Here are a few photos of our new Melleri, Hercules. His physical condition suggests he is WC, although he is tame and very comfortable in his 24x24x48 enclosure (for now). He is a confirmed male, having conveniently submitted a fresh smegma smear for view under the microscope. We now have a 1 minute videotape of chameleon sperm doing the backstroke on a glass slide. (In those long ago days as a young woman in Bible School, preparing for life in the ministry, I never dreamed I'd spend an evening helping videotape (with a microscope attachment) chameleon sperm frollicking under a microscope . But then, I never thought I'd be breeding cockroaches, either!)

Hercules has a little more rehab to do- getting over some dehydration, a bad, flaky, shed, and an infected toe. He has been wormed and his fecals are now looking good. He likes to be handfed cockroaches. Crickets make him angry, and he won't eat out of a cup yet.

All he needs now is a harem. We plan to create a free-roam room for him this winter and would like to add a female or 2. Any suggestions as to where we might find suitable potential partners for him? Kristina at Melleri chams has been very helpful, and suggests we stay away from adult WC. Juvenile WCs would be better, though unsexed and parasite loaded, and CB Meller's would be almost impossible to come by. Hercules is probably not a LTC, but perhaps a fairly long term captive. He is just so tame and (seemingly) settled in so quickly.

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http://www.chameleonsnorthwest.com 360-893-6207

Howdy,

Glad to hear that he's adjusting so well to his new environment. I've been following his exploits on the melleri forum and elsewhere () too . Aren't those microscopes just the handiest thing . Takes a lot of the guess-work out of parasites and sperm count... 1... 2... 3... Ooops 1... 2... 3... . Now, where can I find a cheap endoscope for colonoscopies .

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See Ya,

Dave Weldon
Panther & Veileds

Book Collection:
"Reptile Medicine and Surgery" 2nd ed. By Mader
"Chameleons - Their Care and Breeding" By Linda J. Davison
"Chameleons - Nature's Hidden Jewels" 2nd Ed. By Petr Necas
"The Panther Chameleon: Color Variation, Natural History, Conservation and Captive Management" By Gary W. Ferguson...
"Thoughts for Food" 3rd Ed. Edited by Ardi Abate
"Understanding Reptile Parasites" By Roger J. Klingenberg D.V.M.

Yes, now that we're using the microscope, I wonder how we, and our chams, lived without one. We even did a fecal on some dubia poop. They were clean. What would a self respecting parasite want with a cockroach, afterall?

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http://www.chameleonsnorthwest.com 360-893-6207

Oh Gesang! You are way to funny! What a laugh I got when you said you never imaged you would be doing the things you are now doing. I can so identify with that. Especially the cockroach thing. You are an inspiration to us all. Doing your own sperm counts! Thumbs up

Oh, I almost forgot. Good job with your Melleri Hercules. Sounds like he has a nice life with you and some fun in store for him in the future

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Catherine Adams - 45 or so Panther chameleons, plus hatchling offspring, plus eggs....My whole house "glows" at night

I don't know where you are from, but yesterday i was at the Eastbay Vivarium in Berkley, California, and they had about 6 juvenile melleri.

-Cala-

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1.0 Nosy Be, 1.1 Bule Bar Ambilobe, 1.0 Jacksonii Xanthalophus, 2.0 Veiled.

Thank you for the tip. I gave them a call. When you said they had 6 I thought they may be CH. But I aksed and they are WC, and they currently have 3.

And how's Marshall doing?

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http://www.chameleonsnorthwest.com 360-893-6207