My newest Trioceros q. quadricornis

[jajeanpierre]

I was in the importer's store Friday and took some pictures for Perry who had shown a mild interest in the remaining male. I've watched this boy for quite some time whenever I drop in to buy bugs, and in the past couple of weeks he's just blossomed. When I opened up the pictures from my cell phone to send to Perry I just thought, Nope, sorry Perry, he's coming to live with me--please don't be mad (which he isn't).

I think it's apropos I bought him since I believe this is the same male the importer had picked out for me when I bought mine four weeks ago, but when I came to pick him up, he just didn't look very good at the time. Well, in the past few weeks he's just blossomed.

The next challenge will be locating females.

Here's my new boy:

 

[pamnsam94]

He's a beauty Janet! I wish you all the best with him. I really hope he doesn't go through all the ups and downs that many of our WC quads are experiencing. Acclimating WC chameleons can be a real challenge. Hopefully, the next group of animals that come in will be in better shape. I'm sure many will chime in here and be willing to help you with any questions you might have. Thanks for sharing.

Perry

 

[jajeanpierre]

He's a beauty Janet! I wish you all the best with him. I really hope he doesn't go through all the ups and downs that many of our WC quads are experiencing. Acclimating WC chameleons can be a real challenge. Hopefully, the next group of animals that come in will be in better shape. I'm sure many will chime in here and be willing to help you with any questions you might have. Thanks for sharing.

Perry

I hope not, too. He went through his "down" and is on the upswing at the moment.

I'll give him a bit of time, get a fecal in before I worm him. He's been gaining weight.

 

[pamnsam94]

Have you taken any more pics of him or do you have a name yet? I'd love to see photos of him in his enclosure.

Perry

 

[jajeanpierre]

Have you taken any more pics of him or do you have a name yet? I love to see photos of him in his enclosure.

Perry

I have taken a couple of pictures but nothing nice.

I'm worried about him, actually.

I was not planning to actually pick him up until my new DragonStrand breeder cage arrived. I have spare screened Reptibreezes but did not want to put him in one of those because of all the water they go through. My chameleons are in my office with hardwood floors.....

I talked to the importer and told him I did have a mostly glass enclosure (screen top and half screen on one side). He was kept in a glass cage, and thought he would be fine as long as I jam packed it with plants from floor to ceiling which I did. He thought he would be just fine in it. I'm not so sure.

He's often dark. Right now he's hanging on the top and is not a happy color. I'm a bit worried. My other never went dark like this. I think today I'll run up to a pet shop and buy some of that stick-on aquarium backing and see if that will settle him down. I wonder if he can see his reflection with my lighting.

Or, maybe that's just normal for him when he changes homes.... I don't know. I'm worried. He's drinking really well, even out of the spray bottle.

I'll be really glad when the DragonStrand cage arrives.

Yes, I have named him. Tianlong, the name of the flying dragon, the celestial or heavenly dragon, from Chinese mythology. The first one I bought from that shipment is named Shenlong, which is the spirit dragon from Chinese mythology. Shenlong is also the bringer of rain--I'm in Texas, I can do with a bringer of rain!

 

[pamnsam94]

You mentioned he's been gaining weight. Do you have a weight on him when he was at his lowest and what his is now?

Perry

 

[jajeanpierre]

Tianlong red dots/no dots

I just took some pictures of Tianlong, the quad I bought a couple of days ago. He was hanging from the ceiling with red dots.

When I took the picture with a flash, he had no dots and was an almost normal green. I looked at the picture, looked at the quad and the quad is still dark with red dots. I took the flash off. Voila, the dots show up.

I just figured it out--it's my lighting. I have a Reptisun terrarium hood with red, blue and bright white LED lights and a UVB tube. It's the red LED showing up through the the screen on the top. Scared me to death!!!!

 

[jajeanpierre]

You mentioned he's been gaining weight. Do you have a weight on him when he was at his lowest and what his is now?

Perry

No I don't have any weights before I got him. I only brought him home on a few days ago on the 24th. The importer just leaves them alone. He hasn't even been wormed yet. I'll get a fecal on him before I worm him.

The importer told me he has gained weight and condition. I go in the store often to buy bugs and I've seen him before because he and another bigger male were housed in a big enclosure (at least 48 x 48 x 24) out front. He's grown, and just blossomed recently (probably about the same time the bigger male left for his new home).

I weighed him the morning after I got him and after he had a really big drink. He weighed 61 grams. I've weighed him since and he is about that weight. I have no idea if he has eaten yet, but I suspect he has.

My other, the one that I bought in December, weighed 36 grams the day he came. Two days later, he weighed 40 grams and I attribute that to him just getting better hydrated. He now weighs 51 grams. The good news with him is the swellings in the skin surrounding the exposed spines are going down.