That Reptile Blog – Reptile, Amphibian and Exotic Pet Care and Information

 

Chameleon fanciers are indeed fortunate that the chameleon best suited for captivity, the veiled or concave-casqued chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) is also among the most beautiful and interesting of the group (it is also pathologically anti-social, but so are most of its relatives!).  Turquoise, emerald green, yellow and tan, each in many shades, all find a place in this lizard’s repertoire of color changes.  Male veiled chameleons approach 2 feet in length while females top out at about 14 inches.

The Casque

The bony, 3-4 inch high casque (helmet-like structure) that crowns the male’s head gives the species its alternative name of “concave-casqued chameleon”.  The casque of the female is much smaller.

In addition to conferring the impression of greater size upon its owner – an important consideration in territorial disputes – the casque functions as a water condensation surface.  Water gathering on the casque is funneled to the chameleon’s mouth by movable skin flaps, aiding survival in the dry habitats in which this species dwells.

Chameleon Cages

Ample space and ventilation are key in successfully keeping veiled chameleons.  Weather permitting, heavily-planted outdoor cages are the ultimate in chameleon homes.  Our outdoor aviaries are perfect …housing chameleons in this manner also offers the best chance of breeding success.  Our large screen cages and terrarium top add-ons are ideal for indoor maintenance.

Feeding Veiled Chameleons

Dietary variety is an absolute must when it comes to keeping even the hardiest of chameleons, and the veiled is no exception.  A diet restricted to crickets and mealworms will lead to your pet’s early demise.  The main portion of their diet should be comprised of roaches, crickets, mealworm beetles, super mealworms, butterworms, waxworms, silkworms and tomato hornworms (these last two now available via internet dealers).

Canned Insects

Veiled chameleons also readily accept canned insects from plastic feeding tongs.  Grasshoppers, silkworms and others should be used frequently to increase dietary variety.

Wild-Caught Insects

All chameleons become “nutritionally bored” over time, and most eventually refuse once-favored foods that are offered continually.  With that in mind, I consider wild-caught insects, collected from pesticide-free areas, to be an essential element of chameleon husbandry.  Zoo Med’s Bug Napper  is an excellent insect trap.

Sweeping a net through tall grass and searching around outdoor lights will also yield a wide variety of tasty treats…katydids, grasshoppers, cicadas, moths, butterflies, beetles, caterpillars and other insects will all be eagerly accepted.

Nutrient Loading Feeder Insects

Food insects should themselves be given a nutritious diet before being offered to your pets.  Please see my article Prepared Diets and Food Supplements for House Crickets  for further information.

Leaves and Flowers….for a chameleon?

Oddly for a species belonging to a family of such highly-evolved predators, the veiled chameleon consumes a good deal of vegetation.  Favored plant foods include dandelion (flowers and leaves), Ficus, romaine and the flowers of Nasturtium and Hibiscus.

Vitamins and Minerals

Adults fed a varied diet require a vitamin/mineral supplement  once or twice weekly; the food of growing chameleons should be supplemented 3-4 times each week.

Further Reading

An interesting article on feral veiled chameleons in Florida is posted at http://www.naherpetology.org/pdf_files/208.pdf.

 

 

Note:  Please see Scorpions in Captivity – An Overview of Popular Species, Part I for general natural history and captive husbandry information.

Asian Forest Scorpions, Heterometrus spp.

Several species that superficially resemble emperor scorpions are sometimes available in the trade.  Known collectively as Asian forest scorpions and hailing from Southeast Asia, the most commonly seen is Heterometrus spinifer.  Like the emperor, it is jet black in color, but the claws have fewer spikes and its maximum size is 6 inches.

Basic Care

I keep Heterometrus in much the same way as I have described for emperor scorpions (Please see Scorpions in Captivity – An Overview of Popular Species: The Emperor Scorpion, Pandinus imperator).  Like their African cousins, Asian forest scorpions are also quite social…a group of 10 that I housed together in an exhibit at the Bronx Zoo co-existed for years without incident.  They seem to be quite temperature sensitive, and are best maintained at 78-85 F.  The gestation period is 5-8 months and sexual maturity is reached in 1-3 years.

Asian forest scorpions are somewhat more high-strung than emperors, and sting readily.  Heterometrus spinifer is not considered dangerous to healthy adults, but the closely related H. swammerdami of India (which, at 10-12 inches in length, is among the world’s longest scorpions) has reportedly caused fatalities.

