Oops - Kinyongia Boehmei

dinomom said:
I am also interested to hear more about this.

First, we need someone to go to Africa and tell us if the understory stays damp during the day!

What I am doing, and I do not know if it is right, is running a Zoomed Repticooler at night from about 11-4 during most of the fogger time. It helps to cool but also is blowing gently down from the top of the cage. (Screen with 3 sides covered) It helps the fog go over the cham and out so nothing is stagnating.

Again only time will tell if this is the best option.
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I’m doing exactly the same, also for my veiled, and works perfectly. I don’t like the enclosure keeps wet during the day (still with an uncovered cornered screen cage). That with the conducted experiment about the simulated winds, started me thinking 😇
 
Sonny13 said:
Thanks for your reply and input. I’m using a screen cage and I’m thinking of one intake and output, and hanging them (suspending) in front and above the enclosure, so contact and reducing vibration and sound.
Click to expand...

Suspending them is a good idea. Some do a better job than others- the insitu fans are loud, so I will be looking at alternatives. If it is a screen cage, I dont think you need an intake and exhaust fan. Perhaps just an intake (blowing in) that covers just a corner of the enclosure - so if the chameleon wants to get out of the draft it can. You could even just use a small oscillating fan in the room, which would minimize the draftiness but still provide the air movement.
 
Sonny13 said:
Very interesting experiments. May I ask about some details on the third option? I´ve noticed that the enclosure keeps really wet at the bottom during daytime, due to the low temps I guess. Therefore I´m considering installing some fans. How did you simulated wind? With small PC fans of something larger? Did you run it all day or periods or 24h? How did you positioned it, on top or one on top and one on the side?

I know it are many questions, however it would help providing my little fella his best circumstances. Many thanks in advanced.

Btw, it´s also for a male K. Boehmei.
Click to expand...

If you have a fully screened enclosure, and the bottom is still very soggy - I would also suggest changing up your media. Is your enclosure bioactive, or potted plants? Either way, you will want something that drains exceptionally well. I'm a big fan of cocoa fiber in the enclosures, as it is light and airy, and drains very fast. I like ZooMed's bricks. You could mix that with other soil ammendments for a nice, chunky, quick draining soil. I use large chunks of orchid bark and charcoal, as well as some sphag moss, in addition to the coco fiber. Substrates that have a lot of Peat tend to get soggy and stay that way. If you are concerned about the chunks of bark and charcoal, you can add a 1-2" layer of the coco substrate on top, followed by some leaf litter. If my girls dig up the chunks, they are still too large for them to try to eat.... but typically I just throw a little more coco fiber and leaf litter on top, after they lay their eggs.
 
Thanks and my bad, didn’t explain myself correctly. My soil isn’t soggy or wet, it’s the lower third of the vegetation inside the enclosure that keeps wet. All the foliage in this part keeps its morning dew. The soil has a good drainage layer and it’s buildup like you suggested (used bioactive soil blog). The problem is the leaves and vines stay covered with droplets all day.

Need to mention that the room where the enclosure is in, has almost none airflow / -movement, unless I enter the room. Therefore I wanna add a fan or maybe two. Depends, I‘ll start with one intake.

I’ve bought these https://www.dutchrana.nl/en/shop/te...terrarium-ventilators-2x60x60mm-complete-set/
 
Sonny13 said:
Also found some interesting info on a German site.
https://terra-kultur.de/haltungsberichte/chamaeleons-haltungsberichte/kinyongia-boehmei
Click to expand...
Just translated, as good and quick as it can get. I think it´s very interesting to read we´re all at same frequency regarding husbandry.


Name:

Bohemian two-horned chameleon or Taita two-horned chameleon.

Distribution:

The Usambara Mountains represent only part of the range of the two-horned chameleon. They live along the remnants of the approximately 30 million year old mountain primeval forests of the so-called Eastern Arc, which is located in the border area between Kenya and the Chyulu Hills, Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru, the Taita Hills, North Pare, South Pare, the West and East Usambara Mountains, Nguu, Nguru and Uluguru. Unfortunately, these virgin forests are also under severe threat. They suffered especially after the massive logging among others by the Germans, who maintained a colony in Tanzania, because the climate in the Usambara Mountains is very pleasant. It does not get warmer than 86°C all year round, with temperatures dropping to 59-63° at night.

Description:

Males of Kinyongia Boehmei bear two, distinct, faux horns, while these are faint to absent in females. Kinyongia Boehmei is one of the smaller chameleon species. The male can reach a total length of up to 8 inch, while the females remain slightly smaller.

Habitats:

Kinyongia Boehmei lives in trees, shrubs and grasses and is often found in groups along roadsides. Mostly live in the outskirts of forests and retreat into the forest only for oviposition, because there the eggs are apparently subject to much better conditions.

