Reptile & Amphibian Forums

The baby capra’s are turning out to be quit an act, I was expecting them to be somewhat boring, not the case, they are full of spunk little eating machines. From the moment they hatch, they show amazing climbing abilities, jumping thru branches effortlessly.
I love the way they all cling to the front glass begging for food every morning, this really makes me enjoy them even though they aren’t very colourful.

Already I can see there personalities, they head num and throat display each other, ignoring the bigger gonocephalus housed with them as if they new they are not capra’s.

I feed them in the morning but they start begging food again by late afternoon, I may have to feed twice a day to avoid any conflicts soon?

Anyway I was wondering if this relates to your capra hatchlings?

jobi, I think that is part of what is so captivating about these little guys. Too many people discount the capra because they are boring and lack color. But when you have raised the babies and watched the antics you see that they are anything but boring and colorless! Also, the adults have so much personality as well, just not as much of the funny antics. Wait until you see a baby hanging upside down by one toe from a leaf! I have even seen them suction themselves to the glass trying to climb higher than the vines I have provided. They are comical!

My 6 month-old capra babies are now eating nightcrawlers. Whats amazing abut this is that there are 2 runts. These runts are a good 2" shorter than their siblings. In spite of their small size they attack the nightcrawlers with vigor and when they have swallowed their fill they just chew/grind through leaving the portion that is beyond their fill.

One note on the incredible appetite, I purchased a clutch of lepidogaster from a guy who wasn't familiar with MHDs. He was feeding them one feeding a day, sometimes every other day. He observed a lot of tail biting and just assumed that they were aggressive like Rankin's dragons. When they arrived I opened the tubs and saw these tiny little dragons with shriveled, black tails. Of course the first order of business was the amputation of the damaged tissue and then next was to get them on a regular feeding schedule where they had a constant source of feeders available.

I now have 6 very beautiful stump-tailed babies who eat with great vigor. Unlike the aggressive animals they their breeder described who would display and bite at him these are very sweet little ones who are fairly easy to handle.

Anyway, what you are seeing is very typical of these little eating machines. I often refer to them as tiny tails with great big mouths! They are definitely designed for eating! ; )

Its nice to hear that someone with as much experience with exotics as you is getting so much pleasure from these plain jane little lizards. I know that I am totally in love with all of the Acanthosaura species I have had opportunity to work with! They are just neat little animals!
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Marcia - FroggieB Dragons
www.froggieb.com/MHDHome.html

Same with mine. Seems every time I look in on them they are amusing me with something new. They even sleep cute. Two or three huddled together. Last night there was one on top of the branch and another right under him hanging upside down. Their little toes intertwined. They have started running to the glass front or top of the bushes when they see me. Guess that's food association. I do alot of hand feeding as well as bowl feeding.
They are crazy for tiny hornworms.

Here is what I just found. Climbing the lizard ladder.

This is how them manage to poo on each other. Good thing they bathe.

They are very nice!

About the poo, I think it might be a way to recognise each other and there rank. Notice how they head num each other when they meet, or when they climb on each other they lick on the head to taste. I think they sent mark there habitat and each other, if not allowed to grow with these sent recognition, all hell will brake loos and the fighting for territory and hierarchy position will start.
This is why I don’t spray as much as you guys.

Marcia; would love to see your stump tails!