Tampa Repticon SCORE!!

[chamcapture]

I scored a VERY nice WC Ambato panther at the Tampa show this weekend!! I am SUPER STOKED right now!! He needs a little attention, but is overall in good health. Here's a couple of pics of when he first entered his cage when I got him home. He has some old shed that needs to come off and then I will take and post more pics.

 

[chameleonowner32]

Freaking awesome man.

 

[chamcapture]

Almost 70 views and only ONE comment!! C'mon people, it's a WC Ambato...SUPER RARE!! Bringing it to the top for those who must have missed it!!

 

[JacobH]

Nice, some of the photos I've seen of these guys are really cool looking. I'll try and remember to look for this when you post some more photos of him.

 

[raphael14]

a LOT OF WHITES, COOL LOOKING DUDE,

Did you get any sisters?

 

[chamcapture]

Thanks guys!! Yea, he turns PURE white with nice blood red bars when he fires up!! Here's another from this morning!!

 

[chamcapture]

a LOT OF WHITES, COOL LOOKING DUDE,

Did you get any sisters?

No, But my next quest is finding a female for this guy!!

 

[Panther Company]

Was he presented as an Ambato, or an Ambanja?

 

[chamcapture]

Was he presented as an Ambato, or an Ambanja?

The vendor had NO idea what he had!! He was labeled as (WC Amba- that's it, there was no "to" attached) on the container!! The vendor had another guy pricing his stuff while I was standing there because he had no idea what the animals were worth!! There were two containers, this guy and a HUGE blue bar Ambilobe. The Ambilobe was clearly marked (WC Ambilobe) and he just assumed they were both Ambilobe's. I knew that "Amba" was short for "Ambato"!! So, I waited for the price and grabbed him before someone else did!! When I asked how much he was when he pulled the containers out of the shipping boxes, he was VERY short with me and explained that he had NO idea, he literally just picked them up from the airport on his way to the show!! I literally waited a half hour for a price.

 

[Texas Ranger]

Awesome man. A little tlc and he will be killer.

 

[TreeTopChameleons]

Not to say you aren't 100% correct in your identification of your new chameleon. But if the vendor didn't know what he had, how can you be sure as to what locale you actually have?

Without any knowledge of its origin, are you assuming it is Ambato based on its appearance, or the AMBA written on its container? I mean Ambato is only 6 letters long, does there really need to be a shorter name than that? Perhaps the importer got called away mid word and didn't finish NJA lol.

Like I said, I'm not saying you are wrong, I am more curious as to your reasoning in believing you have a specific locale.

Either way, nice chameleon

 

[chamcapture]

Not to say you aren't 100% correct in your identification of your new chameleon. But if the vendor didn't know what he had, how can you be sure as to what locale you actually have?

Without any knowledge of its origin, are you assuming it is Ambato based on its appearance, or the AMBA written on its container? I mean Ambato is only 6 letters long, does there really need to be a shorter name than that? Perhaps the importer got called away mid word and didn't finish NJA lol.

Like I said, I'm not saying you are wrong, I am more curious as to your reasoning in believing you have a specific locale.

Either way, nice chameleon

In my 15+ years doing panthers, I think I can say I have the knowledge to know the difference. The vendor was a "snake" guy. He had NO knowledge of chameleons, let alone panthers!! The writing on the container was to the end (see pic) and your right, it could have said Ambanja. That locale happens to be my specialty though!! I knew right from jump street it wasn't a banja!! Search me up here on the Forums and you'll see some of my banjas, they don't look like this!! I am aware of the controversy that surrounds the two locales, and it is because of that I know the difference!! Oh, and thanks for the compliment. He is going to be a STUNNER soon enough!!

 

[TreeTopChameleons]

Fair enough Good luck with him! And again, excellent pick up!

