Chameleon Came in Today!!!

[JoCarp]

Merlin the Cliffhanger

So I took Merlin outside for a little real sun and was letting him crawl around on me. I snapped a few pictures to show his colors coming in, although they aren't as bright as I've seen, he was pretty happy to be out there. At one point he used my shirt collar to go from shoulder to shoulder and then decided to take a page from Sylvester Stallone and go cliffhanger style off my ear. He was really only using one foot on my ear and his tail for support (my hair was too short for him to grab haha). Hope everyone's day is going well!
Make it a great day,

 

[Wowbango]

Handsome boy! Mine usually isn't very bright at first when I take him out in the sun. He usually darkens and then over time if he's out longer, he gets brighter to absorb less heat. If I let Nigel crawl up to my head every time, he would be so happy. He loves it! I see more yellow starting to come through, that's exciting!

 

[JoCarp]

Handsome boy! Mine usually isn't very bright at first when I take him out in the sun. He usually darkens and then over time if he's out longer, he gets brighter to absorb less heat. If I let Nigel crawl up to my head every time, he would be so happy. He loves it! I see more yellow starting to come through, that's exciting!

Thanks, Merlin does the same thing as Nigel when we first go outside. I waited for him to lighten up to take the pics, but it didn't take long since it was so hot anyway. I saw the yellow a little too and I'm really optimistic that he will have some more yellow after his next shed. I checked on him last night while he was asleep and he was showing more yellow than I've seen on him before. No pictures as I didn't want to bother him and I just use a little pen light that I shield almost all of the light with my hand.

 

[JoCarp]

Lunch colors

Ran home over lunch and saw Merlin showing some good coloring and a little more yellow so I figured I'd share. I think it's time to move him to his big fella enclosure though. He has closed an eye every now and then (lights purchased were for bigger enclosure w/ portion blocked w/ plexiglass for now). The lights will then be at the proper distance from him and he doesn't have any trouble chasing food down now. I actually put it away from him otherwise he just eats it toofast!
Anyway, I think that's why some of the pictures look like he has a little "sleep" in his eyes.
Make it a great day everyone,

 

[carbyville]

He's growing into such a beautiful boy! I've loved following this thread along and seeing little Merlin grow.

 

[JoCarp]

He's growing into such a beautiful boy! I've loved following this thread along and seeing little Merlin grow.

Thank you, Carbyville! I'm glad people are enjoying it. I really am enjoying keeping this and I like having a "timeline" of sorts showing how Merlin has developed! He started a shed Monday and was pretty well completed yesterday. So I'm going to try to get a few pictures over lunch if he's feeling up to showing me his new colors. (I checked on him while he was asleep last night and it looked like his blues and some yellowish-orange was coming in better.)
Make it a great day everyone,

 

[Bonginator]

I enjoyed your thread showing your Paradise Cham growth.

Here is my Paradise Cham named Iggy. He was sired by Primo and dam's sire was Candy Cane.

Really friendly little guy. I got him in April from Bruce. I really think he raises nice Chams.

Mine loves crickets, silkworms and now dubias.

 

[JoCarp]

I enjoyed your thread showing your Paradise Cham growth.

Here is my Paradise Cham named Iggy. He was sired by Primo and dam's sire was Candy Cane.

Really friendly little guy. I got him in April from Bruce. I really think he raises nice Chams.

Mine loves crickets, silkworms and now dubias.

Iggy looks really good! I'll attach some pics of Merlin from last night. He's still a little grumpy from his shed so he's not showing all that well. I agree, Bruce was a great breeder to work with. Merlin likes his crickets, LOVES blue bottle flies and does NOT care for silkies. I was really surprised (and somewhat frustrated) that he didn't like them. He ate a few (of the 500 I hatched) and then basically went on a hunger strike until I gave him his crickets back.

Thanks for sharing Iggy, I really enjoy seeing the other Paradise chams!
Make it a great day,

 

[JoCarp]

So I figured I'd throw up a few more pictures. This was taken in series, as Merlin saw the cricket, shot it (picture is mid-bite), and looked back at me contently after finishing it off. Sorry the mid-bite picture is fuzzy, I'm only using my iPhone and it seems to be impossible (with my abilities anyway) to get a good feeding shot of him without a good camera. Hope everyone enjoys!

Make it a great day everyone,

 

[TreVer]

Congrats on your new guy!

 

[MR PO]

I agree this is a great thread....love seeing other Paradise Chams growth/color progression.

Attached is a picture of Reptar (sire is Primo)

 

[MamatoElvis]

My guy Elvis is from Bruce also. I've had him since early June and he's about
7 1/2 months. Sire is Candy Cane and dams sire is Primo.

 

[MamatoElvis]

Sorry, I don't know why the picture didn't attach.

 

[Bonginator]

So I figured I'd throw up a few more pictures. This was taken in series, as Merlin saw the cricket, shot it (picture is mid-bite), and looked back at me contently after finishing it off. Sorry the mid-bite picture is fuzzy, I'm only using my iPhone and it seems to be impossible (with my abilities anyway) to get a good feeding shot of him without a good camera. Hope everyone enjoys!

