Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred Forum Index Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred
A site to share your Reptile experiances & ask questions
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Whoop Woo
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred Forum Index -> Chameleons
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Jan O
Key Member


Joined: 23 Jan 2006
Posts: 360

PostPosted: Mon Oct 16, 2006 9:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy 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
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Gongylus74
Contributing Member


Joined: 04 Oct 2006
Posts: 74
Location: Swindon, England

PostPosted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 12:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very Happy Very Happy Absolutely FANTASTIC news Rick, huge congratulations to you. That must be quite a sight, so many gorgeous babies! Shocked

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...... Rolling Eyes

PM'd you!! Wink

Congrats again Very Happy

Jonathan
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Rickeezee
Site Moderator


Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Posts: 9249
Location: Kent

PostPosted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you Jan and Jonathon; they are very tempting arnt they Laughing Laughing .

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

Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Rickeezee
Site Moderator


Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Posts: 9249
Location: Kent

PostPosted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 9:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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

Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
brittone05
Contributing Member


Joined: 06 Apr 2006
Posts: 94
Location: Wirral

PostPosted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 9:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Many, many congrats Rick on what looks ot be the most cutest little gang I have ever seen Smile Smile

My hubby is gonna be so miffed when I add MORE chams to my Christmas list hahahahaaaa
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Rickeezee
Site Moderator


Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Posts: 9249
Location: Kent

PostPosted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 9:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

brittone05 wrote:
Many, many congrats Rick on what looks ot be the most cutest little gang I have ever seen Smile Smile

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

Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Gongylus74
Contributing Member


Joined: 04 Oct 2006
Posts: 74
Location: Swindon, England

PostPosted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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! Very Happy

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! Wink

Jonathan
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
brittone05
Contributing Member


Joined: 06 Apr 2006
Posts: 94
Location: Wirral

PostPosted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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 Smile Smile

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 Smile Smile

(that's me 2 places up too hahahahahaaaaaa Wink)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Gongylus74
Contributing Member


Joined: 04 Oct 2006
Posts: 74
Location: Swindon, England

PostPosted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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 Smile Smile

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 Smile Smile

(that's me 2 places up too hahahahahaaaaaa Wink)


Oi, I was here first!!! Wink Wink Very Happy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Rickeezee
Site Moderator


Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Posts: 9249
Location: Kent

PostPosted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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

Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred Forum Index -> Chameleons All times are GMT + 2 Hours
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8  Next
Page 4 of 8

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group