Ellioti mating attempt-NO GO!

[Julirs]

Trace-what size cage would you suggest for these guys? I will house them separately of course, but what would be optimal? The male is very, very active, and roams the entire cage. His cage is planted with a Pothos that took up most of the cage until it died down a little. Of course he was willing and ready, so I suppose I should focus on the female. Her cage does in fact need some work. They have been quarantined in the dining room with that Veiled, but I can now move the Veiled in the other room with the rest of the crew, and leave just the Elliots in there. Do you think I should cover some sides of the cage to increase humidity? Try them in glass? Room temps are almost a steady 74 in there. THey are getting misted 2-3 times daily. Night temps are probably never going to be as extreme as would be optimal. They generally are very unstressed, but since I had taken the female out, and then the failed breeding attempt, I am sure they were pretty stressed.

 

[Trace]

I kept both sexes individually in cages 16x16x30 or so. The females are relatively sedentary, moving from hiding lower in the foliage to the basking spot and back over the course of a day so they don’t need a huge cage. Yeah the males are a little more active but not like a fischeri that does not stop pacing around.

Do you have a spare room you could turn into a higher humidity, cooler temperature montane area? Having a constant ambient of 74 with a basking of 78 doesn’t really provide much of a choice for your animals, even the Veileds, although the calyptratus certainly aren’t as fussy about the varying temperatures as the ellioti and even your multis and melleri would be. I’d put all three of those species in the montane room if you can swing such a thing that way you are monitoring a room and not individual cages.

I’m sure you’ve seen me post this before – in fact I copy/pasted from some old threads - but here is my brief and simple annual schedule for my East Africa montanes. I now have to alter this a bit for those contemptuous rain loving Cameroon nationals of mine. (Horrible things!). Being as I live in a northerly area with marked seasonal changes I can use those changes to my advantage.

June - August: One 15 minute misting session after true sun rise and before lights on. 0745-0800hrs. This simulates the morning dew. Humidifier on only at night (12 hours). Daily to every other day feedings.
September - December: One 15 minute misting session after true sun rise and before lights on. 0745-0800hrs. This simulates the morning dew. Add a mist session in afternoon to simulate late day thunder/rain showers. 1645-1700hrs. Increase humidifier length to 18 hours. Every other day feedings. Most keepers notice a natural decrease in appetite in the late fall.
January - May: One 15 minute misting session after true sun rise and before lights on. 0745-0800hrs. This simulates the morning dew. A mist session at midday 1200-1205. A mist session in afternoon to simulate late day thunder/rain showers. 1645-1700hrs. Humidifier on 24/7. Daily feedings. Most keepers notice a natural increase in appetite come spring and this is when my animals breed.
My lights, which are on timers, get adjusted to the seasonal light changes as they occur; so my on/off times change almost monthly. Maybe bi-monthly? I also make slight adjustments to humidifier and mist system times so the changes I said above aren't quite so jarring to my animals

 

[Julirs]

I have them in 16X16X30's, and will load them up with live plants and cover-I was going for easy to clean during quarantine and fecals. I can leave them in the dining room, but I am not sure I can create to much of a variance in the house. In the winter, fall, and early spring house temps can fall into the 60's(even low 60's), and outside temps do fall pretty low here for a short period of time, and inside it gets considerably cooler during those times since I am an anti-heat person, but in the summer with the air on there is not very much of a temp drop at night. I think you are on to something when you say this might not happen until fall! The humidity is reading in the 60's where their cages are, and I will up that with plants and partial cage cover.

Now you are giving me even more ideas of booting another kid so I can have a Montane room! Darn kids wants to stay home and go to college.

 

[Tazjunky]

iv just posted a thread about the care of Elliots, what are the best temps etc to keep these little guys?