I got my first chameleons!!!

[ROFLonfire]

9:30am greeted me with a ring from the doorbell and a knock on the door. I was already restless with anticipation, on and off sleeping since 7am. At the initial sound of the bell I sprang up and rushed to the door, only to casually open it in case the UPS worker was near the door. But he wasn't, his back was turned and halfway up the driveway getting into his delivery vehicle without a care in the world of what he just delivered.

My joy quickly turned to slight anguish as I noticed one of the top corners of the box was severely smashed in. I carefully picked up the box, closed the door, and proceeded to my room to open the package. Carefully, very carefully, I cut open the cardboard vessel and noticed that a corner of the top styrofoam had been mashed to pieces. Cautiously, I removed the packing paper. Layer after layer, closer and closer to the hidden prize inside.

I finally reach the little cup as my heart drops. All the anxiety, the worry, the stress...suddenly dissolved as I see two little bearded pygmys sleeping in their temporary home. Upon lifting the cup out and inspecting the chameleons to assess their condition, they're little eyes squint open as they look at the face of their new caregiver.

The pair, male and female, are soon active and wanting to be free. I lowered the cup into their new terrarium, lifted the lid, and ushered them into their habitat. Now, over 2 hours later, the pygmys are exploring their new home. They're names are Chameleon Starship (female) and ReptarKingoftheOzone (male).

 

[SteveKC]

Congrats! Be sure to post some pictures!

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

Congrats! Great names and great story.

We do all love pictures...

 

[warpdrive]

this post is pointless without photos...
just kidding. Grats

Harry

 

[Julirs]

Hooray! They are just pretty cute little ones. I hatched 2 more last night! Nothing like little tiny eyes looking up at you thinkiing, "What the heck?"

 

[ROFLonfire]

I do have photos but they aren't very good. I'll try throughtout the day to get better ones.

 

[hallenhe]

I do have photos but they aren't very good. I'll try throughtout the day to get better ones.

A heads up - pygmeleons bend light rays, making themselves invisible (or at least blurry) to most cameras. At least mine do. And congrats on the new additions; they're fun!

 

[ROFLonfire]

They aren't moving much, the female has been napping most of the day and the male stays in a lower corner, but I'd expect as much. I love these chams.

 

[hallenhe]

They aren't moving much, the female has been napping most of the day and the male stays in a lower corner, but I'd expect as much. I love these chams.

Another pygmy mystery: you'll rarely see them move, but they'll be in different places different times you look. Sometimes one or the other will slip into another dimension, only to appear suddenly right where you'd swear there was no cham a second ago.

 

[warpdrive]

Another pygmy mystery: you'll rarely see them move, but they'll be in different places different times you look. Sometimes one or the other will slip into another dimension, only to appear suddenly right where you'd swear there was no cham a second ago.

stop it! now I'm gona have to get me some.

Harry

 

[ROFLonfire]

I guess the only real question I have is about feeding. I posted a thread about a feeding schedule and got a good response. When should I try to feed them and how?

Should I just toss a few little crickets in the tank or should I put a few in feeding cup and let the chams find it?

 

[jannb]

Congrats! Glad they arrived safely.

 

[hallenhe]

I've tried both the cup feeding and tossing the crickets in; putting them in loose is mostly what I do. Don't put in too many, and I always put in a little piece of carrot or something for the crickets to snack on so they're not tempted to nibble on the chams. The only real worry with free ranging crix is they can harm babies (and if you have a male and female cohabiting, you are likely to have babies! Neither of my females were gravid when I received them March 20. Mating was observed within a few days of my getting them, and the first hatchlings appeared August 7); keeping an eye on the number and size of crix and removing any that seem too large should minimize the risk. I feed what my store calls "10 day pinheads", which are in the 1/4 - 1/2 inch range, and toss in some flightless hydei (= the larger of the two commonly available fruitfly species, melanogaster being the smaller) now and again. The adults aren't overly interested in the hydei. Mine have also been observed munching on a small pillbug that was put in as cleanup crew, and will take small (< 1/2 inch) roach nymphs (dubias and lobsters).

 

[ROFLonfire]

Good information, thanks alot. I was aware of crickets eating on sleeping chams and devouring babies. Luckily, babies aren't a concern now lol. I'll have to toss a piece of carrot in there as well as a few crickets. Thanks again.

 

[Carlton]

I could almost feel your anxiety as you described opening the package...been there SO many times it made me twitchy. I live up in AK so shipping anything live is a huge stressor for everyone...human and herp.

My only question is...how long did it take you to come up with names longer than their owners?

 

[ROFLonfire]

Lol, the name thing actually came pretty quickly.

My gf got a crested gecko about a month ago and we were trying to come up with names and she really likes this band called Cobra Starship and she didn't want to name her crested Gecko Starship, so I took the name and made it Chameleon Starship for my female. Her nickname is Starship.

As for the male being ReptarKingoftheOzone, its the name of a song by a band called The Devil Wears Prada except the song title has spaces, lol.

The male's name is subject to change though. I'll either call him RKO, Reptar, or something different all together.

 

[ohiohousewife]

excellent names, mate! good luck with your pygmies!