My Rudis Had a Surprise Birth! *Need some advice

Hello,

I have looked everywhere for information on rudis neonates but no one seems to have much out there.

I bought my rudis cham from a store well known for there well cared for reptiles. I got her about 4 months ago and she did seem a bit chubby, but not "fat", certainly not gravid. She wasn't getting any bigger in the months that I had her, though she did eat like a pig. Friday I fed her the last 3 or 4 crickets (mediums - she usually eats 6+ a day) and left for 2 hours to get more. When I returned *poof* 4 little babies hiding in the plants. I was shocked to say the least. I know how hard a time rudis' can have during pregnancy and birth so I never meant to breed her. I am very glad she didn't die during all this, but she was so active, and eating and drinking so well I never even noticed anything wrong. She was actually very dark after birth until I removed the babies then she brightened up and at 6 crickets (6!!!). I even expected to see more babies since there were only 4, but 4 was all of them, which may explain why she didn't show much. The babies came out about 2 - 2 1/2" from tale to nose, they might even be bigger as 1/8 crickets seem like specks next to them.

So my real problem is the surprise of it all. When I got my little girl I researched and spoke with many rudis owners to learn all I could and felt comfortable about owning her. But the babies are a surprise and I am out of my realm. I have spent the weekend reading every tidbit I could on these little guys and still am at a lose. Everyone says they are extremely hard to keep alive and that scares me.

I currently have them housed in a screened 20x18x12 enclosure. Filled with climbling branches, a vine they seem to like and fake leaf covering, which they love to climb and hide in. I read many people saying babies up to 2 months can be housed together and others saying they liked individual small tanks for each, so I just chose the one I found best. Bottom covered in papertowels and nothing else. I have a reptisun 5.0 and a 60w blue bulb for a small bit of basking heat. Basking area is about 80 with lower temps down the cage. They all do seem to love hanging upside down from the top of the cage to bask, but I noticed that from mom too until I gave her a little hotter basking bulb, so I may change their bulb to make it a bit hotter. I know babies are better in lower temps so not sure about that though. I also take the cage outside for 15 minutes or so a day for a little leaf filtered sun. I do not have a misting system hooked up to it yet like the mom's cage, but am hand misting the cage 3-4 times a day and watch them drink. Ordered a nozzle for the rainmaker so I can add their cage into the system asap.

I am trying to feed them 1/8 crickets, but I am not sure they are eating. I put a bunch of crickets in the cage, but since I haven't seen one eat I can not tell if the crickets are escaping or being eaten. I watch the babies eyeball the crickets, but then ignore them again. I was thinking of building a eating cup (the one I built before was the one a person posted directions using a coke bottle, worked great!!), but those darn pinheads jump worse then adult crickets!! I am trying to get fruitflies, but being Memorial day weekend ordering online won't go out until Tuesday at the earliest.

So my main questions are: What am I doing wrong? What am I doing right? How can I get the babies to eat or tell if they are eating? What signs should I be looking for to show they are doing well or if there is a problem? Is there anyway to force feed them if need be?

I am sorry to be so long winded, I am just so overwhelmed. I love my pets and the last thing I wanted to do was bring animals into this world I could not care for, but mother nature is a jokester and she laid this one on me.... Mostly what I have read is on jackson's and veilded babies, but that is not the same as rudis.

Thank you for reading if you got this far, I look forward to hearing any advice anyone is willing to give.

Well just an update. I woke up this morning and 3 of them were basking, but could not find the 4th. I checked back a little while later and found 3 of them looking basicly dead and the fourth basking and looking big and strong.

I took them all outside, I actually thought one of them was dead until he saw the sun and he perked up. I legged a bunch of tiny crickets and tried to get them to eat. One of the 3 ate one cricket. But the other 2, one which I thought was dead, would not eat. I put them in a tiny cage by themselves with a few crickets hoping they would eat, but truthfully with it being Memorial day and nothing open buying more pinheads or fruitflies is not going to happen and I can't get a vet until tomorrow. I guess I just hope they eat and make it.... but truthfully I am prepared that they will die. It is breaking my heart, but for the life of me I am not a breeder and I can't find any information, anyone who can tell me what to do or if I am doing something wrong.