My new Meller's from LLL Reptiles

[shaneofall]

I am new here and back into reptiles after 5 years, so thought I would share my new addition and introduce myself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZpdNok2xaM

I was able to get it eating roaches on the second and third day in this cage... then in the video a pinky and handful of crickets on the 4th day. 5th day got him to drink a lot with a hand mister (never accepted drip yet) and now this weekend he is in a slightly bigger cage, I can share more pics on that later.

My long term plan is to set-up a strong colony (individual cages) so I can establish breeding with suitable partners. I wanted to get back into breeding and I just can't see doing Panthers or Veilds when we have such an amazing species being imported in such numbers, only to perish at I would guess 80-90% of the imports. Correct me if I am wrong. Either way, the Meller's look like they could use some breeders, and to me don't seem that difficult (to keep alive, I understand breeding is tough), once you get past import stress and complications.

Shane

 

[xephyr17]

Great shot!

 

[MSAquatics]

I wouldn't feed it mice. You're asking for problems doing that IMO. Breeding is something that more than a few of us are trying very hard to accomplish, but it's not so easy. Good luck with yours, it looks great.

Leland

 

[Jamire]

Great Stuff! Im sure you will do great breeding these big beasts!

I just wanted to mention.. not as an insult to you or anyone in the community, but whilst surfing on youtube for Chameleon videos I noticed a very strange central theme to almost all of the chameleon videos... "Horrible Music"

I get lots of Top 40 Bar music, some MetalCore bands, Dubstep and a few other wobbly messed up sounds.

Why do we feel our chameleons go along with such music? I don't see the chameleon community as being club-rats or "bro's".

Anyone else notice this?

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

I liked the music he set to the video. Very nice!

 

[shaneofall]

I wouldn't feed it mice. You're asking for problems doing that IMO. Breeding is something that more than a few of us are trying very hard to accomplish, but it's not so easy. Good luck with yours, it looks great.

Leland

Hi Leland,

I have read a lot of the discussions on mice for Meller's and played with pinkies (not haired mice) for other lizard breeding projects not likely to eat in the wild; and agree it is not a good staple diet. I have no intention long term, but it seemed suitable to get some calories on him/her (leaning towards male because of good size hemipenal bulges). It would be a surprise to me if they did not get some rodent in the diet on occasion, being that they are an omnivore with a broad range of habitats.

Thanks everyone else for the compliments. Btw, I thought my music was mellow

 

[shaneofall]

Great Stuff! Im sure you will do great breeding these big beasts!

I just wanted to mention.. not as an insult to you or anyone in the community, but whilst surfing on youtube for Chameleon videos I noticed a very strange central theme to almost all of the chameleon videos... "Horrible Music"

I get lots of Top 40 Bar music, some MetalCore bands, Dubstep and a few other wobbly messed up sounds.

Why do we feel our chameleons go along with such music? I don't see the chameleon community as being club-rats or "bro's".

Anyone else notice this?

When I post new videos I will add some Norah Jones or Coltrane for you

 

[shaneofall]

I wouldn't feed it mice. You're asking for problems doing that IMO. Breeding is something that more than a few of us are trying very hard to accomplish, but it's not so easy. Good luck with yours, it looks great.

Leland

ok I am on the no mice team. I decided to remove mice and stick to insects even on future imports. Old tricks are hard to give up, but after reading more on potential issues, the potential problems seem to outweigh the gains. Also with dusting and gut-loading of dubia or hissers, I think I can accomplish the same goal.

After treatment and cleaning of the cage, I added the new plants. This should be more along the suggested set-up...

 

[iancorby7]

Hello, nice Melleri!!!!

I used same vivarium's for my chameleons, so I was surprised to see in other people! How long is that Meller? It looks really big but I can see a lot of sinthoms of stressfull! It is new, right?

 

[shaneofall]

Hello, nice Melleri!!!!

I used same vivarium's for my chameleons, so I was surprised to see in other people! How long is that Meller? It looks really big but I can see a lot of sinthoms of stressfull! It is new, right?

Yes he/she is new. Hangs out in that spot regularly and rarely moves except to get food, then back to this basking spot. The stress level is going way down, drinking from a extended wand mister without being scared of me; making it much easier to hydrate.

I have a humidifier in the room on high right in front of this cage with A/C and this seems to be improving the skin and health considerably as well, along with keeping stress down

 

[shaneofall]

New pics, he is still going strong and putting on weight...