Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just got home to find my first Phant. Hatchling. NOW WHAT??!! I have left him in the egg container for the evening figuring it is nice and moist but what is the best substrate and do I just give fuitflies to start?

Any tips from someone with some experience with these guys would be greatly appreciated. I know that shedding can be problematic for them if humidity is not high enough.

Thanks
Steve

LOL OOPS. Not sure how I ended up putting a bad picture of one part of my turtle pond in here. Oh well enjoy the picture which has nothing to do with the topic.

Damn dude, where do you live. I got to get myself a backyard like that. My concrete jungle doesn't compare to that... lol

For my hatchling satanics and ebanaui I usually set up a medium critter keeper sized cage with a thick layer of moist soil (organic works great or use cocotek stuff). Then I get a bunch of small branches and leaves and create a nice little jungle gym with them (run them through the dishwasher without any detergent first). I then either use small clean live plants or silk foliage to create a nice little ficus tree like set up. I tend to be partial to wandering jew like foliage because they hide the offspring well. I atually would recommend using Drosophila hydei at first if you are not able to get pin head or 1 week old crickets right away. And when you get the pin head/1 week old crickets buy like 250 because you'll go through them fast (they die so easily).

I dust the crickets or flies one day with calcium and one day with Miner-All. Works well for me as most of mine survive (damn ebanaui for killing my phants).

Anyways, if you have any more questions drop me an email. I usually do better that way.

cheers
Jason

Thanks. I have him in quart sized container right now with moist orchid moss and dead ficus twigs and a small clump of live ivy. Man he is fighter. Squeals and gapes his mouth if you go near him. I'll move into a critter keeper and set him up as you suggested.

LOL!! That pond was a killer to dig. Now I have to put in another 5,000 gallon one for because my koi are too big for that pond and my smaller pond and need to go into an even bigger pond. This time I am hiring someone to do the digging. I'll handle the rest but I am not into breaking my back again.

I'll definitely email you with any additional questions.

Thanks again
Steve

Looks like a piece of PARADISE I'm packing my bags

Hey congratulations on the hatchling, so very cool, I wish you all the best with him. Post some baby pics real soon.
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PHEve/ Eve

Contact PHEve

Yeah well -- don't pack your bags too soon. I live in New York (Long Island). So it's only paradise for about 5-6 months out of the year and then it gets MIGHTY COLD.

I have several greenhouses to take in the tropical stuff and store all the Caladium bulbs. The bannanas you see growing in the distance are a cold hardy specie (Musa Basjoo)for anyone interested in trying to grow it in a cooler climate. If you wrap the trunks with insolation and heavy plastic they grow from the trunk again and get really tall starting in Spring. If you let them die back the rootstock is hardy to -20 degrees and grows from the ground again but only gets about 6-7 feet tall before the frost kills it back again.

Folks drive by our house and see 25 ft tall bananas growing in the backyard and actually come over in disbelief. LOL!! They can never figure it out. One guy got mad at us because he thought they were regular bananas (never bothered to ask) and planted his giant tropical banana plant in his yard. Needless to say it cacked as soon as the temp dropped below 40 degrees.

Steve

I would love to try that type of banana tree, can you eat them?
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PHEve/ Eve

Contact PHEve

No, they make a very interesting flower but then the bananas are really very small things that are inedible.

Strictly ornamental.

Well since you live so close and are already conditioned to the weather than SURE you can come live in my turtle pond if you really want to!! LOL!!

Wow! That is one awesome pond and a gorgeous backyard. Wish you the best of luck with the new little guy or gal, post pics soon!

Mike