Make it a great day everyone,

I am loving Merlin. Please keep the photo updates coming. Iggy didn't really start showing his true colors until about 6 mos into his development and I think he will continue to show lots of colors as he matures. By the way, he loves Dubias and this is a recent development so test those out on Merlin. It may take a few tries. Iggy didn't like them at first but once he had a few, it was game on!

 

[Wowbango]

I am loving Merlin. Please keep the photo updates coming. Iggy didn't really start showing his true colors until about 6 mos into his development and I think he will continue to show lots of colors as he matures. By the way, he loves Dubias and this is a recent development so test those out on Merlin. It may take a few tries. Iggy didn't like them at first but once he had a few, it was game on!

Maybe I'm just lucky, but Nigel has loved Dubias since day one. Here's a more recent picture of Nigel, also from Bruce. He was not happy with me at the time and has a grump face, haha. His sire is Candy Cane.

 

[JoCarp]

Unfortunately, my wife is a no go on the dubias. She is ok with loud smelly crickets, but the idea of roaches it too much for her. To be honest, I'm not sure if Merlin would go for them anyaway. He did not care for silk worms, I think because they moved so slow. The faster it moves, the more he wants it! Blue bottle flies seem to be his favorite!

Anyway glad to see all the Bruce chameleons! They are looking good!

Make it a great day everyone,

 

[Wowbango]

Unfortunately, my wife is a no go on the dubias. She is ok with loud smelly crickets, but the idea of roaches it too much for her. To be honest, I'm not sure if Merlin would go for them anyaway. He did not care for silk worms, I think because they moved so slow. The faster it moves, the more he wants it! Blue bottle flies seem to be his favorite!

Anyway glad to see all the Bruce chameleons! They are looking good!

Make it a great day everyone,

My girlfriend felt the same way at first. And then when she noticed they look just like larger rollie pollies, she was ok with it. The crickets definitely creep her out way more. It's interesting he didn't take to silkworms. My guy devours them...but then again...I guess he eats everything I give him...he's a little piggy. When we take crickets out of the bin for feeding/dusting, we usually do it outside on our balcony to try and limit an escapes in the house. This also means that those that do escape, attract fellow critters to eat them. We have adopted a little common lizard that likes to hang out and munch on loose crickets. I've also caught about 7 Praying Mantis that made excellent snacks for Nigel

 

[JoCarp]

My girlfriend felt the same way at first. And then when she noticed they look just like larger rollie pollies, she was ok with it. The crickets definitely creep her out way more. It's interesting he didn't take to silkworms. My guy devours them...but then again...I guess he eats everything I give him...he's a little piggy. When we take crickets out of the bin for feeding/dusting, we usually do it outside on our balcony to try and limit an escapes in the house. This also means that those that do escape, attract fellow critters to eat them. We have adopted a little common lizard that likes to hang out and munch on loose crickets. I've also caught about 7 Praying Mantis that made excellent snacks for Nigel

Bugs don't bother my wife, it's the word/idea "roach" that gets her haha . I told her they eat "dubias" and showed her a picture and her response (before we got the chameleon or she knew that they are a type of roach) was "He can eat other stuff right? I'm not sure that I'm ok with any kind of roach." I could probably get away with feeding some to him, but not getting a colony set up.

I see a few stick bugs around my place once in a great while, but they are not common at all so I don't take them to feed Merlin just so they will continue to be around our area. On the bright side, Merlin look just as excited everyday when I unleash the crickets to him. The blue bottle flies bring out the true predator in him though hahaha

 

[Wowbango]

Bugs don't bother my wife, it's the word/idea "roach" that gets her haha . I told her they eat "dubias" and showed her a picture and her response (before we got the chameleon or she knew that they are a type of roach) was "He can eat other stuff right? I'm not sure that I'm ok with any kind of roach." I could probably get away with feeding some to him, but not getting a colony set up.

I see a few stick bugs around my place once in a great while, but they are not common at all so I don't take them to feed Merlin just so they will continue to be around our area. On the bright side, Merlin look just as excited everyday when I unleash the crickets to him. The blue bottle flies bring out the true predator in him though hahaha

I've thought about Blue bottle flies, but I guess I just assumed a chameleon of Nige's size/age (almost 8 months) wouldn't shoot at them since they were so small. Thoughts?

 

[JoCarp]

The blue bottle flies are the bigger of them and house flies so it's a little more food but not a lot. Merlin can eat a decent amount so I'll still put some crickets in at the same time so he gets a good amount of food and a little variety. I use them more for something different and a little fun for Merlin. More to mix it up for him than a staple food, like you said, due to how many a decent sized Cham could eat. I'm hoping that the variety will hold off any hunger strikes too! I first got them for him after seeing how interested he was in a fly he saw outside... That fly came too close and did not last long! Merlin was on him like a hawk from the time he saw him till the moment he shot him haha