Must be quad time of the year

[bobcochran]

It's time to put the quad gloom and doom behind us, and start looking forward again.

Here's some pics I took today enjoying some of the brutal California winter: I got this male (Kaliki) from Bill and Laurie last May @ 23g. He's about 18 months now and weighs 80g. The female (Daisy) I got from Tylene @3 months and 7g. She's 8 months and 50g. now. Potentially a beautiful couple in a month or two, don't you think?

 

[ponders]

Very nice Bob! They look great and will make a handsome couple!

Nothing like CBB animals! Healthy and hardy and perfect. Is the male going to have six horns?

 

[distortionz]

They look amazing I may be interested in some offspring when the time is right

 

[bobcochran]

One never knows about these male quads. A lot of males start a third pair of nubs, then nothing more happens.
Daisy is quite chunky these days isn't she?
Every morning after a good shower she comes to the door and waits for whatever I'm bringing to feed her, not bashful at all when it comes to food!

 

[ponders]

One never knows about these male quads. A lot of males start a third pair of nubs, then nothing more happens.
Daisy is quite chunky these days isn't she?
Every morning after a good shower she comes to the door and waits for whatever I'm bringing to feed her, not bashful at all when it comes to food!

Yes, the females aren't shy at all. Especially when it comes to food

 

[pamnsam94]

Wow! Those look awesome. I'm really impressed with their growth. I don't recall exactly how much I might have shared on the forums about the growth rates of quads I've raised, but I always thought they were growing much slower than they should, even though quads grow more slowly than other species.

I've talked to Laurie many times about this and I tried to find out what was the one thing, if there was one major reason, why some keepers experience faster growth rates than others. I experience varying growth rates within the same clutch, as it seems most everyone does. However, in general, certain people like Kevin, Bill and Tylene, and apparently you too Bob, all got faster growth than I did.

I thought the most likely common factor among all of these keepers that might account for such growth is that they are housing their quads outdoors for much of the year so their quads are getting the wonderful benefits of sunshine.

However, Laurie once told me that the growth of quads under her care actually grow better (by that I just mean faster) than the quads that Tylene has raised. Laurie, like me, strictly houses her quads indoors. That got me to thinking that if there was indeed one major reason (although I know there are many variables), then maybe it is something else. Kevin had written me quite awhile ago that he uses Cricket Crack as a gut-load. I'm not sure though whether he uses the regular or montane formula. Laurie also uses Cricket Crack. Tylene, Bill and Bob, do you guys use Cricket Crack too? If so, do you use the montane formula? If you don't use Cricket Crack at all, what gut-load do each of you use.

Great job raising those Bob and thanks for posting the pics. I love seeing all of these quad photos.

Perry

 

[laurie]

So Bob, It is about time you get those two beauties together. Are you waiting to see my boy on bended knee? Get with the program!! I need to see babies.

Your kids are looking great. Where is your new w/c?

 

[bobcochran]

Wow! Those look awesome. I'm really impressed with their growth. I don't recall exactly how much I might have shared on the forums about the growth rates of quads I've raised, but I always thought they were growing much slower than they should, even though quads grow more slowly than other species.

I've talked to Laurie many times about this and I tried to find out what was the one thing, if there was one major reason, why some keepers experience faster growth rates than others. I experience varying growth rates within the same clutch, as it seems most everyone does. However, in general, certain people like Kevin, Bill and Tylene, and apparently you too Bob, all got faster growth than I did.

I thought the most likely common factor among all of these keepers that might account for such growth is that they are housing their quads outdoors for much of the year so their quads are getting the wonderful benefits of sunshine.

However, Laurie once told me that the growth of quads under her care actually grow better (by that I just mean faster) than the quads that Tylene has raised. Laurie, like me, strictly houses her quads indoors. That got me to thinking that if there was indeed one major reason (although I know there are many variables), then maybe it is something else. Kevin had written me quite awhile ago that he uses Cricket Crack as a gut-load. I'm not sure though whether he uses the regular or montane formula. Laurie also uses Cricket Crack. Tylene, Bill and Bob, do you guys use Cricket Crack too? If so, do you use the montane formula? If you don't use Cricket Crack at all, what gut-load do each of you use.

Great job raising those Bob and thanks for posting the pics. I love seeing all of these quad photos.

Perry

Perry,
After reading what you said I went back and checked dates on Kaliki to be sure I was correct, I wasn't, he's 15 months, not 18. Bad memory. I got him from Bill @ 9 months old and 23 g. I had just joined the quad group and although I have had some experience with quads in the past (mid 90s), they were all wild caught. Understandably, Bill didn't send me his star male, I got one that was in the medium/small category range from the clutch. Turns out Kaliki is a late bloomer, he didn't grow much for the first couple of months, but then took off.
I don't use much bought gut load, I do like the Repashy bug burger, but use it only once a week. Organic fruits and vegetables are my staples.