Keeping in terrarium and breeding:

I have kept Kinyongia Boehmei, separately, for a long time in generous 24x24x48 (WxDxH) ReptiBreeze screenterrariums in the basement. However, breeders and other keepers have confirmed to me that also the dimensions 18x18x36 (one size smaller) are completely sufficient. In the meantime this also confirms my experiences. From a well-known carpenter I have had planting boxes cut to size. The result is impressive. I filled the planters first with Seramis granules and then, separated by a tile, with potting soil/sand/coconut humus. Then I planted Schefflera and monocot, Asparagus species and, as a specimen plant, a Portuguese cherry laurel. To create additional climbing opportunities, I spread branches from a corkscrew weeping willow in the terrarium and supplemented them with a few twigs from the garden. Driftwood from the Rhine and moss I brought in to make the ground look as detailed as possible like forest soil. The terrariums are in the basement directly under a tilting window. I can ensure the night reduction to 57-61° in the cool season by opening the window. On hot summer days I use my air conditioner to get at least to 63°. When feeding I noticed that Kinyongia Boehmei does not seem to touch crickets or similar food. The situation is different with Drosophila, flies and wax moths. Therefore I give only these alternately with Korvimin, calcium powder or grated cuttlebone suplementiert. Now and then I powder the flies also additionally with flower pollen. They are fed 3-5 times a week, because flies are not as nutritious as crickets/chickadees and the like.

I have set up the technology as follows: 2x 50w UV metal halide lamps and 2x 24w-T5 full spectrum daylight tubes provide good lighting and the temperature of 75-79° in the upper part. Now and then I illuminate manually additionally with an Osram Vitalux 300w lamp around also times temperatures up to 82°C to produce to be able. I spray 2x daily - morning and evening. On weekends also times at noon

As soon as the daytime temperatures reach 24°C and stay above 14°C at night, my chameleons move outside into the garden. The terrarium is in the shade the whole day. Only in the morning the rising sun shines directly into the enclosure. This is always gladly accepted by the animals. Kinyongia is innerart very sociable compared to other chameleons where the animals are subject to permanent stress if they are kept together. Nevertheless I don't recommend to keep them together, because the females have a permanent eye on the male and obviously are not relaxed. For the mating you put the animals together and separate them after the corpulation again, so that the female has rest. The animals develop the eggs in about 2 months and always retreat near the ground and start digging holes before laying. It gives the impression that they are doing trial work to locate the best spot. During this time I put blankets over the terrarium so the female is not stressed and can lay in peace. The oviposition takes place under the ground, usually in a tunnel. Afterwards the mother closes the tunnel with soil and camouflages the pit with leaves from the terrarium. Depending on the temperature (61-71°) the young hatch after 6-12 months and are immediately independent in the terrarium. Then it is better to separate them from the mother. The young animals can be raised like the adults, but in groups. Frequent spraying and feeding with aphids, springtails, drosophila and micro crickets is then the order of the day, so that the young thrive well.
 
Sonny13 said:
Just translated, as good and quick as it can get. I think it´s very interesting to read we´re all at same frequency regarding husbandry.


Name:

Bohemian two-horned chameleon or Taita two-horned chameleon.

Distribution:

The Usambara Mountains represent only part of the range of the two-horned chameleon. They live along the remnants of the approximately 30 million year old mountain primeval forests of the so-called Eastern Arc, which is located in the border area between Kenya and the Chyulu Hills, Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru, the Taita Hills, North Pare, South Pare, the West and East Usambara Mountains, Nguu, Nguru and Uluguru. Unfortunately, these virgin forests are also under severe threat. They suffered especially after the massive logging among others by the Germans, who maintained a colony in Tanzania, because the climate in the Usambara Mountains is very pleasant. It does not get warmer than 86°C all year round, with temperatures dropping to 59-63° at night.

Description:

Males of Kinyongia Boehmei bear two, distinct, faux horns, while these are faint to absent in females. Kinyongia Boehmei is one of the smaller chameleon species. The male can reach a total length of up to 8 inch, while the females remain slightly smaller.

Habitats:

Kinyongia Boehmei lives in trees, shrubs and grasses and is often found in groups along roadsides. Mostly live in the outskirts of forests and retreat into the forest only for oviposition, because there the eggs are apparently subject to much better conditions.

