zusammenstellung einiger Ei-Zeitigungsdaten von verschiedenen Chamäleon-Arten in Tabellenform. Sauria 14 (3): 21-23.
Furcifer lateralis	210 days	70 days at 22°C in 1st warmth phase, 24°C in 2nd warmth phase	70 days at 14°C	1. warmth phase 1. diapause 2. warmth phase	eigene Erfahrungen
	207-209 days	42 dayst at25°C in 1st  warmth phase, 70 days at 25-27°C in 2nd  warmth phase, 73-75 days at 25-27°C in 3rd warmth phase	87 days at 11-13°C in 1st diapause, 88 days at 17-20°C in 2nd diapause	1. warmth phase 1. diapause 2. warmth phase 2. diapause 3.  warmth phase	Schwarz (2008): Furcifer lateralis  – Das Teppichchamäleon: Pflege und Nachzucht. Chamaeleo 37: 34-38.
	220 days	31 days at 25°C in 1st warmth phase, 25-27°C in 2nd  warmth phase	100 days at 18°C	1. warmth phase 1. diapause 2. warmth phase	Schwarz (2008): Furcifer lateralis  – Das Teppichchamäleon: Pflege und Nachzucht. Chamaeleo 37: 34-38.
	185 days	45 days at 25°C in 1st warmth phase, 25-27°C in 2nd warmth phase	40 days at 10-15°C	1. warmth phase 1. diapause 2. warmth phase	Schmidt (2001): Haltung und Zucht von Furcifer lateralis in mehreren Generationen. Chamaeleo 22: 9-10.
	154-378 days	45 days at 26-28°, then 76 days at 25-28°C in 1st  warmth phase,  26-28°C in 3rd warmth phase	45 days at 10-15°C, then 45 days at 10-18°C	1. warmth phase 1. diapause 2. warmth phase 2. diapause 3.  warmth phase	Schmidt (1992): Über die erstmalig gelungene Nachzucht von Furcifer campani, sowie eine Zusammenstellung einiger Ei-Zeitigungsdaten von verschiedenen Chamäleon-Arten in Tabellenform. Sauria 14 (3): 21-23.
	154-249 days	30 days > 20°C in 1st warmth phase, 25-30°C in 2nd warmth phase	minimum 25 days at 8-10°C	1. warmth phase 1. diapause 2. warmth phase	Schmidt (1985): Chamaeleo lateralis. Beilage zu Sauria 7 (4): 25-26.
	160 days	each 31 days at 25°C	approximately 100 days at 15-18°C	1. warmth phase 1. diapause 2. warmth phase	Ludwig & Ludwig (2022): Erfahrungen mit der Haltung und Zucht des Teppichchamäleons Furcifer lateralis. Chamaeleo 48: 23-26.
Furcifer major	190 days	each 45 days at 24-25°C	45 days at 12-16°C	1. warmth phase 1. diapause 2. warmth phase	Böhle (1998): Einige Anmerkungen zu Furcifer lateralis “major”. Chamaeleo 20: 8-9.
		je 45 Tage bei 26-28°C	45 days at 12-18°C		Henkel, Heinecke (1993): Chamäleons im Terrarium. Landbuch-Verlag, 1. Auflage.
		45 days at 25°C in 1st warmth phase, 25-28°C in 2nd warmth phase	40 days at 10-15°C		Necas (1995): Chamäleons: Bunte Juwelen der Natur. Edition Chimaira, 1. Auflage.
		45 days at 22°C in 1st warmth phase, 25-26°C in 2nd warmth phase	45 days at 14-18°C		Rutsch (2006): Erste eigene Erfahrungen mit der großen Form von Furcifer lateralis. Chamaeleo 33: 13-14.
Furcifer minor	210-251 days	70 days at 22°C in 1st warmth phase,  24°C in 2nd warmth phase	70 days at 14°C	1. warmth phase 1. diapause 2. warmth phase	own experience
	240 days	48 days at 22°C during the day, 18°C at night in 1st warmth phase, 24°C in 2nd warmth phase	61 days at 13-16°C, some days < 10 °C		Althaus (2008): Erste Erfahrungen zur Haltung und Nachzucht von Furcifer minor. Chamaeleo 37: 34-38.
Furcifer oustaleti	274 days	28°C	not applicable		Schmidt (1992): Über die erstmalig gelungene Nachzucht von Furcifer campani, sowie eine Zusammenstellung einiger Ei-Zeitigungsdaten von verschiedenen Chamaeleon-Arten in Tabellenform. Sauria 14 (3): 21-23.
	243-365 days	24-27°C during the day, 14-17°C at night	not applicable		Smith, Abate (1999): Chameleon Profile, Oustalet’s Chameleon. Chameleon information network 32: 19-25.
Furcifer pardalis	200-210 days	depending on local form 70 days at 25°C in 1st warmth phase, same temperature in 2nd warmth phase	28 days at 17°C	1. warmth phase 1. diapause 2. warmth phase	own experience
		26°C	not applicable
	159-390 days	25-28°C	not applicable		Ferguson, Murphy, Raselimanana, Ramanamanjato, Annis (1994): Chameleon Profile, The Panther Chameleon. Chameleon information network 11: 11-20.
	180-365 days	20-24°C
	159-365 days	26-28°C	not applicable		Schmidt (1992): Über die erstmalig gelungene Nachzucht von Furcifer campani, sowie eine Zusammenstellung einiger Ei-Zeitigungsdaten von verschiedenen Chamäleon-Arten in Tabellenform. Sauria 14 (3): 21-23.
	213-243 days	75 days at 26°C  in 1st warmth phase, same temperature in 2nd warmth phase	60 days at 23°C	1. warmth phase 1. diapause 2. warmth phase	Eckhardt (2018): Triplet from a single egg in the panther chameleon (Furcifer pardalis). Herpetology Notes 11: 777-779.
Furcifer rhinoceratus	Soil temperatures are available here for the habitat of this species.
Furcifer verrucosus	280 days	26-28°C during the day, 21-23°C at night	not applicable		Schneider, Lutzmann (2002): Das Warzenchamäleon Furcifer verrucosus. Chamaeleo 25: 20-22.
	300 days	26-28°C during the day, 21-23°C at night	not applicable		Schneider, Lutzmann (2002): Das Warzenchamäleon Furcifer verrucosus. Chamaeleo 25: 20-22.
	365 days	26°C during the day, 24 °C at night in 1st warmth phase and 25-28°C during the day, 18-23°C at night in 2nd warmth phase	10-15°C over 3 months	1. warmth phase 1. diapause 2. warmth phase	Starke-Huber (2007): Haltung und Zucht von Furcifer verrucosus (Warzechamäleon). Chamaeleo 35: 31-33.
	280 days	23-25°C during the day, 15-20°C at night	not applicable		Abate, Kalisch (1995): Chameleon Profile, Chameleo verrucosus. Chameleon information network 15: 17-24.
Furcifer willsii	Soil temperatures are available here for the habitat of this species.

If you know of other interesting literature on incubation conditions or would like to publish your own experiences, please contact us. Only incubation data where viable juveniles have hatched will be included in the overview.