Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

Tea · Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 12:00 am Post subject:

Thanks for that, I'll certainly let you know. I definitely at least want to try some of my animals on them at some point if not breed them myself later down the line....

But yes back to Steve... I'm totally in love with the little critter. He's full to bursting with personality and is really funny to watch... especially where waxworms are involved.. though I'm sure the poor worm would disagree with me.

I'm actually keeping him/her in a 4x2x2 or there abouts at the moment. It's obviously only while he's young but it just so happened that when I went in to put my deposit down on him, the shop had just had in 2 vivs the same size, 2nd hand, fully set up... and they'd had young boscs in them before so I was right in there. £99.99 it set me back for the viv fully set up with UV, basking spot and heat mat plus 2 spare bulbs (which was also a score on my part cuz the other reason i went in that day was to replace my female Yemens blown bulb and it just so happened that one of these was perfect for her so that was pretty much free Very Happy

). But yeah, I'll be moving him into a bigger viv (prob 7x3x3 like yours so do let me know when the pics go up so I can have a gander!) when he outgrows this one and will probably end up using this for a pair of beardies or something.

Phew... another essay!
_________________
http://www.iherp.com/tea

0.1.1 Elaphe guttata guttata
1.0 Python regius
1.0 Xenopus laevis
4.0 Hyla cinerea
0.0.4 Litoria cearulea
0.0.1 Varanus exanthematicus
1.1 Chameleo calyptratus

Devon_Paul · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 10:18 pm Post subject:

Hi Tea, just thought I would let you know that I picked up my baby Savvy yesterday. Got him out tonight and he bit me then decided to poo all over me!! I will let him settle in for a couple of days then post up some piccies. He actually looks exactly like Steve!! Same size and everything.

regards,

Paul.
_________________
1.2.0 Bearded Dragons
0.0.2 Blue Tongued Skinks
1.0.0 Bosc/Savannah Monitor
0.2.0 Cats!!
∞.∞ Cockroaches - Lobsters, Dubia and Turkistans

Tea · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 11:05 pm Post subject:

Hahaha! No way! Aww... I have to say, and I got this impression in the shop, I think I've got really lucky with Steve. He hardly ever hisses, has never gone to bite me, I've never even seen him poo let alone have him poo on me and he'll even sit still in his viv and let me stroke his head and neck. He'll start nodding off in my hand if I scratch under his chin and behind his earholes Smile

Post pics as soon as you can! I'll warn you now... I'm gonna be swapping monitor stories with you all the time now seeing as we have babies growing up at the same time Wink

_________________
http://www.iherp.com/tea

0.1.1 Elaphe guttata guttata
1.0 Python regius
1.0 Xenopus laevis
4.0 Hyla cinerea
0.0.4 Litoria cearulea
0.0.1 Varanus exanthematicus
1.1 Chameleo calyptratus

Devon_Paul · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 11:23 pm Post subject:

Too right Tea. I know he is a bit of a handful at the moment, but I will spend as much time taming him as possible. There was another Savvy in the Reptile shop, but the other was very timid and hid under his water bowl. Even though they were the same age, mine was much bigger. He tried to poo on us in the shop too, which gave us a chance to have a look and I think he is a he. Therefore, I have named him Tyro, as in Tyranosauraus!! Corny I know and not as unique as Steve!! Will post pictures soon and would love to trade stories with you Wink

regards,

Paul.
_________________
1.2.0 Bearded Dragons
0.0.2 Blue Tongued Skinks
1.0.0 Bosc/Savannah Monitor
0.2.0 Cats!!
∞.∞ Cockroaches - Lobsters, Dubia and Turkistans

Tea · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 11:56 pm Post subject:

Haha, Steve?! Unique?! Well, for a monitor perhaps Wink

That's cool, at least you've got a vague idea of what sex little Tyro is at this stage... I almost got a glimpse tonight but he decided he wasn't going to take a dump while I was there... can't say I blame him really!

I'm sure he'll warm to you quickly... they are very intelligent creatures, Steve took no time at all to figure out that I was friendly and a source of food!
_________________
http://www.iherp.com/tea

0.1.1 Elaphe guttata guttata
1.0 Python regius
1.0 Xenopus laevis
4.0 Hyla cinerea
0.0.4 Litoria cearulea
0.0.1 Varanus exanthematicus
1.1 Chameleo calyptratus

Peter Parrot · Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:23 pm Post subject: Re: Some general advice please!

