Post by FuandSobe on Feb 2, 2005 16:38:50 GMT -5
Hello all,
I just joined your forum but have been browsing it for the last couple months, since I began looking at getting a CWD. My name is Ted and I'm from the Chicago area. I have to admit I'm new to reptiles in general, but I do have a couple friends who have had sigificant experience with Iguanas and various desert lizards. I also have been reading everything I can get my hands on about these lizards. As you probably guessed I have a million questions, and would love any input or suggestions anyone has regarding proper care, feeding and housing.
Just after Thanksgiving, 2004, I purchased 2 CWD hatchlings at a local Reptile House. The owners informed me that the 10 or so hatchlings were from 2 seperate litters and a few weeks apart in age.
One of the lizards (i'm guessing a male) was about 10 inches snout to tail, and has consistantly been a rich forest green in color, tending towards brownish when he is shedding, with a bright green belly. This guy quickly became known as Fu (short for Confucious), because he is usually quite calm and often appears to be in deep thought. Fu is a sweetheart, loves being handled, consistantly has a good appetite, and tends to be more active towards the end of the daytime cycle and even well into to night on occasion. He will sleep/sun away half the day and then become very active later. I have watched him eat 7-8 crickets in rapid sucsession, and other times after just a couple he loses interest. He is also a fan of mealworms and waxworms and will happily eat many of them in a row. Fu is now almost 4 inches snout to vent and a bit over 13 inches total length.
The other lizard is almost the exact opposite in many ways, including in the many names she (another guess at sex), has been given before Sobe seemed to stick. Due to the crazy amounts of energy she seems to have she has been called, Spasm, Doink, Shortbus, Stewart (look what I can do!) . . . and eventually Sobe. Sobe is definately a fan of the daytime, and will wake up the instant I turn on the basking lights, and will continue to cruise all around the tank until i turn off the lights, or until 12 hours later, at which time its like someone flipped her switch to the "off" position and she goes to sleep immediately. Sobe is a very light, almost pastel green color with a brilliant white belly and underside. Sobe eats somewhat less, and only seems to like crickets. I have hand fed her mealworms and waxworms and she will rarely seek them out herself. Sobe was an inch or two smaller than Fu when i got her and is now about 3 inches snout to vent and about 12 inches total length.
Watching Sobe and Fu together is hilarious, they both usually respond and interact with human contact, running up to whoever will approach the tank, flattening out their bellies against the glass or straching at it in resonse to a finger or two against the glass. Sobe will spend all day running up and over Fu during his occasional naps, and Fu will spend the beginning of the night returning the favor or dropping from higher braches onto Sobe at night while she sleeps. Besides some arm waving (the usual "wax on, wax off type"), and very little head bobbing, that occurred in the beginning, neither of them show much aggresion towards each other, and both seek each other out to bask or hang out.
When I got Fu and Sobe, I originally had them in a 20 gallon long aquarium, with a UVB strip light and a 75 watt basking and 60 watt nightime light. I knew when i got them that wouldn't be big enough for long at all. About a month later I got a 40 gallon tall aquarium from a friend, and am still housing them in that until I complete the Vivarium i am designing (seperate post : ).
I have tried a couple of experiments regarding feeder fish with Fu and Sobe, with some success. In the original 20 gallon tank I put 6 guppies and the pump from a waterfall i had in a 3' deep bowl filled with 2 inches of water (i gave up on the waterfall because they sat in it draining the water down their tails and onto the substrate, creating a soggy floor). After adding 6 guppies, 2 "mysteriously dissappeared/were eaten and others 2 died over the course of 4 days. At that time, i removed the remaining fish and fed them to my roomates Ciclids. I was very excited about the possibilities of feeder fish as a potential renewalble food source for my lizards, as I have read that they are a great source of nutrition for them.
When I got the 40 gallon tall tank, i decided to try again with feeder fish, and tried to create an environment for the fish to potentially live and breed. I bought a 5.5 gallon aqauarium, a couple aquatic plants, some gravel and a 10 gallon whisper/biobag filter. I put the small aquarium in the corner of the 40 gallon and added 6 rosies. It takes up about half the ground space (bed-a- beast substrate), in the 40, and is filled about half way with about 2-3 gallons of water. I let the water declorinate by sitting out for several hours and used commercial water declorinating chemicals before introducing it to the Viv.
The exposed side of the aquarium has a Lizardladder (which they use frequently, and many branches run out over the top of the water. On the top of the aquarium i placed a small log to provide a basking site and more ground room for climbing. Inside the aquarium is a fake log which comes out of the water, a fake ramp leading from top to bottom and the filter and pump to create a waterfall/curent. My thermometer in the water indicates about 72 degrees water temp, and the fish seem to be doing very well about 2 weeks into the experiment.
