new imported Parsonii

Everyone Has seen the adds and pics of the the new quota Parsonii coming to the US, but what do you know of the survival rate of these wild caught animals?

There are a lot of animals being imported.
Please share your experiences.
 
I have no experience with those imported WC Parsonii in USA but I have seen many WC Parsonii in Thailand. For whatever reason, animals sent to Thailand, become legalized with CITES paperwork. 1 shipment of 30 heads Parsonii (was actually a mix of Parsonii yellow lips, Parsonii Orange eyes, Globifer, O'shughnessy, crypticum.... but all listed under Calumma parsonii.

So far my experience with them in Asia is that... they die within 3 months after arrival. Maybe a mere 5 to 10% will survive.
 
I'm hearing about issues with initial health and then die offs. I know that's nothing too specific but some folks reached out me for insight on treating imports. I haven't heard of any necropsies being done but at a guess if it's anything like I used to see in the early 90's it's going to be the typical kidney issues from dehydration combined with the standard parasite problems.

Personally I won't buy any sight unseen. It's too much money to chance on an animal sight unseen that can drop in 30 days.

My advice, if you are looking to buy one find a breeder or if that is not an option then only buy an animal the seller has kept in their care for 90 days...........And only then if you trust the seller to be telling you the truth about how long they have kept the animal.

At those prices that's really the only way to do it from a customer's perspective. Prices are going to have to come down before I'll take a risk on an import sight unseen. $200 for a Quad, yeah I'll give it a go. $2000 for a Parson..no I'll pass.
 
Mine are still with me. I think if the importer does not get them hydrated fast enough, you will have deaths. There are shippers that are better than others and there are importers that are better than others. The problem for many may be feeding the right sized food, most of mine wont even consider a full grown silk or hornworm and yet I have a big male that like superworms, go figure. They all track and take out large roaches but at several per day, depending on the temps, not many folks keep that many roaches.
 
Thats funny, same with my guy - I figured they would love horns and silks, NOPE! He won't even give them a second look. Dubai and Crickets are his favorite.

I forgot to put my gut loading bin up and somebody was still hungry today. HAHA :D




Mine are still with me. I think if the importer does not get them hydrated fast enough, you will have deaths. There are shippers that are better than others and there are importers that are better than others. The problem for many may be feeding the right sized food, most of mine wont even consider a full grown silk or hornworm and yet I have a big male that like superworms, go figure. They all track and take out large roaches but at several per day, depending on the temps, not many folks keep that many roaches.
 

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I have only seen 1/one wild caught pair and was allowed to look them over. They were Backwater Reptiles pair of adult Yellow Lips. They both were hydrated and had good robust limbs with no scratches or wounds. I did not look inside of their mouths. However I did bring 2/two of my Schistocerca nitens and they ate them immediately from the owners hand. The only problem I had seen was some minimal crud on the male rostral horns and minimal rubbing on the females head I think both were from importing. Other than that they looked good.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich
 
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Thats funny, same with my guy - I figured they would love horns and silks, NOPE! He won't even give them a second look. Dubai and Crickets are his favorite.

I forgot to put my gut loading bin up and somebody was still hungry today. HAHA :D


Oh that is funny. I had that happen years ago with a Parson too. Problem was the cage I had left open was for some geckos and my Parson, which was a free range, came over and nailed a gold dust day gecko out of it. He ate well....
 
Oh that is funny. I had that happen years ago with a Parson too. Problem was the cage I had left open was for some geckos and my Parson, which was a free range, came over and nailed a gold dust day gecko out of it. He ate well....


LoL - VERY well indeed. Expensive lizard wants expensive food :D
 
He does have a nice looking pair of yellow lips, I would be interested but I get better prices locally and I get to go inspect them myself. Also I'm pretty much at capacity right now. So until I get more suitable housing constructed I am not looking for anymore right now.
 
Oh that is funny. I had that happen years ago with a Parson too. Problem was the cage I had left open was for some geckos and my Parson, which was a free range, came over and nailed a gold dust day gecko out of it. He ate well....

Maybe I will start a colony of them on my patio lol. They breed like rats in Hawaii.
 
Oh that is funny. I had that happen years ago with a Parson too. Problem was the cage I had left open was for some geckos and my Parson, which was a free range, came over and nailed a gold dust day gecko out of it. He ate well....

LoL - VERY well indeed. Expensive lizard wants expensive food :D

Maybe I will start a colony of them on my patio lol. They breed like rats in Hawaii.

I wrote an article about that when I was younger and in high school for the CIN (CIN Issue 26). My brother and I had a pair of Furcifer oustaleti that we offered Western Fence Lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) and Alligator Lizards (Elgaria multicarinata) during the winter to break a hunger strike.

My male Calumma parsonii parsonii Rhinos when I was living in Davis ate the tail of an Anole. It would not surprise me if he became a vertebrate hunter if vertebrates were offered more often. Actually the CIN reported about Parsons Chameleons feeding on vertebrates (Abate. A (1998) Reports From the Field: Parson's Chameleon Calumma parsonii parsonii No.29) stating adults mainly feed on vertebrates including native Malagasy small birds, Phelsuma and other small lizards.

You could breed Day Gecko's. However you may just want to considering De-parasitizing Anoles or House Geckos. This is an idea I have considered as well.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich
 
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I'll have to dig out my old Vivariums and what CIN articles I still have around and give them another read. Right now they all eat discoids, some more than others and I may break down and do some mantis just to mix it up for them.
 
I know from experience they will eat whatever fits.




I still remember my dad letting loose a hummingbird in room and my Old male shooting it down....... <crunch crunch crunch>

3 doses of Panacur and Albon later.....:rolleyes:
 
A hummingbird? Wow I must say that is one male to go for that. Poor hummingbird, sorry I love those birds.
 
The male I see at a friends house on a regular basis will only eat large hissers by hand. He refuses to eat from a cup.

Carl
 
I know from experience they will eat whatever fits.

I still remember my dad letting loose a hummingbird in room and my Old male shooting it down....... <crunch crunch crunch>

3 doses of Panacur and Albon later.....:rolleyes:

That would be similar to swallowing a syringe. If I was going to feed out a bird to my Calumma parsonii parsonii it would not be a species of Humming Bird.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich
 
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That would be similar to swallowing a syringe. If I was going to feed out a bird to my Calumma parsonii parsonii it would not be a species of Humming Bird.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

Oh I wasn't happy. However the animal was. I would not recommend feeding a Parson one. Any of you have that crazy relative which on the drop of a hat can and would do something nuts? My dad was like that. He loved our Old Male Parson but he would do the damnedest things sometimes with our pets
 
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