Tea · Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:39 pm Post subject:

Thanks very much for the advice!

Looking at how much I spent on live food last week and how little of it I have left I think I agree with you Wink

To be honest, I'm quite happy to continue buying the odd tub of crix for the frogs etc because they really don't cost me much... but when Steve (my sav monitor) gets bigger and wants bigger food items, adult locusts will be very useful and the chameleons like them too so for those 3 I may well be better off breeding them in the long run. I'm intrigued though.. when you say surplus locusts are good currency... enlighten me... perhaps I'm being slow (blame it on being bored to death at work) Wink

I have read through that thread, yeah Smile

It's bookmarked so I can go through it later on. Hopefully I can get the locust breeding thing on the go in the not too distant future and save myself a fortune!

Thanks again!
_________________
http://www.iherp.com/tea

0.1.1 Elaphe guttata guttata
1.0 Python regius
1.0 Xenopus laevis
4.0 Hyla cinerea
0.0.4 Litoria cearulea
0.0.1 Varanus exanthematicus
1.1 Chameleo calyptratus

Peter Parrot · Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:48 pm Post subject:

Tea · Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:14 pm Post subject:

Thanks for that Very Happy

I'll have to look into whether there's anyone around who'd be interested in taking the surplus off me... mind you, I need to successfully breed them first Wink

That's it. You've made up my mind. I'll give it a go. But let me just ask one question. In your first reply you said about having 4 breeder bins and swapping the egg laying tub over every 12 days or so... obviously, whatever hatches is going to be very young and not sexually mature for a while so, do I have few egg laying tubs in circulation or do I put it back in a few days after they've started hatching to allow the adults to lay again?

Very Happy

_________________
http://www.iherp.com/tea

0.1.1 Elaphe guttata guttata
1.0 Python regius
1.0 Xenopus laevis
4.0 Hyla cinerea
0.0.4 Litoria cearulea
0.0.1 Varanus exanthematicus
1.1 Chameleo calyptratus

Peter Parrot · Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:40 pm Post subject:

Four bins is about the minimum that you will get away with to keep a cycle going of all stages, but you only need to set one up initially and add more bins as you need them (you`ll know what I mean when you start).

I have eight bins, and find that to be the perfect number to ensure a ready supply of all sizes. Just take the egg tub out, put it in another bin and wait for them to hatch. Put a fresh egg tub in with the adults, make sure that the egg laying substrate is 10cm deep. You will start a cycle, eg. when the adult tub gets to look a bit ropey and the breeders are past their best, feed them off to your sav and yemens, clean or replace their bin, and use it to put a fresh tub of eggs in.

By this time you will have another tub of breeder sized animals to rely on, as you should always keep some back to ensure a constant flow, don`t make the mistake of feeding adults off unless you have breeders to replace them with. Wink

A couple more tips, an occasional problem with the egg laying tubs being 10cm deep is that locusts not being too clever sometimes dont work out how to get into the tub and lso ay the eggs in inappropriate places in the bin causing them to dry out and be wasted. It can be solved by providing ramps/ladders for them to gain access. A percentage will still be wasted however. If you want to be really innovative, design your bins with a hole in the floor the same size as your laying tubs, obviously the bins will have to be stacked with a space between them to allow for the laying tubs, but it does mean that wasted egg laying instances are brought down to a minimum. It is after all, unnatural for a female locust to have to climb to reach an egg laying site, they lay their eggs in the ground. Wink

To minimise escapees when collecting animals to feed from etc, I designed lids for my bins which have two holes in them large enough to comfortably put my hands through. Stitch or glue some sleeves of muslin or similar to them, or a fine mesh netting such as used for butterfly nets etc. I reach in through them to collect the insects and just tie the ends when not in use. Ellaborate customisation I suppose, but has helped cut down on catching up escapees in the long run, so saves a fair bit of time:)
_________________
YSBRYDOLI POBL, GWELLA LLEOEDD
INSPIRING PEOPLE, IMPROVING PLACES
www.btcv.org
Visit our website - Gwelwch ein Gwefan
www.btcvcymru.org
Llinell Gymorth / Helpline: 08702 40 48 41