Asian forest scorpions and emperor scorpions are both classified within the Family Scorpionidae.  Further information and a complete listing of all related species is available at http://www.ub.ntnu.no/scorpion-files/scorpionidae.php.

 

Lengthening days and warmer temperatures are beginning to register on amphibian pets nationwide, stirring long-dormant breeding urges.  Last week I was please to find that a 2 year old female axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) which I paired with an older male had produced eggs for the first time.  A week or so earlier a reader informed me of another spontaneous axolotl breeding.

Mexican axolotls are an ideal choice for the prospective amphibian breeder, and are becoming ever more popular each year.  With spring upon us, I thought I might pass along some photos of my pair and their eggs, along with a few tips.

The Aquarium and Filter

The eggs pictured here are set up in a PLA House Plastic Cage equipped with a Small World Filter.  PLA House Cages are available in 6 sizes, and their light weight allows for easy water changes.  I have found them indispensible in my collection, and always have a number on hand.

The Small World Filter is ideal for use with amphibian larvae, as the water return is directed upwards and so does hamper weak swimmers.  Sponge filters work equally well.  I use an air pump that provides just enough aeration to keep the eggs slightly in motion.

Providing Cover
Axolotl eggs are typically attached to plants or other structures, as seen in the accompanying photo.  Once they begin to hatch, I’ll add additional plants, nearly filling the tank so as to separate the larvae a bit and reduce cannibalism.  Plastic plants set in bases are very useful, as they provide shelter throughout the water column. The Cypress Mat  provides excellent cover on the bottom of the aquarium, where the larvae will be spending most of their time.

Feeding Axolotl Larvae
Finely chopped live blackworms form the basis of my diet for newly hatched larvae…a worm feeder lessens the likelihood of the worms clumping together (larvae often choke while trying to swallow large balls of worms).  A brine shrimp hatchery is also useful, and larvae can sometimes be induced to accept freeze dried daphnia and other invertebrates as well.

Further Reading
Pleased see my article Breeding Mexican Axolotls  for additional breeding recommendations.

 

ReptoMin Floating Food sticks have long been recognized as a valuable dietary staple for many aquatic reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates, and are used in zoos and private collections worldwide.  A new version, ReptoMin Select-A-Food, contains the original food sticks as well as freeze dried plankton and shrimp.  The size of the individual food items is geared towards smaller creatures, and each ingredient is housed in its own compartment, allowing for careful control of your pet’s food intake.

My Experience

ReptoMin Food Sticks are unique in that they form a nearly complete diet for quite a few species…the addition of freeze dried invertebrates increases the product’s value immensely.  I have used Reptomin Foods Sticks while caring for herps in the Bronx Zoo’s collection, as well as for my own pets, since its introduction, and most other professional zookeepers do the same.  Following is a brief summary of those species for which I have used it as a major component of the diet.

Amphibians

50-75% of the diet of African clawed frogs (several species) and of fire-bellied, red-spotted, California, ribbed, alpine and crested newts, among others.

80-90% of the diet of Mexican axolotls and of larvae over 1 month old.

50-75% of the diets of the larvae of numerous salamanders, including spotted, marbled, tiger and fire salamanders.

50-75% of the diets of numerous tadpoles, including American and African bullfrogs, green frogs, edible frogs, American toads, Wallace’s flying frogs, Australian bell frogs and horned frogs (several species).

Turtles

Except for live food specialists such as the mata mata, nearly every aquatic and semi-aquatic turtle relishes ReptoMin and freeze dried shrimp.  Due to the high calcium needs of growing turtles, I tend to supplement their diets quite frequently with whole fishes and crayfish as well.  I vary the percentage of ReptoMin with the species and situation, but usually rely upon it heavily.

I have used ReptoMin for 50-75% of the diets of hatchling red-eared sliders and snapping turtles, and 30-40% of the diets of spotted, painted, musk, Asian box, Bornean pond and many other turtle species.

Invertebrates

Reptomin is eagerly accepted by crayfishes, fresh water shrimp and most aquatic snails, as well as a number of terrestrial invertebrates – millipedes, roaches, snails, crickets and sow bugs.

Larger Animals

For those pets that require larger food items as they grow (i.e. the huge African clawed frog pictured here) you can offer the same basic nutrients by switching from Select-A-Food to a combination of ReptoMin Food Sticks, ReptoTreat Suprema Food Sticks (krill)  and ReptoTreat Gammarus Shrimp.

