Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Or in other words.. a crested tree dragon

http://markmlucas.com/images/Agamids/Gonocephalus grandis (19).JPG

that's what they look like..but that's not him

Okay basically I bought him from a pet store by my house
thinking he was healthy and what not because he jumped on me and climbed up my arm and stuff when the man took him out for me..but once I got him home he started acting differently. He never runs away or tries to escape or anything..he just sits where I put him. Sometimes he just sits there with his eyes closed and I can pick him up and his eyes will still be closed. Instead of green like he should be his color is really dull brownish/ dark green. He will eat if I touch his mouth so he opens it and i put a cricket inside..but he won't eat on his own. At night when I put him in the tank he just stays where I put him all night into the morning until I take him out again. Obviously there is something wrong with this lizard.

I have him in a 40g tank with a water dish to sit in and plenty of climbing branches and a hammock and stuff so it shouldnt be the tank that's the problem..and I put some calcium on his crickets and in the water before i feed him it...so does anyone have the sightest clue as to what could be the problem?

ANY help wil be greatly appreciated..thank you

-jessika
jeblanda@rutgers.edu

Biggest problem is that he is a wild caught animal and he needs to be checked for parasites. You will not find a vet that is familiar with this species as it is found it the USA so infrequently that almost nobody knows anything about it.

I do know that a 40 gal tank is inadaquate for him. He is arborial and needs a very tall vivarium and a very large water pan and a very high humidity in order to survive.

Recommended hight for viv is 150 cm(4.9 ft) x depth 150 cm (4.9 ft) x width 70 cm(2.3 ft). They eat larger insects and sometimes nestling mice an some of them take earthworms.

G. grandis is found on the Thai/Malaysian Peninsula and the islands of Pinang and Tioman, plus Borneo and Sumatra and surrounding islands. Use this information to gather temperature and humidity data.

You could also post on the general lizard forum and see if you can get a response from Ingo. He was working with Gonocephalus at one time and may be able to help you with specifics of temps and such. Also, the Denver zoo succeeded in hatching out some eggs so they have been successfull at keeping them as well.

First things first though, you need to have him treated for parasites. It is not normal for him to be tame. Gonocephalus are display animals. They are fiesty, temperamental animals who are prone to biting and displaying bad tempers. This is not to say that they can not be handled, but they must normally be handled with caution when in good health!
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Marcia - FroggieB Dragons
www.froggieb.com/MHDHome.html

Hi,

if the animal survives, you have to improve its housings. 40g is way too small. 400g is like the minimum.
In my hands grandis did best in about the same setups as basilisks. Check my green basilisk care sheet on the basilisk forum to see, what kind of setup I recommend.
But first you have to check the little for parasites. All the south asian agamid imports are normally full of endoparasites and have to be treated accordingly.
Second , Gonocephalus are very stress sensitive. Imports need a very calm environment for acclimitization.
Even though handling is detrimental and should be reduced to a minimum, you of course have to apply the medicaments and if the little guy is skinny, force feed him every other day.
If it survives it will change into one of the most agressive agamids I know. Any manipulation in the tank can end with a bite and any introduction of other animals is dangerous.
But lets see, how far you get.
Symptomes don´t sound promising. Many Gonocephalus ar ein a quite moribund state once they arrive at the pet shops.

Hope that helps.

Best regards

Ingo