The reaction of Fu and Sobe was almost instant. They both ran over to the side of the aquarium and watched the fish intently, with their heads turning to follow the fish as they moved. Sobe even opened her moth and tried to bite the fish through the glass a couple times. Unfortunately they seemed to lose interest/foget about the fish by the time they figured out how to climb up and get into the water.
Since then I have watched both of them (more often Fu), fishing! They hang over the water watching the fish, open their mouths, stick out their toungues and dive in after them. I have never seen them be successful at it but have seen both try this 2-3 times in 2 weeks. More importantly, afer a few days I had 5 instead of 6 rosies in the tank. My plan is to try guppies again once i build a bigger Vivarium for them. Who knows, maybe they taste better?!
With all that said, I am having a potential problem with the smaller lizard, Sobe. It seems to have started when I added the aquarium into the tank. Sobe loves swimming and would splash around in there mnay times a day, however, she seemed to be confused and a little scared by not being able to get out very easily. She would thrash around scrabling against the glass on accasion. Since then I added more gravel and contoured it so it is shallower near the edges and added some fake vines so she can get out easier, this has seems to work better.
However, since the introducition of the aquarium, Sobe has had her mouth open frequently, and for a day or so seemed to have problems with labored breathing. Once this happened I realized that the log which was on top of the aquarium, and which was used as a basking site was a log from an evergreen tree, which I NOW know can be poisonous to CWD's. However, Fu has never shown any signs of the labored breathing like Sobe has. I replaced the evergreen log with a smooth bark log ( since they love that spot above the water) and since then Sobe remains very active, shows a great appettite and has not exibited labored breathing, with the exception of occasionally having her mouth open. Also, her mouth looks fine, no signs of snout damage or mouth rot, and no swelling or stool problems.
I am wondering if anyone knows if the exposure to evergreen wood (pine family), could be causing continuing respiratory distress, or if alternatively her bathing in and drinking of filtered water may be the cause of the continuing problems. The other possibility could be tank temps? I have a basking site at 90-92, many alternative basking sites at around 84-87, a bottom tank temp at about 77-80 and a water temp of 72 degrees.
Wow, I really rambled, but I was hoping to give you all enough info to understand my questions, any thoughts you have would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance.
Ted
I just joined your forum but have been browsing it for the last couple months, since I began looking at getting a CWD. My name is Ted and I'm from the Chicago area. I have to admit I'm new to reptiles in general, but I do have a couple friends who have had sigificant experience with Iguanas and various desert lizards. I also have been reading everything I can get my hands on about these lizards. As you probably guessed I have a million questions, and would love any input or suggestions anyone has regarding proper care, feeding and housing.
Just after Thanksgiving, 2004, I purchased 2 CWD hatchlings at a local Reptile House. The owners informed me that the 10 or so hatchlings were from 2 seperate litters and a few weeks apart in age.
One of the lizards (i'm guessing a male) was about 10 inches snout to tail, and has consistantly been a rich forest green in color, tending towards brownish when he is shedding, with a bright green belly. This guy quickly became known as Fu (short for Confucious), because he is usually quite calm and often appears to be in deep thought. Fu is a sweetheart, loves being handled, consistantly has a good appetite, and tends to be more active towards the end of the daytime cycle and even well into to night on occasion. He will sleep/sun away half the day and then become very active later. I have watched him eat 7-8 crickets in rapid sucsession, and other times after just a couple he loses interest. He is also a fan of mealworms and waxworms and will happily eat many of them in a row. Fu is now almost 4 inches snout to vent and a bit over 13 inches total length.
The other lizard is almost the exact opposite in many ways, including in the many names she (another guess at sex), has been given before Sobe seemed to stick. Due to the crazy amounts of energy she seems to have she has been called, Spasm, Doink, Shortbus, Stewart (look what I can do!) . . . and eventually Sobe. Sobe is definately a fan of the daytime, and will wake up the instant I turn on the basking lights, and will continue to cruise all around the tank until i turn off the lights, or until 12 hours later, at which time its like someone flipped her switch to the "off" position and she goes to sleep immediately. Sobe is a very light, almost pastel green color with a brilliant white belly and underside. Sobe eats somewhat less, and only seems to like crickets. I have hand fed her mealworms and waxworms and she will rarely seek them out herself. Sobe was an inch or two smaller than Fu when i got her and is now about 3 inches snout to vent and about 12 inches total length.