Keeping in terrarium and breeding:

I have kept Kinyongia Boehmei, separately, for a long time in generous 24x24x48 (WxDxH) ReptiBreeze screenterrariums in the basement. However, breeders and other keepers have confirmed to me that also the dimensions 18x18x36 (one size smaller) are completely sufficient. In the meantime this also confirms my experiences. From a well-known carpenter I have had planting boxes cut to size. The result is impressive. I filled the planters first with Seramis granules and then, separated by a tile, with potting soil/sand/coconut humus. Then I planted Schefflera and monocot, Asparagus species and, as a specimen plant, a Portuguese cherry laurel. To create additional climbing opportunities, I spread branches from a corkscrew weeping willow in the terrarium and supplemented them with a few twigs from the garden. Driftwood from the Rhine and moss I brought in to make the ground look as detailed as possible like forest soil. The terrariums are in the basement directly under a tilting window. I can ensure the night reduction to 57-61° in the cool season by opening the window. On hot summer days I use my air conditioner to get at least to 63°. When feeding I noticed that Kinyongia Boehmei does not seem to touch crickets or similar food. The situation is different with Drosophila, flies and wax moths. Therefore I give only these alternately with Korvimin, calcium powder or grated cuttlebone suplementiert. Now and then I powder the flies also additionally with flower pollen. They are fed 3-5 times a week, because flies are not as nutritious as crickets/chickadees and the like.

I have set up the technology as follows: 2x 50w UV metal halide lamps and 2x 24w-T5 full spectrum daylight tubes provide good lighting and the temperature of 75-79° in the upper part. Now and then I illuminate manually additionally with an Osram Vitalux 300w lamp around also times temperatures up to 82°C to produce to be able. I spray 2x daily - morning and evening. On weekends also times at noon

As soon as the daytime temperatures reach 24°C and stay above 14°C at night, my chameleons move outside into the garden. The terrarium is in the shade the whole day. Only in the morning the rising sun shines directly into the enclosure. This is always gladly accepted by the animals. Kinyongia is innerart very sociable compared to other chameleons where the animals are subject to permanent stress if they are kept together. Nevertheless I don't recommend to keep them together, because the females have a permanent eye on the male and obviously are not relaxed. For the mating you put the animals together and separate them after the corpulation again, so that the female has rest. The animals develop the eggs in about 2 months and always retreat near the ground and start digging holes before laying. It gives the impression that they are doing trial work to locate the best spot. During this time I put blankets over the terrarium so the female is not stressed and can lay in peace. The oviposition takes place under the ground, usually in a tunnel. Afterwards the mother closes the tunnel with soil and camouflages the pit with leaves from the terrarium. Depending on the temperature (61-71°) the young hatch after 6-12 months and are immediately independent in the terrarium. Then it is better to separate them from the mother. The young animals can be raised like the adults, but in groups. Frequent spraying and feeding with aphids, springtails, drosophila and micro crickets is then the order of the day, so that the young thrive well.
Click to expand...
As far as feeding I agree that the faster something moves (flies) the more they will go for it. That said I can get mine to eat dubia, silkworms, crickets, BSF and BSFL so don't give up on variety. On all of these it helps if he is fasted the day before and I sometimes have to jiggle the cup to simulate more movement.

I do wonder how much to feed. My gut says as active as these are that they need to eat more than veiled and panthers per weight. I feel like with favored items like flies, he would easily eat 15+ a day if I let him! If a mantis ooph hatches, he will eat and eat and eat. His casque is not getting fat so there is no visual clue at this point. Any thoughts on what is appropriate would be appreciated.

(PS I love translation! flies are not as nutritious as crickets/chickadees and the like. Have not tried the chickadees :) )
 
🤣🤣 never checked the translation, only manually changed temps to F (and forgot one). Had read it already in German.

Nope, just ordered some small dubia’s and silkies. However noticed he won’t locusts, BSF and green bottle flies.

The amount also makes me wonder, don’t know it yet.
 
Okay, I can herewith confirm it thus help dry out the bottom better, with inlet fan at the bottom. By noon the enclosure is now for 95% dry. I keep it running 24/7 and looks like he made a new sleeping spot in line of it, just above the airflow.

Mounted the fan directly to the screen, because it doesn´t make any vibrations and almost no sound. Also pretty content with this type of enclosure, it´s a kind of butterfly cage, with internal pvc tubing and a soft screen with full access zipper and small zipper hatch, to quickly enter the enclosure for feeding. Due its soft texture, you can mould it even bigger for more active space.

https://www.reptilecentre.com/lucky-reptile-openair-vivarium-xl-100x100x120cm_p29301550.htm (I got the 50x50x100cm)

26.jpg
 
Oops… it happened again.

went to feed Lucy this evening and imagine my surprise when she shrunk to 1/100 th her size.

after about 20 seconds of sheer confusion… I found two newborn babies. Lucy must have retained sperm from her import almost 2 years ago. Her first clutch of babies are now 10 months old. I have removed Lucy from the enclosure and will continue to check over the next two weeks for any more babies. Her cage is very heavily planted so this will be… Interesting.
 
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