Big, Bold & Beautiful! Meet my Melleri!

[rsepiphyte]

I finally decided to work with the Mellers Chameleons. They are big, bold and beautiful! After admiring them for so many years and being fortunate enough to develop a free range environment indoors and outdoors i took the "plunge" and purchased 4 WC Mellers. I spent many a night debating whether this was the ethical way to proceed but after looking for over 3 years for CB with no prospects in sight ... well here they are ... I have had them now for 2 weeks and all seem to be thriving. They love crickets, bluebottle flies and Dubia roaches and an occasional pinkie mouse. My vet examined and gave worming medication and an injection of multivitamins when they first arrived. They were dehydrated and had some superficial wounds (bruised rostral horns and broken toenails) but nothing overtly serious. Tomorrow we are going in for a fecal check (my vet felt that re-worming would more than likely be necessary). Once we have our vet fecal vet check and if all are clear of parasites i will begin to introduce them to their new "free range". Two of them are extremely calm around me and will take crickets off of my hands. The other two still show "stress coloration" when i come around. I know this will take time but i am hoping all will adapt and thrive. Till then please enjoy the photos and wish us all luck! Slainte' Ruth

 

[heyshelbyrae]

Gorgeous!

 

[lisagr07]

Ruth, it's so exciting to know that there are some melleri so close to me!!!!! I love them and look forward to watching their progress!!!!! Good luck with them! Anybthought as to their sex and/or age?
Lisa

 

[Olimpia]

So jealous! Beautiful chameleons, best of luck with them. Please keep sharing photos of them, we don't see these enough and I'd love to see them a lot more.

 

[Chameleonmaster]

Very nice, I myself will be working with this species very soon. I saw in your picture that you use regular branches, since they are a heavier species what plant will or do you use in there cage? Are they living together at this moment or are they separate until they are clear of parasites?
Thanks, Collin

 

[maxttu]

Keep posting photos regularly! I love melleri!! I hope to have one some day!

 

[rsepiphyte]

Right now all are separate until fecals are clear of parasites. I am fortunate enough to have very large pin oak trees in our area. I cut branches from these trees (sterilized with bleach water and thoroughly dried) and placed them in their enclosures which are 4' x 2' x 2' . Each day i allow one to roam the room for exercise but all eat and release stool in their own enclosures which are lined with clear plastic sheeting which is easy to replace. So far, so good, as all are eating and putting on weight. Time will tell. I am doing my best to try and understand their "stress colors", so far i am the only one that can come into the room and feed them without their showing outward stress in color and posturing. I hope over time they will become familiar with all "humans" or perhaps it is me that needs to become familiar with all "chameleons"? Ruth

 

[absolutbill]

Awesome pics and great looking Mellers! I've always loved that species and was also thinking about starting a project with them at some point. Just have to kick out the roommate and turn his room into a freerange

 

[Chameleonmaster]

Hey if 4 Mellers is to many for you I always open to take one from you. lol

 

[rsepiphyte]

LOL, these guys are now eating out of my hands! Their weights are 250gm, 150gm, 100 gm, and 175 gm. They eat constantly! I believe one is gravid as she is really starting to expand in her mid region. Time will tell. Ruth

 

[mcbdz]

Beautiful chameleons. Would love to see some updated pics.

 

[rsepiphyte]

LOL, as soon as i get a new camera. I was taking pictures of our backyard pond and dropped the camera into the water! Grrrrrr! Ruth

 

[asongforyou]

LOL, as soon as i get a new camera. I was taking pictures of our backyard pond and dropped the camera into the water! Grrrrrr! Ruth

They're so cool...congrats!


(a waterproof case works well if you ever worry about dropping it in water again. I bought a soft plastic one for my honeymoon and worked perfectly)

 

[laurie]

The pictures are great, I know how happy you are to finally have them, and I am happy got you.you will do a good job with them. Just don't forget our pictures.

 

[cricketkilla]

I finally decided to work with the Mellers Chameleons. They are big, bold and beautiful! After admiring them for so many years and being fortunate enough to develop a free range environment indoors and outdoors i took the "plunge" and purchased 4 WC Mellers. I spent many a night debating whether this was the ethical way to proceed but after looking for over 3 years for CB with no prospects in sight ... well here they are ... I have had them now for 2 weeks and all seem to be thriving. They love crickets, bluebottle flies and Dubia roaches and an occasional pinkie mouse. My vet examined and gave worming medication and an injection of multivitamins when they first arrived. They were dehydrated and had some superficial wounds (bruised rostral horns and broken toenails) but nothing overtly serious. Tomorrow we are going in for a fecal check (my vet felt that re-worming would more than likely be necessary). Once we have our vet fecal vet check and if all are clear of parasites i will begin to introduce them to their new "free range". Two of them are extremely calm around me and will take crickets off of my hands. The other two still show "stress coloration" when i come around. I know this will take time but i am hoping all will adapt and thrive. Till then please enjoy the photos and wish us all luck! Slainte' Ruth

Don't know how I missed this post! Beautiful melleri, I am very jelous! I've been contemplating getting a group of these beauties for some time now. You'll have to keep us up to date on their progress and lotssss of pictures

 

[lovepicasso]

They are nothing less than beautiful!

 

[jannb]

Gorgeous animals. My daughter use to keep Melleri and they were fascinating chameleons.

 

[azgnoinc]

This group is awesome, so glad that we have such a diverse group of enthusiasts on here working with so many different type of chameleons. Hopefully one of these days you might be able to provide some others on here some of the CB babies that you looked for for so long. Keep us posted with lots of pics!!

 

[rsepiphyte]

It has been a month now since i purchased the Wild Caught Mellers. We lost one 3 days ago and am awaiting an autopsy report. The other three are all doing well but trying to socialize them is problematic. Right now they are all in their own enclosures that i separate with paper blinds. I have tried now for two days to pull the blinds up some so they can see each other and yet be able to stay out of site if they choose. They don't exhibit stress colors as one that i believe is a female will literally squat belly down on her perch and turn the most beautiful yellow nearly blue green color with an opaque cast to it ... however ... no one eats when they can see one another. So i closed the blinds again and will try again this week Their respective weights are now 250gm to 275gms ... 150gms to 175gms and 175gms to 183gms. Fecals showed Clear at our visit this past Friday but i probably re-worm on a monthly basis just to be safe. I am attaching a picture of our Sunday Shower. They really seem to enjoy this and are very well hydrated for at least an hour in luke warm water. Then off from the spa to a gourmet meal of Dubia and flies! As they are settling in i have notice different resting colors among them. None are alike. The largest has a creamy white background with green stripes, the middle one is a darker green and yellow and the smallest is just gorgeous with a blue cast with bright yellow stripes and an opaline cast to it.

 

[d3s5]

Thanks for the update. I was wondering how they were doing. Sorry you lost one. I'll be curious to hear about the autopsy report. All the rest are looking great!

Deb