Watching Sobe and Fu together is hilarious, they both usually respond and interact with human contact, running up to whoever will approach the tank, flattening out their bellies against the glass or straching at it in resonse to a finger or two against the glass. Sobe will spend all day running up and over Fu during his occasional naps, and Fu will spend the beginning of the night returning the favor or dropping from higher braches onto Sobe at night while she sleeps. Besides some arm waving (the usual "wax on, wax off type"), and very little head bobbing, that occurred in the beginning, neither of them show much aggresion towards each other, and both seek each other out to bask or hang out.
When I got Fu and Sobe, I originally had them in a 20 gallon long aquarium, with a UVB strip light and a 75 watt basking and 60 watt nightime light. I knew when i got them that wouldn't be big enough for long at all. About a month later I got a 40 gallon tall aquarium from a friend, and am still housing them in that until I complete the Vivarium i am designing (seperate post : ).
I have tried a couple of experiments regarding feeder fish with Fu and Sobe, with some success. In the original 20 gallon tank I put 6 guppies and the pump from a waterfall i had in a 3' deep bowl filled with 2 inches of water (i gave up on the waterfall because they sat in it draining the water down their tails and onto the substrate, creating a soggy floor). After adding 6 guppies, 2 "mysteriously dissappeared/were eaten and others 2 died over the course of 4 days. At that time, i removed the remaining fish and fed them to my roomates Ciclids. I was very excited about the possibilities of feeder fish as a potential renewalble food source for my lizards, as I have read that they are a great source of nutrition for them.
When I got the 40 gallon tall tank, i decided to try again with feeder fish, and tried to create an environment for the fish to potentially live and breed. I bought a 5.5 gallon aqauarium, a couple aquatic plants, some gravel and a 10 gallon whisper/biobag filter. I put the small aquarium in the corner of the 40 gallon and added 6 rosies. It takes up about half the ground space (bed-a- beast substrate), in the 40, and is filled about half way with about 2-3 gallons of water. I let the water declorinate by sitting out for several hours and used commercial water declorinating chemicals before introducing it to the Viv.
The exposed side of the aquarium has a Lizardladder (which they use frequently, and many branches run out over the top of the water. On the top of the aquarium i placed a small log to provide a basking site and more ground room for climbing. Inside the aquarium is a fake log which comes out of the water, a fake ramp leading from top to bottom and the filter and pump to create a waterfall/curent. My thermometer in the water indicates about 72 degrees water temp, and the fish seem to be doing very well about 2 weeks into the experiment.
The reaction of Fu and Sobe was almost instant. They both ran over to the side of the aquarium and watched the fish intently, with their heads turning to follow the fish as they moved. Sobe even opened her moth and tried to bite the fish through the glass a couple times. Unfortunately they seemed to lose interest/foget about the fish by the time they figured out how to climb up and get into the water.
Since then I have watched both of them (more often Fu), fishing! They hang over the water watching the fish, open their mouths, stick out their toungues and dive in after them. I have never seen them be successful at it but have seen both try this 2-3 times in 2 weeks. More importantly, afer a few days I had 5 instead of 6 rosies in the tank. My plan is to try guppies again once i build a bigger Vivarium for them. Who knows, maybe they taste better?!
With all that said, I am having a potential problem with the smaller lizard, Sobe. It seems to have started when I added the aquarium into the tank. Sobe loves swimming and would splash around in there mnay times a day, however, she seemed to be confused and a little scared by not being able to get out very easily. She would thrash around scrabling against the glass on accasion. Since then I added more gravel and contoured it so it is shallower near the edges and added some fake vines so she can get out easier, this has seems to work better.
However, since the introducition of the aquarium, Sobe has had her mouth open frequently, and for a day or so seemed to have problems with labored breathing. Once this happened I realized that the log which was on top of the aquarium, and which was used as a basking site was a log from an evergreen tree, which I NOW know can be poisonous to CWD's. However, Fu has never shown any signs of the labored breathing like Sobe has. I replaced the evergreen log with a smooth bark log ( since they love that spot above the water) and since then Sobe remains very active, shows a great appettite and has not exibited labored breathing, with the exception of occasionally having her mouth open. Also, her mouth looks fine, no signs of snout damage or mouth rot, and no swelling or stool problems.
I am wondering if anyone knows if the exposure to evergreen wood (pine family), could be causing continuing respiratory distress, or if alternatively her bathing in and drinking of filtered water may be the cause of the continuing problems. The other possibility could be tank temps? I have a basking site at 90-92, many alternative basking sites at around 84-87, a bottom tank temp at about 77-80 and a water temp of 72 degrees.
Wow, I really rambled, but I was hoping to give you all enough info to understand my questions, any thoughts you have would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance.
Ted
