Sleepy-time at the Panther Hotel

[Dave Weldon]

Howdy,

It's always interesting to see how these little critters head to the same spot night after night. These three stay together while another one is just above them. A fifth just hatched this morning and is sleeping on his own branch tonight. A sixth has his own enclosure since he's the oldest at about 70 days. The first one recently went with his new keeper. He's about 90 days old. The hatch started mid-October and there are still 2 eggs to go. Tomorrow will be one year of incubation!

 

[Will Hayward]

Lordy dave, you really do know how to draw out the incubation times don't you! Congratulations on the so far successful hacthings and best of luck with them. Keep with the photos, especially if you can provide some that detail the growth of the first hatchling.

 

[westcoastchameleons]

hahaha, very funny pic....i also think it is very funny to see them sleeping in the same spot almost every night!

 

[Mikew2006]

they look so cute, its like they are sleeping in bunk beds

 

[Brad Ramsey]

It's interesting.....
I have to think that the territorial behavior/instinct comes out of the shell with them.
They establish "home" or "my bed" so immediately.

-Brad

 

[Dave Weldon]

Howdy,

Also interesting is the weight and egg size spread. I wondered if the smaller eggs were even going to hatch. They ended-up being some of the first ones to hatch. The smallest hatchling was just 0.4 grams at birth with the avg being 0.7 grams and the largest so far was this last one at 364 days weighing in at 0.9 grams right out of the shell. That egg and the other 2 still left were, by far, the largest from the day they were laid too. The biggest one looked more like one of those chocolate easter eggs while the smallest to hatch was closer to a small jelly bean. When an egg doesn't go "bad" then it is good until it either hatches or it does totally rot! 19 eggs were originally laid on 01-16-06. 8 rotted by 02-12-06. One egg burst on 08-22-06 with a ~95% formed panther - stillborn. It's head appeared to be deformed.
10-13-06 1st hatched.
11-11-06 2nd hatched.
12-17-06 3rd hatched.
12-27-06 4th hatched.
12-30-06 5th hatched.
12-31-06 6th hatched.
01-01-07 7th hatched.
01-15-07 8th hatched.

Typically, from the time the egg slit, it took 2-3 days before emerging.

Two more to go!

None of these are my eggs. The local reptile store had a gravid panther and I took her home to lay the eggs. I've been doing the rest of this just for the (fun) experience. They take the orders and the money and I hand each one over to the new keeper.

 

[Jewel]

They are so adorable. I just assumed they would all hatch on the same day, I had no idea there was such a big differnce in incubation times.

 

[chrisandpugs]

Excellent photo!
You should submit your photo in the contest for best photo of the month!! You'll have my vote!

Christine

 

[Dave Weldon]

Excellent photo!
You should submit your photo in the contest for best photo of the month!! You'll have my vote! Christine

Howdy,
Thanks for the vote! I decided not to enter it since I would be violating the contest rules because I had to adjust the brightness a bit in Photoshop. It's fun sharing them anyway .

 

[Scrappy]

They are waaaaay too cute Dave. Congrats on successful hatching and continued success with those adorable babies!

 

[boothy]

hey what kind of panthers are they ??

 

[Dave Weldon]

hey what kind of panthers are they ??

Howdy,

Funny you should ask. I'm pretty sure I remember the store mentioning that the parents are Sambava but I need to check back with the them to find out again. It was over a year ago o) when they mated and I really don't remember much about the male since I got involved with the female panther "after the act". I'll try to remember to post it when I find out .

 

[Will Hayward]

Dave, you WILL be keeping a holdback or two? yes I hope?

 

[Dave Weldon]

Dave, you WILL be keeping a holdback or two? yes I hope?

Howdy,

My wife, who claims that she doesn't like reptiles, always tries to get me to hold onto some of the babies that I've hatched for others. But she isn't the one who is ultimately responsible for their well-being . I, on the other-hand, jokingly tell her that first prize is one baby chameleon and 2nd prize is two . "A man's got to know his limitations."

Whenever I think about it, I just read the bumper sticker:

 

[Will Hayward]

Even if it werent a perminant home, would be nice to hold one back from each clutch you breed, see their colouration and personality, then move them to a trusted friend. Its something Id like to do myself. Not each clutch, but each paring.

Also, I'll be using that bumper sticker image idea I think.