Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

Brew · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 2:25 pm Post subject: to move or not

My young panther is now about 2 inches from nose to vent and around 3 and a half months old. He's currently in a 1' x 1' x 1' exo terra, I was wondering should he now be moved up to his 1.5' x 1.5' x 2' exo terra or leave him a bit longer. He's eating really well but was a little concerned he won't be able to get the crickets in his bigger viv yet?
Any thoughts please.

ClactonJoe · Key Member Joined: 20 Apr 2008 Posts: 207

Hello Brew.

You know I moved mine into his 18 x 18 x 36 Terry Thatcher a while ago.
Well, I find he has no trouble eating as he just waits for the crickets to move about. I have food in his viv for the crickets incase he doesn't find them for a while so they can still eat ok. He seems to be eating and pooing well so I would say make the change also.
Mine also started of in an 18 x 18 x 24 exo and he was ok in there.

I did find that when I switched him over there was a load of crickets hiding in the back wall of his exo viv. I tried to blank off all the little vent hole but them damn crickets will hid anywere. If you can take out the back wall I think it would mean that they couldn't hide so well and he would have more chance of finding them.

Now you have one more problem....
Just what do you put in the 12 x 12 x 12 exo now?
Best you go looking for more reptiles this weekend. I see another zoo coming on...
_________________
Joey (From Sunny Clacton-on-Sea)

Go-on Have a Look...
http://www.mycampage.com/chameleon

Lynne · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 4:27 pm Post subject:

aint it great when you get an empty viv/tub? any pics???
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Tea · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 4:36 pm Post subject:

I tell you what I tried out with my female Yemen when she was tiny and in a rather large exo-terra... I made a feeding platform for her. I cut up little pieces of dowel rod and bound them together which ended up looking like a little mini wooden scaffold, made sure all the ends were safe, then I put a plastic tub in the top of it. The original point was to put any waxworms I offered her in it so they didn't bury themselves and so they were nice and high up for her to grab but I found that any crickets I dropped in there by accident used to stay in there for some reason, even though it was less than 2 ins deep and they could easily have hopped out! I didn't keep it in there for too long as, obviously I wanted her to hunt and get the exercise while doing so, but it definitely worked while she was little and the crickets were sometimes a bit hard for her to find!
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Brew · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:17 pm Post subject:

kroakykaren · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:24 pm Post subject:

Just give him a go Brew, but take the wall out as joe says the crix just hide behind the dam things.
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Brew · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:10 pm Post subject:

I understand it's best to put stones on top of the soil of the plants pots, to stop the Cham getting any bits he shouldn't, will the crickets not simply go under the stones? As it is in his small viv, I remove all crickets at the end of the day (that way I can keep a count on how many he's eating) In the bigger one do I just put extra in, and leave them at the end of the day?
This reminds me of when my daughter was ready to go from a cot to a bed, bloody frightening lol
Thanks again for all your advice

kroakykaren · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:09 pm Post subject:

I have never used stones ontop of the plants Brew Embarassed

infact Vinney used to eat the dirt from being very small, some say its a deficiency and they eat the dirt to replace what they need, who knows Very Happy

it hasnt done him any harm at all. I wouldnt leave loads of crix in with him they may stress him out, have you tried pot feeding him? at least then you can remove what he hasnt eaten.
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ClactonJoe · Key Member Joined: 20 Apr 2008 Posts: 207

I have some large stones ontop of the soil as I planted the viv out totally in the base.
I find the crickets do hide under the stones but they do come out and he hunts them down then. There is never that many in there as he is on bigger crickets now. They no longer fit in his mouth anymore. I leave the couple or so in there as I feel sure in the wild his food would be around him. I do keep checking to make sure they are not attacking him.
He does seem to like the morning prowl before his lights come on.
I never worried about how many he ate as long as he was pooing fine. No trouble in finding that.

As for your viv size. My first one was the same size you are going into. 18 x 18 x 24. It is bloody massive at first but he will love the extra room but don't forget I was totally artificial in this set up. Just a wire frame with the plastic plants. Loads less places for the food to hide except for that dam foam wall backdrop.
_________________
Joey (From Sunny Clacton-on-Sea)

Go-on Have a Look...
http://www.mycampage.com/chameleon

Brew · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 10:55 pm Post subject:

Thanks for all your comments, I guess it's time to try him then! I'll move him over tomorra night after work and see how he goes.