Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Thought you would enjoy this photo. I really love this picture of one of my large males. His name is Fernando. he is about 7, I would say and huge.

Nice looking adult Mata. What sort of growth rates have you seen in your animals? (I just started working a mata of my own for the first time, and am always eager to pick up extra snippets of info. All my previous direct experience with matas was in a work context, ie. zoo collection, and the pair was already mature by the time I started up).

Thanks much,
'Rhemil'
FlyingDaggers@virginia.edu

Thanks for the compliment.Its hard to tell with my adults because I have had them so long. I have some hatclings , and the growth rate is quite remarkable. I have had them in my possetion and in the time of 1 month they have increased almost a half inch in size. I would beleive that growth rate in babies is very similar to other juvinile species. Were did you work?

kind regards

Thanks for the information. That's not a bad clip for growth. (My young mata can guzzle 9 guppies in a sitting, so I'm hoping that'll get him growing fast).

I worked as a volunteer keeper/intern at the Baltimore Zoo for 6 years, and as a temporary employee at the Baltimore Aquarium for 1 spring and summer. Worked with a lot of very good people, I was very lucky for the opportunity.

--'Rhemil'