Friday photos

[MissSkittles]

Well, it’s Saturday now, but I took the pics yesterday. It’s all my critters. Chameleons first though.

The always gorgeous Stella. Not even a papilloma can mar her beauty, at least in my eyes. I love love love this old lady. I’ve had to make some accommodations for her aging abilities and she’s been very accepting of them.

Old man Lucky, just doing his thing. Poor guy is finally resigned to being in captivity. I do my best to give him a good life, but I can’t give him his freedom back. He is so very sweet.

Bright eyed cutie patootie, huntress of isopods and my petite purple princess, Kali. She’s just barely starting to trust me again after having to take care of her abscess wound. It’ didn’t heal like I hoped and she’s got scar tissue. Doesn’t slow her down though.

Mango, Mango, Mango. Almost every time I open his door, he runs over and starts climbing out to get on my hand, to just sit and stare at me. I’ve looked and looked at any/every possible reason and there is none, other than he just finds it enjoyable. He is also my unrepentant screen climber. Again, no reason for it. I’ve put in extra branches and he just climbs parallel to them.

‘The baby’ of them all - sweetheart Bart. He comes running when I open his door too, but he’s looking for food. As you can see, I am clearly starving him. I often hear or find him shooting his tongue at nothing. Maybe it’s the memory of hunting those yummy black soldier flies that I release in his enclosure every so often.

 

[MissSkittles]

Next up are my sweet little leopard geckos.

The handsome Handsome was too squirmy to get a decent pic of. He did graciously display that sexy chunky tail. I imagine he would drive the lady leos wild with his good looks. Who needs fancy morphs when the wild type is so stunning!

My other handsome guy, who I rarely get the privilege of seeing more than just a quick peek a boo, Otis. He was never tamed for handling and I accept that just enjoy the quick peeks.

Special Kirby. He’s such a doll. He has still not quite fully figured out how to be a leo properly. When I see he’s about to shed, I have to drench his entire enclosure, and he still has poor shedding and needs help with his gloves and lately his hat and goggles. He’s gotten so much better at ‘hunting’ his food from the tongs.

Then the beardies!

I had to move Spike out of my bedroom as his stomping around was keeping me awake all day. Man! He was always black bearding and head bobbing along with the stomping. I think the view of the front of the house was the cause. Now he has the much quieter back yard view and almost immediately is back to being my sweet fella. He is always wondering why he doesn’t get bugs as often as the others. He is so good about eating his salads.

Sleeping beauty, Electra. This is her first time brumating with me. I didn’t expect her to do a full brumation, so didn’t take note of the date. It’s been at least a couple of months and I hope she decides to wake up soon. She’s now got the busy front yard view. Hope it doesn’t make her an even bigger diva.

Last is the latest additions to the house…kitties! This guy has become Grey. Not imaginative, but it just fits. He spends most of the time sleeping in his carrier. Go figure.

Still lacking a name. Nothing fits him yet. Still working on it along with trying to get a grasp of his personality. Sometimes he’s sooo sweet and cuddly and sometimes he’s a jerk and nipping or scratching my hands for no reason. Hope he’ll calm down as others have in the past.

That’s all of my crew. No more additions to the house now…I’m full and happy.

 

[BleuSaphir]

Lucky is so handsome!

 

[GrannyK]

Your crew is quite amazing! So adorable!

 

[JuniorC]

I have to ask. How do you do it for feeders??

 

[MissSkittles]

I have to ask. How do you do it for feeders??

I breed or grow what I can. I have colonies of discoid roaches, superworms and mealworms (I often donate mealworms to the local wildlife hospital), working on my method for waxworms. I buy & grow a few hundred silkworm eggs about once a year and let a good number become moths to provide me with more eggs to use thru the year. I’ve tried breeding crickets, but haven’t figured out why the thousands of babies I get have such massive die offs and I give up. It’s easier to just buy those. I buy bsfl and hornworms. I’ve made several attempts to pupate the hornworms to moths and get eggs from them, with mixed results. This was my first attempt and most successful to date. https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/hornworm-adventure-aka-what-have-i-done.187201/ Info about my other buggie breeding in the post.

