jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
So I just listened to the chameleon breeder podcast episode with the scientist that has studied Chams in the wild. Just wondering everyone's thoughts on some things he said...
Before I mention any of this, Bill explicitly states to NOT confuse this with what we should be doing in captivity (such as panthers going long times without water). The wild isn't always ideal, and our goal is to allow the animals we keep to THRIVE for long periods, not just survive!
So what really caught my attention is the talk about panthers and how they tend to be out in the open. Unafraid of being seen, in dryer environments, with a high UVB index. Parsonii tend to be found in the typical wet, humid, rainforest setting. Have any of you been there and noticed this? Im not even going to start to say something about giving less water, that's a terrible idea in captivity, but why haven't panthers migrated towards dense rainforests if that is what they need? I've never been to Madagascar, so maybe you guys can help me understand this a bit.. different locales are also subject to different climates, so should they still all be treated as the same? I think I saw somewhere that panthers are made up of a bunch of subspecies, but i might be wrong. He also mentions that our gutloaded food is more nutritious than what they eat on a regular basis(which I am a believer in, but I won't start another debate, to each his/her own).
Anyway I'd just like to talk about this if anyone else does, it's really interesting because it tends to contradict what we try to replicate in captivity. Our Chams live longer than they do in the wild though, so I most definitely do not think we should be changing things.
Before I mention any of this, Bill explicitly states to NOT confuse this with what we should be doing in captivity (such as panthers going long times without water). The wild isn't always ideal, and our goal is to allow the animals we keep to THRIVE for long periods, not just survive!
So what really caught my attention is the talk about panthers and how they tend to be out in the open. Unafraid of being seen, in dryer environments, with a high UVB index. Parsonii tend to be found in the typical wet, humid, rainforest setting. Have any of you been there and noticed this? Im not even going to start to say something about giving less water, that's a terrible idea in captivity, but why haven't panthers migrated towards dense rainforests if that is what they need? I've never been to Madagascar, so maybe you guys can help me understand this a bit.. different locales are also subject to different climates, so should they still all be treated as the same? I think I saw somewhere that panthers are made up of a bunch of subspecies, but i might be wrong. He also mentions that our gutloaded food is more nutritious than what they eat on a regular basis(which I am a believer in, but I won't start another debate, to each his/her own).
Anyway I'd just like to talk about this if anyone else does, it's really interesting because it tends to contradict what we try to replicate in captivity. Our Chams live longer than they do in the wild though, so I most definitely do not think we should be changing things.