 

[bobcochran]

So Bob, It is about time you get those two beauties together. Are you waiting to see my boy on bended knee? Get with the program!! I need to see babies.

Your kids are looking great. Where is your new w/c?

Nubby continues to do well. He got his last dose of panacur today, he's a stubborn little sucker (did you teach him that?), no matter what I do he won't open his mouth for meds., had to put them on a silk worm. He's eating well and has shown no sign of the 4-6 week crash of some imports. His lower lip is healing nicely and the broken ribs on the left side don't seem to bother him. The two broken toes on his front right foot aren't totally functional but he seems very stable on branches. Bottom line: give him a couple more months before he's a cover boy canidate.

 

[pamnsam94]

Perry,
After reading what you said I went back and checked dates on Kaliki to be sure I was correct, I wasn't, he's 15 months, not 18. Bad memory. I got him from Bill @ 9 months old and 23 g.

Wouldn't he be 17 months old now if you got him at 9 months old at 23 grams in May of 2014? That's still impressive though, a 57 gram gain in weight in just 8 months for Kaliki and Daisy gained 43 grams in just 5 months. You're doing something really well to get that kind of growth. I'm hoping to house some quads outside this spring once it warms up enough. Maybe I'll do what Kevin does and even house them outside in the summer, although that scares me a little. I'll have to ask Kevin what type of outdoor watering setup he uses in what must be hot PA summers, which are probably not too much different than here in northern KY. Wish we had weather here like you guys in CA have.

Perry

 

[bobcochran]

Wow, my memory is better than my math, scary. Mine stay outside full time,
depending on the weather, about 7 months of the year. I bring them in at night when temps are below 50F. consistently, that would be Nov. and March. In the winter they go out when the sun is shining and temps above 60F. If we have a freakish temp drop into the 40s for a night or two I leave them out in the fall or spring. Conversely, in the warmer days of summer they live under a cherry tree that allows only dappled direct sun on the cages. They have been outside in 100F. in the shade without apparent stress. Understand, I live on the coast, we don't have many days of extreme temps either high or low. 100F. days occur once or twice a year. Summer time high temps average ~70-72F. I wouldn't subject my quads to consistently high temps no matter the humidity or watering schedule.

 

[nick barta]

So Bob, It is about time you get those two beauties together. Are you waiting to see my boy on bended knee? Get with the program!! I need to see babies.

Your kids are looking great. Where is your new w/c?

If Bob has a bend in his knee it could be MBD…..

CHEERS!

Nick

 

[bobcochran]

Hey Nick,
You got any of those big GBRs? They might straighten me out!!
Damn Argentine ants set up home in my other batch and I had to chuck them.

 

[pamnsam94]

I wouldn't subject my quads to consistently high temps no matter the humidity or watering schedule.

That concern is why what Kevin is able to do with his quads, housing them outside even when summer temps regularly might hit the high 80s to 90s for a good stretch of time really has me wondering how he has his watering system set up. Kevin, would you mind sharing?

Perry

 

[laurie]

I remember your gbr, you were sending me some and let nasty ants in your just to avoid sharing. Guess I best hit Nick up before you take all of his!!

 

[laurie]

If Bob has a bend in his knee it could be MBD…..

CHEERS!

Nick

I don't worry about Bob, he can have a bended knee, but I don't want him to expect a thing like that from a pretty male quad - it just isn't becoming.

Bob would have something rare and strange!!

 

[OldChamKeeper]

Nice animals Bob

 

[bobcochran]

Laurie
If you order some now you'll receive tiny little green Popsicles !!

 

[Mike Fisher]

Awesome set of horns on that male.

 

[jajeanpierre]

That concern is why what Kevin is able to do with his quads, housing them outside even when summer temps regularly might hit the high 80s to 90s for a good stretch of time really has me wondering how he has his watering system set up. Kevin, would you mind sharing?

Perry

I would be interested in hearing more on this too.

I'm in south central Texas, a little over 200 miles from the Gulf. People from the area tell me it is humid, but I find it mostly quite dry having moved here from a little island in the Caribbean. I used to live in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--very dry and really hot. Near Riyadh was the largest dairy farm in the world. The cows were in bare pens with metal run-in sheds and a misting system. The misting system basically air-conditioned the area.

They use a much bigger system to cool the air in Mecca when they have millions of people from all over the world spending days outside performing the Hajj. The Hajj happens at the same time every year, but the Islamic calendar follows a lunar month so the Hajj could be at any time of the year.

I use the same kind of misting system during the really hot days for my chickens and wonder if it would work to keep quads cool enough.