 

[JuniorC]

I breed or grow what I can. I have colonies of discoid roaches, superworms and mealworms (I often donate mealworms to the local wildlife hospital), working on my method for waxworms. I buy & grow a few hundred silkworm eggs about once a year and let a good number become moths to provide me with more eggs to use thru the year. I’ve tried breeding crickets, but haven’t figured out why the thousands of babies I get have such massive die offs and I give up. It’s easier to just buy those. I buy bsfl and hornworms. I’ve made several attempts to pupate the hornworms to moths and get eggs from them, with mixed results. This was my first attempt and most successful to date. https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/hornworm-adventure-aka-what-have-i-done.187201/ Info about my other buggie breeding in the post.

Fascinating lol just read thru that whole thread. If you wouldn't mind posting some updated pictures of all the feeder breedings you got going on that would be awesome

 

[MissSkittles]

Fascinating lol just read thru that whole thread. If you wouldn't mind posting some updated pictures of all the feeder breedings you got going on that would be awesome

Here ya go!
All set up and waiting for the hawkmoths to emerge.

Here they are. There’s a few more behind them too.

Wax moths in their big breeding jar. Unfortunately the moths emerge at all different times, so I’m not quite sure how their egg making is going.


Mealworms starting to pupate. Only my leopard geckos get these. I do still breed a lot of them to donate to the wildlife hospital. They call me the worm lady. I’ve been called much worse.

Little darkling beetles (mealworms)

Big darkling beetles (superworms) These are quite prolific and I breed them primarily for my beardies, but the chameleons get these occasional one. I feed the only smaller ones though.

The last of last year’s silkworm eggs. I doubt they’ll hatch, but am giving them about a week more before ordering fresh.

Discoid colony (bioactive) I usually only give a little fruit, but my raspberries were starting to go soft, so the roaches got them.

Ta da! Hiding under their cork. They are really quite shy. They will never ever stop being icky roaches that I will never ever touch an adult with a bare hand, but I have developed a fondness and respect for these guys (not wild roaches though)


Yes, I re used the vents that were on my cricket boxes from Josh’s frogs for adding more ventilation for my roaches. Those plastic vents are so much easier than cutting screen and hot glueing.
My roach colony almost crashed last year and so I consider it still in recovery mode. I think I wasn’t letting enough babies become breeding adults, so when my adults got old and all started dying off, it became a problem. I’ve ordered ‘fresh genes’ from a couple of sources to grow up as breeders. By summer they should be fully recovered and breeding like crazy.
I’ve been thinking for some time about breeding grasshoppers, but I don’t think I can. I’m torn between revulsion for them and admiration. I know my animals enjoy them, but I just have a problem using them as feeders.

 

[jannb]

They are all gorgeous! It’s nice to see Kali! Thank you for sharing everyone!

 

[JuniorC]

Here ya go!
All set up and waiting for the hawkmoths to emerge.
View attachment 368924
Here they are. There’s a few more behind them too.
View attachment 368925
Wax moths in their big breeding jar. Unfortunately the moths emerge at all different times, so I’m not quite sure how their egg making is going.

View attachment 368917
Mealworms starting to pupate. Only my leopard geckos get these. I do still breed a lot of them to donate to the wildlife hospital. They call me the worm lady. I’ve been called much worse.
View attachment 368918
Little darkling beetles (mealworms)
View attachment 368920
Big darkling beetles (superworms) These are quite prolific and I breed them primarily for my beardies, but the chameleons get these occasional one. I feed the only smaller ones though.
View attachment 368919
The last of last year’s silkworm eggs. I doubt they’ll hatch, but am giving them about a week more before ordering fresh.
View attachment 368921
Discoid colony (bioactive) I usually only give a little fruit, but my raspberries were starting to go soft, so the roaches got them.
View attachment 368922
Ta da! Hiding under their cork. They are really quite shy. They will never ever stop being icky roaches that I will never ever touch an adult with a bare hand, but I have developed a fondness and respect for these guys (not wild roaches though)
View attachment 368923

Yes, I re used the vents that were on my cricket boxes from Josh’s frogs for adding more ventilation for my roaches. Those plastic vents are so much easier than cutting screen and hot glueing.
My roach colony almost crashed last year and so I consider it still in recovery mode. I think I wasn’t letting enough babies become breeding adults, so when my adults got old and all started dying off, it became a problem. I’ve ordered ‘fresh genes’ from a couple of sources to grow up as breeders. By summer they should be fully recovered and breeding like crazy.
I’ve been thinking for some time about breeding grasshoppers, but I don’t think I can. I’m torn between revulsion for them and admiration. I know my animals enjoy them, but I just have a problem using them as feeders.

 

[LizardLurkin]

Those Hawkmoths seem pretty spoiled
They're ready for a pool party!