"Where's Waldo?"
Where is Waldo? A question that pops up often; when I look for him in his home as he tries his hardest to hide (and does a fine job most of the time), and something that I often question when I slowly see his growth and compare it to others of the same age. Where's is Waldo?
Well, to those of you who have followed, helped, and are curious...here is a blog storyboard of Waldo's life and my experience raising him.
Day 1
I received Waldo Feb 28th, 2011 from LLLReptile (great company to do business with). A little white box, I asked myself, "how could this be? The little guy cramped into a small box?" Then I opened the box to the cutest little green guy I've ever seen. Sitting so comfortably and cool in a very well protected box (I'd have flown in it if I could fit), staring at me with a small permanent frown. I stuck a finger into the box and out he crawled, no hesitation, right onto my finger with eyeballs racing a million miles per hour in each direction.
I put my hand into the cage and he began the next chapter in his life. Carefully walking among branches and leaf stems he found his way to the highest corner of his cage and basked for the first time.
THE HOME
Well, I bought the full package deal from LLLReptile; included was the mesh enclosure, a few sets of fake leaves and vines, basking light fixture and bulb, UV bulb and light fixture, and a pack of moss. i built them home assuming all included was good for the cham and based my temperatures, not knowingly, off an adult chameleons recomendations. luckily, I joined the site and posted a concern about eating, as every brand new owner seems to do "He's not eating!?!?" and to the rescue were some members who pointed out that Waldo's basking temperatures were way too hot and needed to be toned down a good 10 degress, that I wasn't dusting with a good calcium and multivitamin, that my crickets would be a healthier meal if they were gutloaded with better foods. The moss that the entire bottom floor of the enclosure was covered for was not only a great hiding spot for crickets, making hunting food difficult, but a hazard to Waldo's health in the case the he may ingest any of it.
A picture of my proud, but unsafe cage Before making any changes
PATIENTLY WAITING
After making the correct changes, Waldo's home is noticably more comfortable to him. The crickets are not buried deep into the bottom of the enclosure and available for easy eating. The basking temperatures are at a comfortable level where Waldo can chose whether he wants to sunbath in 80-85 degrees. His crickets are dusted twice a month each with calcium+D3 and Multivitamins, and every other time with calcium...not to include the fresh veggies and fruit the crickets are full of. He now sits happily in his favorite areas with his same permanent frown, but it not has a more happy look to it.
FIRST SHED
I woke up one morning and noticed Waldo looked a little pale. He was rubbing his face against vines and reaching his back legs to his head. In minutes I seen skin peeling off him, I was frightened at first but realized it was just a good thing. First sign of growth! These pics of Waldo's shed were taken when he was 3 months old, two months after recieving him
PATIENTLY WAITING PT. II
So months go by, many pictures are taken and they all seem to be of the same thing, yet I still can not seem to stop snapping photos. I decided to embark in a building project, with no woodshop or building skills, I wanted to make a better home for Waldo. So I began building the new cage for Waldo, piece by piece I went to the store and bought more and more materials as I could afford them until I eventually had the entire cage built, pretty much how I envisioned with the skills I had, with small differences then the "blueprints" i drew up. My main focus was size and drainage, drainage being the biggest as my last enclosure had a towel underneath soaking up any splash or water drainage. The cage project took a good 3 months build but could have gone faster had I not slacked off in the 100+ degree temperatures and the money needed for tools and materials. But I finally got the cage built, removed two doors to get it into my house, set up and Waldo ius happily living in it as we speak!
First Nights Sleep In New Home
...to be continued.......
Where is Waldo? A question that pops up often; when I look for him in his home as he tries his hardest to hide (and does a fine job most of the time), and something that I often question when I slowly see his growth and compare it to others of the same age. Where's is Waldo?
Well, to those of you who have followed, helped, and are curious...here is a blog storyboard of Waldo's life and my experience raising him.
Day 1
I received Waldo Feb 28th, 2011 from LLLReptile (great company to do business with). A little white box, I asked myself, "how could this be? The little guy cramped into a small box?" Then I opened the box to the cutest little green guy I've ever seen. Sitting so comfortably and cool in a very well protected box (I'd have flown in it if I could fit), staring at me with a small permanent frown. I stuck a finger into the box and out he crawled, no hesitation, right onto my finger with eyeballs racing a million miles per hour in each direction.
I put my hand into the cage and he began the next chapter in his life. Carefully walking among branches and leaf stems he found his way to the highest corner of his cage and basked for the first time.
THE HOME
Well, I bought the full package deal from LLLReptile; included was the mesh enclosure, a few sets of fake leaves and vines, basking light fixture and bulb, UV bulb and light fixture, and a pack of moss. i built them home assuming all included was good for the cham and based my temperatures, not knowingly, off an adult chameleons recomendations. luckily, I joined the site and posted a concern about eating, as every brand new owner seems to do "He's not eating!?!?" and to the rescue were some members who pointed out that Waldo's basking temperatures were way too hot and needed to be toned down a good 10 degress, that I wasn't dusting with a good calcium and multivitamin, that my crickets would be a healthier meal if they were gutloaded with better foods. The moss that the entire bottom floor of the enclosure was covered for was not only a great hiding spot for crickets, making hunting food difficult, but a hazard to Waldo's health in the case the he may ingest any of it.
A picture of my proud, but unsafe cage Before making any changes
PATIENTLY WAITING
After making the correct changes, Waldo's home is noticably more comfortable to him. The crickets are not buried deep into the bottom of the enclosure and available for easy eating. The basking temperatures are at a comfortable level where Waldo can chose whether he wants to sunbath in 80-85 degrees. His crickets are dusted twice a month each with calcium+D3 and Multivitamins, and every other time with calcium...not to include the fresh veggies and fruit the crickets are full of. He now sits happily in his favorite areas with his same permanent frown, but it not has a more happy look to it.
FIRST SHED
I woke up one morning and noticed Waldo looked a little pale. He was rubbing his face against vines and reaching his back legs to his head. In minutes I seen skin peeling off him, I was frightened at first but realized it was just a good thing. First sign of growth! These pics of Waldo's shed were taken when he was 3 months old, two months after recieving him
PATIENTLY WAITING PT. II
So months go by, many pictures are taken and they all seem to be of the same thing, yet I still can not seem to stop snapping photos. I decided to embark in a building project, with no woodshop or building skills, I wanted to make a better home for Waldo. So I began building the new cage for Waldo, piece by piece I went to the store and bought more and more materials as I could afford them until I eventually had the entire cage built, pretty much how I envisioned with the skills I had, with small differences then the "blueprints" i drew up. My main focus was size and drainage, drainage being the biggest as my last enclosure had a towel underneath soaking up any splash or water drainage. The cage project took a good 3 months build but could have gone faster had I not slacked off in the 100+ degree temperatures and the money needed for tools and materials. But I finally got the cage built, removed two doors to get it into my house, set up and Waldo ius happily living in it as we speak!
First Nights Sleep In New Home
...to be continued.......
