Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Here's a few pics of my Melleri. Thanks to all who chimed in on my last post. Upon advice from a friend I'm going to get a fecal done as soon as its biologically possible (lol). It was reputed to have been "cleaned up" over a year ago by its first owner but I'm going to do it again.

Question, this guy freaks over Loster Roach nymphs! Problem is it grabbed one and it ran down its throat before he could crunch it! He tried to gack it back up but down it went! Any issues here or will its gastric juices take care of it? He did eat another a few minutes later and crunched it down. This guy will literally walk right up my arm to get at roaches!

Bill

>>Here's a few pics of my Melleri.

Hi Bill! It looks like your melleri is still a bit dehydrated. It's arms and legs are quite thin, and the crests of its skull are standing out. This may be why it was napping. If it has a parasite load, that could be preventing it from holding onto its nutrition and getting muscular and sleek. Smart move to get a fecal as soon as possible!

>>Any issues here or will its gastric juices take care of it?

It should be no problem. The bug will suffocate before it can do any harm. The spines on the legs are the only thing to worry about.

How long of an LTC was it? 14" is (generally) a subadult size. It will probably eat a ton, if it is in a growth spurt.
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Kristina Francis

www.melleridiscovery.com

>>How long of an LTC was it? 14" is (generally) a subadult size. It will probably eat a ton, if it is in a growth spurt.
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My mistake- I reread the earlier post, and see that you meant snout to vent. It's safe to say that an approx. 28" melleri is an adult. The extreme hunger is probably due to parasites, not growth, in this case.
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Kristina Francis

www.melleridiscovery.com

Thanks Kristina!

I have been hand watering him often and my Rainmaker system will be hooked up to his cage tomorrow.

When I mist him he moves off like my Jacksons do but unlike the Jacksons he doesn't return to drink. I wait until he starts to drink the runoff from his head then reach in w/a wand-type sprayer and drip it right on his head. He'll drink for about 5-6 minutes (as my arm begins to go numb!) then raise his head towards the sky and stop.

I'll be hooking up 2 nozzles in his cage and plan to set it to run twice a day - any suggestions as to the duration? I keep an aquarium heater in the resevoir so its nice and balmy! He has no fear of me whatsoever.

This is one very cool animal!

Bill

My melleri did best with hand spraying/dripping over their face for direct drinking too. When they tip their head straight up they are "full". That's the key. It's easy to tell how much water they want at any one time. They may need to drink several times a day especially if they are newly imported or salivate heavily while drinking (strings of clear saliva form as they drink). Once they were acclimated and hydrated I found that they didn't always drink much if I offered water more than once or twice a day. They didn't respond to falling water with reflex swallowing, or turned away. For misting I set the cycles more to maintain a daily humidity cycle rather than provide drinking water.

Yes, melleri are such neat chams! I learned more from them than just about any other species. When they are nice they are so gentle, but there are evil ones out there too. Some seem really stable, healthy, and content, and others are very fragile and stressy.

>>My melleri did best with hand spraying/dripping over their face for direct drinking too. When they tip their head straight up they are "full".

IME, the adults respond best to a rain-like fall, instead of a fine mist or the repeated drips on the head. If the Hudson wand sprayer is set on fine but low output, it makes a perfect rain for adults. If the rain is hitting all over their bodies, instead of just their head, it stimulates them to hunker down for a good, long drink.

When they tip back, they may not be done drinking for the session, just swallowing that batch of collected water. If I wait and give them a chance to swallow, then keep it raining on them, they will slowly lower their heads, lap or suck in more, and tilt again. If they are done, they will move their faces out of the rain entirely.

>>Once they were acclimated and hydrated I found that they didn't always drink much if I offered water more than once or twice a day.

They may have been drinking each time, just not being obvious about it. This is kind of revolting, but melleri can drink without lapping. I have seen them sip/suck in water through their closed lips, nostrils, and eyes. Ever see one wash its eyes under a rainfall, and without ever opening its mouth, swallow a big long drink (complete with the tipped back head)? You can observe this by turning off the water and watching where the droplets stuck to the nostril go- they get sucked inwards. Sorry if I grossed anyone out. LOL The ducts and sinuses all lead into each other and ultimately, the mouth/gular.

Bill, on the mist system, if you have a pump that can sustain 30-minute sessions, program one or two a day and short ones with long dry-outs between. If you have a pump that only does 4-minute sessions, just group them in the middle of the day with 5-minute programmed cooldowns between each one. They aren't keen on mist, but they do learn to move into it, soak it up, and lap off the leaves after it stops.

For best management, I put the mist nozzles at basking sites, where they are most likely to be all day. It also ensures that the misted area dries out properly between sessions.

>>Yes, melleri are such neat chams! I learned more from them than just about any other species. When they are nice they are so gentle, but there are evil ones out there too. Some seem really stable, healthy, and content, and others are very fragile and stressy.

Yes, definitely a species that teaches us a lot. For one species, they have so much variety in attitudes and shapes. Gotta admit, though: the grumpy ones do eventually come around, but it's on their own terms. They won't be rushed.
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Kristina Francis

www.melleridiscovery.com

Thanks again you guys! I can set my mister on as many cycles as I want for as long as I want. The only limitation is the 5 gallon resevoir. I "dripped" him 3 times today but he only drank from two of them.

Ambient humidity is a constant battle here in Vegas! I walled in the third -"one" car portion of our 3 car garage this Fall and its much better now. I can really regulate the heat and I'm installing an a/c unit this Spring. I keep Emeralds and Chondros out there as well as Jacksons and the Melleri. I keep it cool for the Chams and ETBs and all of the snakes have Helix panels connected to Helix controllers to regulate the cages individually.

A humidifier works wonders! The Melleri sorta reminds me of a giant hornless Jacksons - at least mine. All my Jacksons are F2 and are really used to my minimal interactions - ths one is used to a human presence for sure as he barely reacts to my intrusions - unless a roach is on my arm!

Bill

>>I'll be hooking up 2 nozzles in his cage and plan to set it to run twice a day - any suggestions as to the duration? I keep an aquarium heater in the resevoir so its nice and balmy! He has no fear of me whatsoever.
>>

Just watch out for bacterial growth in there, if it is being kept warm (but not bac-killing hot) constantly. Even at room temp in a covered, dark reservoir, algae may form, depending on your location and possibly the season.
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Kristina Francis

www.melleridiscovery.com