Captive-hatched Meller's 1 year old

[Kent67]

I've decided to sell one of my Meller's chameleons, hatched by FlChams and raised by me for the last year because they are not going to be a peaceful, cohabiting pair. In the last few months one has grown significantly faster and larger than the other and has shown some aggression to the smaller one. I'm posting pics of the larger of the two. It is not a nice chameleon but is quickly growing into a monster Meller's that, as captive hatched and with the right conditions, should live a very long life in captivity; another ten years? Because of how uncommon it is to find a captive-hatched Meller's of this age and size I am asking $400. If anyone is interested in the smaller of the two, I would be willing to take $300 for it and can provide pics. All the little one needs is a cage to call its own and a steady supply of crickets and superworms and it'll grow into a monster, too.

As for these pics, I was holding "it" so the colors were very dark and stressed. Otherwise, it's a very standard green and yellow phase Trioceros melleri.

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

Kent, do you know which of Mike's females is the dam of your monster Mellers? Do you have any gut feelings regarding the gender(s) of your 2?

 

[summoner12]

Can you give use some numbers like the length S-V and weight?

 

[Kent67]

Hi guys, sorry I've been away this afternoon and evening. I don't know which of Mike's females these guys came from. He brought them to the Super Show in San Diego last year, if that helps. My gut feeling was that the big one is female and smaller male, but these are my first of the species so I surely could be wrong. The bigger one is 14 inches total length. Sorry, I've never invested in a scale for the herps so have no idea what they weigh.

Let me know if there's any more questions!

 

[Eric Adrignola]

Two of them that I have are starting that BS themselves! One has decided to challenge Ardi, my big 4.5 year old CB... It didn't work out well. I had the two CH's in a reptarium, but they saw the trees with the adults in it, and wanted to be a part of that. A few days of being put in their place by Ardi, and they've settled in.

They'll have relaxed colors, but as they move closer, the spots come up, as they move further away, they dissipate. Would make a good time lapse film.

The CH's that Mike sold are awesome - growing amazingly fast and perfectly robust. They were a Steal when he was selling them as 3 month olds.

I've been able to verify one of the CH's as a male. His hemipenes were visible when he was defacating. They're all the same age, so sexing should be possible. This same individual was the one that challenged the male, but ignored the female (and she ignored him). He charged Ardi, head down, flaps flipping, head bobbing, etc. The other CH will do a generic threat display to the other melleri, but never the charging, bobbing, flipping threat. Not only because of its behavior, but because of the difference in the way the adults behave towards it, I believe that one ot be a female.

I know WC melleri have lived for over a dozen years in captivity. I've heard from Jose Mease that Joe B in Tanzania has some that lived for 18 years.

 

[Kent67]

Eric, after reading your post....I'm seriously reconsidering whether I want to let either of them go. They really are neat animals. I have seen that lobe flipping, chasing, etc behavior though, so I think it would necessitate a new cage. Hmmm....

 

[Eric Adrignola]

I'm watching them do it again. Little bastard keeps tryign to mess with Ardi. He's doign it less and less. no harm done, but I keep watching just ot make sure there is some progression. If he keeps it up, I might have to do something.

 

[Kent67]

Ha, "little bastard." I forgot to mention that I did see the little one not only displaying but actually chased the big one once, trying to grab its tail and mount maybe (?) That time I did actually intervene and separated them for a couple hours.

At any rate, this ad is officially closed. The smaller guy is going to live in a free-range at Ryan's. We all think he'll be MUCH happier there.

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

Thanks Kent!

Here is a pic of my guy/gal. Hopefully they can learn to share. If not I have another part of my room I am dieing to put another free range.

 

[Eric Adrignola]

I got a few pics yesterday of the four of them sitting near each other. Each one is a different color. Ardi's relaxed, the big female is in a semi-threat color, and the two CH'ds are in different spotted patterns. They do that when they're near each other. It's a big free-roam, so they dont' have to be near each other if they dont' want to. Seems they choose to be near each other with color changes. Interesting stuff.

 

[Kent67]

Do you have any pics up that show the whole free-range?