Caring For Newborns and Hatchlings If you have done everything properly, you should have baby chameleons after a while. They are born very small, sometimes only an inch long. However, baby Meller's Chameleon (chamaeleo melleri) hatch out of the eggs up to 4 inches long. Because most species are born or hatched so small, they require small food. Flightless fruitflies and baby crickets are perfect for them. We prefer the use of 1 week old crickets over pinheads for most species because they are easier to keep alive over a long period of time. You also get more for your money with the 1 week olds. However, 1 week old crickets may be too large for some of the very small species of chameleons. Unlike adults, babies should not be kept in screen cages. This is because their food can sometimes escape through the holes in the screening, which can make it hard for the babies to get food. We suggest using plastic sweater boxes. Make sure they are at least 6 inches tall, and wide and long enough to properly accommodate the babies. You may have to use several containers for large clutches. Place fake ivy throughout the bottom of the sweater box, only about 2 inches high so they can eat bugs