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Jan O Key Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 360
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Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2006 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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WOW! What a fantastic acheivement Rick, In all honesty I really didnt want to look- you know why!! but I did and think they are just adorable. Well done you, mmm just had a thought I have a pay rise coming shortly and if I did a bit of re arranging maybe, just maybe.........
Love Jan |
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Gongylus74 Contributing Member
Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 74 Location: Swindon, England
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Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 12:50 am Post subject: |
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Absolutely FANTASTIC news Rick, huge congratulations to you. That must be quite a sight, so many gorgeous babies!
Bristol Zoo's hatches of Meller's last year were after about the same incubation time as you have experienced I believe, and they too had good hatch rates, but I don't know much about the incubation conditions to be able to compare the hatches directly I'm afraid.
I just know that I'm lucky enough to be getting one of these well grown-on individuals in a few weeks time, but it would be so lovely to have a couple of smaller ones to grow on all by myself......
PM'd you!!
Congrats again
Jonathan |
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Rickeezee Site Moderator
Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Posts: 9249 Location: Kent
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Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:54 am Post subject: |
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Thank you Jan and Jonathon; they are very tempting arnt they .
I have placed them right next to my bed so I can watch them, they are incredibly active and very agile at the moment. I need to count how many there are as it goes, I have sort of lost track, another seven hatched this morning and there are still a few to go.
Originally the clutch size was 92 eggs laid, 6 of which were slugs, leaving 86 good eggs, out of those a few failed along the way did not count how many but only a few, 7 or 8 maybe not sure. There are still a few eggs left to hatch. _________________ www.rickslivefood.co.uk
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Rickeezee Site Moderator
Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Posts: 9249 Location: Kent
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Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 9:14 am Post subject: |
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TBH, before acquiring George and Mildred I was told and had heard ooo stay away from Mellors they are hard to keep and wont breed and basically are really hard chams to keep.
Well I am no expert, far far from it, but I have found them no harder or easier to keep than any other cham, I keep them a lot drier than I keep the Madagascan species, and spray far less frequently, I use a large fully vented flexarium for Mildred and for George when he was alive. George and Mildred were a LTC true pair, age when purchased I was told about two years old, my feeling is they were both a lot older than this. I got them earlier on this year and kept them both in the same viv as they got on well with each other. Their previous keeper had had one infertile batch of eggs from Mildred. Within a few months of keeping them thye started to display their courtship rituals, which are absolutely fascinating, and can last for up to 6 months before the female may let the male do the do, if she does let him at all! How frustrating!
George when displaying to the female, flapped his occipital lobes at her, funny as, he looked like dumbo! In response Mildred engaged in slapping him about the head with her front legs, this is done to ensure the male is strong enough and worthy of mating with her, to ensure a strong continuation of the species, anyway in response George would defend himself by raising his front legs. Well I have never seen anything like it, thye ended up frequently dancing holding front legs moving back and forth along their branch. What an amazing sight, I felt truly honoured to witness this.
After a couple of months of this glorious courtship ritual Mildred succumbed and the mating took place several times over a period of about a week.
Approx: six weeks later Mildred took to becoming restless and going to the bottom of the viv. I had by this time placed a huge plastic tub in the viv base filled wiht damp peat. After a few days she proceeded to lay the eggs without any problems, and the next day she was carrying on as normal.
I incubated the eggs in a homemade polybox style incubator, at 74f, 3.5 months later, well you know the rest!
These are a superb and lovely cham to keep and wow what an experience it has been and will continue to be! _________________ www.rickslivefood.co.uk
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brittone05 Contributing Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2006 Posts: 94 Location: Wirral
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Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 9:24 am Post subject: |
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Many, many congrats Rick on what looks ot be the most cutest little gang I have ever seen
My hubby is gonna be so miffed when I add MORE chams to my Christmas list hahahahaaaa |
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Rickeezee Site Moderator
Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Posts: 9249 Location: Kent
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Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 9:46 am Post subject: |
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brittone05 wrote: | Many, many congrats Rick on what looks ot be the most cutest little gang I have ever seen
My hubby is gonna be so miffed when I add MORE chams to my Christmas list hahahahaaaa |
hehehehehheheh good ole hubby, he will be so pleased, cheers hun! _________________ www.rickslivefood.co.uk
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Gongylus74 Contributing Member
Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 74 Location: Swindon, England
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Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:09 am Post subject: |
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Rickeezee wrote: | TBH, before acquiring George and Mildred I was told and had heard ooo stay away from Mellors they are hard to keep and wont breed and basically are really hard chams to keep.