Further Reading

For a look at another very useful food item for aquatic animals, please see my article Zoo Med’s Canned Shrimp .

 

 

Breeding season aggression is a potentially serious concern for owners of male green iguanas.  Spurred by reproductive hormones, mature males, even those which have been placid for years, may suddenly become dangerously aggressive.  This most often, although not necessarily, occurs in the late winter to early spring in the USA, so I thought that a word of caution might be in order at this time.

The Results of an Iguana Bite

If you are caught off-guard, an iguana attack can be quite severe.  A former coworker of mine, well-seasoned in reptile care, was surprised by an aggressive male who had been living without incident in the collection for over 10 years. The animal latched onto his throat and then fell to the floor, leaving a wound that required 18 stitches to close.

Timing and Indications of Sexual Maturity

Depending upon dietary and other factors, male green iguanas may reach sexually maturity as early as 18 months of age or as late as 7 years or more.  Unfortunately, the onset of aggression may be quite sudden, may not occur every year, and can last from 2 weeks to several months.  As you can see from the preceding story, animals may be even-tempered for many years before suddenly changing their behavior.

Males in breeding condition may exhibit a deepening of coloration in the orange-tinted areas of the head and body, and may head-bob and erect their crests.  Waxy secretions are usually present along the femoral pores, and dried semen is often found in their cages.  However, these changes do not always precede aggressive behaviors, so caution is always a necessity around large males.

Dealing With an Aggressive Iguana

A number of strategies for dealing with aggressive male iguanas have been proposed, with results varying widely.  I suggest that a plastic garbage can lid be held as a ready shield when working around aggressive males…a broom works well if the animal is at large in a room.  Fighting back with these tools may convince the animal to seek an easier target.  Avoiding close contact with the animal until the “mania” has passed, and keeping a shield at hand, are the safest options.  An alcohol-soaked rag (please see below) and, if possible, a helper, are very useful as well.

Some pet owners deflect aggression by providing their iguana with a towel to attack (or mate with!), while others keep the animal in a darkened room for 3-4 days to lessen the production of testosterone and other hormones.  Surgically neutering the animal is also an option, but the results of such have been mixed – in a significant number of cases the aggressive behavior remains largely unchanged.

If You Are Bitten

If you are bitten, do not pull your hand away.  Stabilize the animal so that it cannot thrash about and apply an alcohol-soaked rag to the lizard’s nostrils (avoid the eyes).  Liquor is fine to use (for the rag, not for drinking while working with your pet!) and should always be within reach during the breeding season.  Once the iguana releases its grip, secure it in its enclosure and call your doctor for instructions as to wound care.  Please do not neglect this step, as a tetanus shot or other care may be required, even for relatively minor wounds.

The Tail as a Weapon

The iguana that I am holding in the accompanying photo caused the cuts visible on my arm with a mere flick of his tail…the jaws are capable of doing much worse.  I came across him and the larger male (who, at 5’11” long, was the largest I encountered in the field) while working on anaconda research in Venezuela’s central llanos country.

Gravid Female Iguanas

Mature female iguanas often develop eggs as spring arrives.  Such will occur with or without the presence of a male, so be sure to watch even those animals which are housed alone.  Ideally, unmated females will resorb the eggs into their bodies, and have no need for nesting sites.  However, sometimes the eggs develop fully and, consequently, must be deposited.

Gravid (egg-bearing) female iguanas will usually cease feeding, or feed less vigorously, and will become very restless.  They often injure themselves by rubbing along cage walls and screening at this time, and they may attempt to dig through the cage floor.

Providing a Nest Site and Avoiding Egg Retention

Females without access to an appropriate nest site may retain their eggs, which will lead to potentially fatal health problems.  Provide gravid females with a large plastic container filled to a depth of 18-24 inches with moist top soil and moss.  Covering the container and warming the earth’s surface with a lamp may induce her to accept it as a nest site.  There are a number of other tricks you can try…please write in it you need further information.

Veterinary intervention may be required if the female refuses to lay her eggs.  In many cases, an injection of oxytosin is effective in causing the eggs to be expelled.

Further Reading

I’ve written about my experiences with wild green iguanas in another article on this blog.  Please see The Green Iguana on the Venezuelan Llanos.

An interesting article on iguana farming and conservation efforts in Belize is posted at http://www.thewildones.org/Belize/iguana.html.