 

[Chris Anderson]

In my opinion its one thing to classify with a reasonable expectation of that identification being accurate what is ultimately an unidentified import as a commonly imported locale when all of its characteristics fall within the variation typical of that locale. I believe its another to classify an unidentified import as an extremely rarely imported (or collected) locale that has a wide range of similarities to that common locale, and do so with the same expectation of accuracy. As a general comment, it seems more and more though that too many people are so desperate to find something unique and rare that they're willing to see things where they don't exist or interpret things out of something that no one reasonably should.

The Ambanja locale is extremely variable and exhibits many similarities to the Ambato locale. While some animals collected from Ambato have surely been imported as Ambanja, given the higher price animals from Ambato can be sold for and the increased difficulty in collecting from that locale, these are more than likely few and far between. While some of these imported individuals scream Ambato in their characteristics, it really should be a dead ringer for anyone to claim them as an Ambato.

Looking at this individual, I think he will clean up nicely after a couple sheds, but to me he shows too many characteristics of an older Ambanja import than of a true Ambato, at least for me to be comfortable calling him an Ambato if he was in my collection or if I was purchasing offspring as Ambato. I don't mean any offense by that, but having actually been to Ambato personally and having seen many genuine Ambato & Blue Diamond imports, thats my opinion.

I'll be interested to see additional photos of him as he cleans up.

Chris

 

[chamcapture]

In my opinion its one thing to classify with a reasonable expectation of that identification being accurate what is ultimately an unidentified import as a commonly imported locale when all of its characteristics fall within the variation typical of that locale. I believe its another to classify an unidentified import as an extremely rarely imported (or collected) locale that has a wide range of similarities to that common locale, and do so with the same expectation of accuracy. As a general comment, it seems more and more though that too many people are so desperate to find something unique and rare that they're willing to see things where they don't exist or interpret things out of something that no one reasonably should.

The Ambanja locale is extremely variable and exhibits many similarities to the Ambato locale. While some animals collected from Ambato have surely been imported as Ambanja, given the higher price animals from Ambato can be sold for and the increased difficulty in collecting from that locale, these are more than likely few and far between. While some of these imported individuals scream Ambato in their characteristics, it really should be a dead ringer for anyone to claim them as an Ambato.

Looking at this individual, I think he will clean up nicely after a couple sheds, but to me he shows too many characteristics of an older Ambanja import than of a true Ambato, at least for me to be comfortable calling him an Ambato if he was in my collection or if I was purchasing offspring as Ambato. I don't mean any offense by that, but having actually been to Ambato personally and having seen many genuine Ambato & Blue Diamond imports, thats my opinion.

I'll be interested to see additional photos of him as he cleans up.

Chris

I respect your opinion. However, I challenge you to find an Ambanja with this much white!! I have NEVER seen or owned an Ambanja that looked like this and I have owned A LOT of banjas!! I will post updated pics as he progresses. Only time will tell...

 

[Camylove]

Nice... Looks like a cross to me but what do i know

 

[NHenn]

No matter what he is, he is still really cool looking. His white is awesome! Nice find.

 

[Panther Company]

you know I think this guy is going to be fantastic.

here's Cyclone (sired by Ranger) when he was in a pretty gray/white phase.

but he's turned pretty blue-bodied at rest, and saves the white/grays for firing.

 

[Texas Ranger]

you know I think this guy is going to be fantastic.

here's Cyclone (sired by Ranger) when he was in a pretty gray/white phase.

but he's turned pretty blue-bodied at rest, and saves the white/grays for firing.

I love this guy he is just like his dad with the colors. I am so glad he is back with you. Oh and we're did you get your ink done it looks awesome. I am working on my sleeves still lol. Ranger is going on my left arm as a Xmas present to my self lol. Sorry off subject but I just was looking at other pics of him and saw your tats.

 

[Panther Company]

thank you, Lee. Extremely happy to have Cyclone on his way back to us (he's en route, somewhere between PA and CA right now). I will send you a PM (maybe on Fauna if your inbox here is full) so we don't derail Geoff's post too much.

Great pick-up Geoff!