Well I am no expert, far far from it, but I have found them no harder or easier to keep than any other cham, I keep them a lot drier than I keep the Madagascan species, and spray far less frequently, I use a large fully vented flexarium for Mildred and for George when he was alive. I got kept them both in the same viv as they got on well with each other.
George when displaying to the female, flapped his occipital lobes at her, funny as, he looked like dumbo! In response Mildred engaged in slapping him about the head with her front legs, this is done to ensure the male is strong enough and worthy of mating with her, to ensure a strong continuation of the species, anyway in response George would defend himself by raising his front legs. Well I have never seen anything like it, thye ended up frequently dancing holding front legs moving back and forth along their branch. What an amazing sight, I felt truly honoured to witness this.
These are a superb and lovely cham to keep and wow what an experience it has been and will continue to be! |
Hi again Rick
It's really refreshing to hear that you've not had any particular issues with these, I too have been advised by a few people to stay well away from Meller's but I think it must largely be down to the fact that most animals coming into the trade are WC and, as it is a species which is especially prone to parasite/viral issues, often don't thrive or live very long.
I'm getting a 15-month old captive hatched and reared individual and am hoping, as you have experienced and described, not to have too many problems with it, providing of course that the environmental conditions are correct right from its arrival.
It's clear that the two of yours must have been quite happy being housed together and all their needs met for them to have bred successfully - the courtship sounds just incredible to watch - do you have any video of this at all? Would love to see it!
Anyway, I'm very chuffed for you and despite not knowing you at all it seems that it couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke. And no, I'm not just saying that in the hope that it moves me further up the waiting list for them when the time comes to move some on, but if it helps then I'm also not going to complain either!
Jonathan |
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brittone05 Contributing Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2006 Posts: 94 Location: Wirral
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Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:18 am Post subject: |
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Gongylus74 wrote: |
Anyway, I'm very chuffed for you and despite not knowing you at all it seems that it couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke. |
The words nail, hit and head come to mind
I dont think anyone deserves a great clutch success like Rick right now - the dedication he obviously puts in is now paying back extremely well
(that's me 2 places up too hahahahahaaaaaa ) |
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Gongylus74 Contributing Member
Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 74 Location: Swindon, England
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Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:21 am Post subject: |
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brittone05 wrote: | Gongylus74 wrote: |
Anyway, I'm very chuffed for you and despite not knowing you at all it seems that it couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke. |
The words nail, hit and head come to mind
I dont think anyone deserves a great clutch success like Rick right now - the dedication he obviously puts in is now paying back extremely well
(that's me 2 places up too hahahahahaaaaaa ) |
Oi, I was here first!!! |
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Rickeezee Site Moderator
Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Posts: 9249 Location: Kent
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Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:22 am Post subject: |
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It's really refreshing to hear that you've not had any particular issues with these, I too have been advised by a few people to stay well away from Meller's but I think it must largely be down to the fact that most animals coming into the trade are WC and, as it is a species which is especially prone to parasite/viral issues, often don't thrive or live very long.
You've hit the nail right on the head above IMHO. Yes spot on Jonathon, I am sure you will have every success with the 15 month old from BZ. I would be very interested in talking to them regarding their Mellors to compare notes.
With the correct set up I don't see any major issues with keeping a mellor or a pair etc., The most important aspect is their source and WC or even dubiously labelled CF are a big no no in my view, for the reasons that you have stated.
Thank you for your kind words Jonathon that is appreciated. I have not responded yet to your latest pm but will do by the end of the day. Not had the time yet to go into detail, but I will do, thanks. _________________ www.rickslivefood.co.uk
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