Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Sins my last post was about working with new species, I figured this one fits the bill.
Though its not acanthosaura or gonocephalus it’s a tree agama nevertheless and surly has its way on this forum.

Last week I obtained a pair of these nice Tanzanian tree agamas, at first sight I didn’t think much of them, both where dark brown and showed no colors, my male was basically skin and bones, obviously parasites as his faecal smelled awfully, it took 4-5 days for him to start feeding, when he did green coloration started showing off and deep blue under chin, mine is the ugly one on photo, the nice blue one is a photo from a tourist showing how they become as adults.

Not much is known about there care, I started them in a basic set up and raised the temps until feeding, sins the female started feeding first I separated them so I could monitor the males food intake, they love to bask at higher temps 130f, and started feeding on mealworms first.

I love there size no more then a hand full, they don’t have a flight response as most agamas have, instead they remain motionless making them easy to pick up and handle, they don’t bite!
They are quit active compared to acanthosaura’s, love to climb, stay on display and colourful, if you see them try your hand at these, an easy to love lizard.

Awww, he looks bashful! Neat critters. I've seen them before, but never really paid them, what seems to be, due attention! He really looks like a sweet lizard.

Bob

Hi Jobi,

Acanthocercus have been imported quite frequently in recent time.
Do not think of them like Acanthosaura or Gonocephalus like. If you want an animal to compare: They have very similar needs in captivity to Oplurus cyclurus or Oplurus cuvieri

ci@o

Ingo

Hello Jobi:
I agree with you. Very little to nothing is known about these animals but that is because being a "common" species that is inexpensive nobody cares about them. I have not kept them except a pair briefly that I picked up for a friend a few years back. They are savannah animals that thrive in mixed humidity regions. Along rivers obviously the humidity would be a little higher than areas more out in the open. I have had success with Savannah loving species as Armadillo lizards (Genus Cordylus) are among my favorite lizards.
I'm sure you know this but for the benefit of others who might be new in here (and I'm sure the number grows daily with the lively talks we've had of late)I would take a slightly more humid route until the animals are established and feeding well. I wish I knew more about them but the african agamids I've had more experience with are Red Head Agamas and Laudakia species. Red Heads will stay in fairly drab colors until they really feel secure at which time the males become so bright they turn from twenty dollar lizards to 200 dollar lizards. I suspect these guys will do the same. Ingo is right about them being kept like Oplurus. The one thing I have noticed is that african agamas quite often will take beetles as their strong jaws can easily crush the chitinous exoskeletons. They also will eat lizards though we wouldn't want to give them any ideas in a room full of other lizards, would we. Several species of Plated Lizards also come from the region.
Finally, Yes I think these lizards should be included in the "Tree Agama" family so everyone that has these please feel free to jump in. They really are nice lizards and once they stop bringing them in everyone will want them. I think it's better to learn the tricks while they are available and inexpensive rather than when they are expensive and hard to come by.
Good Luck with them.
Have a Great Day!!!

I just missed some very nice Tanzanian red heads, wow talk about colourful lizards!

My blue heads seem to like the same husbandry my stelio loves, I hatched a few dozen stelios in the last year and really enjoy them, the blue heads are pretty much the same size as my stelios, however I think they are much easier to handle and work with, not to mention the awesome colors.

Its funny how some cheep lizards are often overlooked by keepers, one of the most fun and enjoyable lizard iv kept is the emerald swifts, cbb are finger tame and display the most fascinating social behaviours.

I really hope more people will start keeping these wonderful species, in many case for more interesting then many established species, some have incredible color potential.

I cant wait to see what I will hatch from those blue heads, if they prove to be polymorphic I might start a serious project with them?

A very underrated specie, fun fun fun to keep!

Hey Jobi:
It's funny...I was just checking out the pic of your Laudakia when I noticed the pic of the S. malachitus pop up. I agree, those guys are lots of fun and the live babies are really cool. Sceloporus is a real interesting genus of lizards because they split about fifty/fifty livebearers and egglayers. With at least 96 species and lots of sub-species there's lots of potential breeding projects.
Red head Agamas can be absolutely gorgeous. I have some video footage of a real "screamer" male. I'll import it and isolate a still to post.
Monday I'm going to check for some Blue head tree Agamas and see what's out there. Maybe we can create interest in them here and lots of people can join in. The more the merrier. I'd like to see this forum explode with good info on this species over the next six months.
Take care and Have a Good Day!!!

Pleas do get some blue heads, I bet we will get a lot of interest from peoples over them.

I should have my first clutch this coming week, my female looks ready to nest.

These are surly one of the most interesting specie, being easy to care for and handle give them an edge over most acanthosaura’s and gonocephalus (exception to Sophia witch is the sweetest specie) of course some chameleontinus are real friendly.

Unlike this terror who thinks he’s a T-Rex

Ps. Would love to see your red heads!!

Hey Jobi:
Nice chameleontinus. He has that ever so sweet Dragon "personality."
I'll get my daughter to work on that footage on Monday and see if we can isolate a frame or two. I've been taking video footage because I am working on a lizard video. I'm compiling footage on both captive and wild lizards.
Have a Great Day!!!

Any species in particular? will this video be for personal enjoyment only?

Thanks!

This is my female blue head, she should nest anytime soon.

Hey Jobi:
She looks very healthy and nice and full as well. Her tail has lots of meat around the hips which is always a great sign.
As to the video; it's in the works though I still need lots of material that I will collect over the spring and early summer. I'll definitely keep you posted as i know you would be interested in it.
Have a Great Day!!!

Oh yes she looks fantastic and feeding well, been talking with a guy in France who started breeding blue heads many years ago (he call them pit-bull agamas?) some of his animals are incredibly beautiful and tame, not only his males but some of his females are also very colourful. I simply cant understand why these top lizards aren’t more popular in the hubby?

Of course I am interested in your work, last year I too have filmed the entire reproductive cycle and hatching of my gippsland water dragons (these are cobalt blue with pink-orange-green-blue throat) they will make the cover of my book.

rgds

Well I just posted this in the general lizards forum, but someone directed me here. So far so good with my pair...

I recently bought a 1.1 pair of what I believe are blue-throated agamas. They were being sold under the name "Pitbull Agama", presumably because they bite pretty hard for their size. I'm really hoping to find more about them here, because I've looked everywhere and found only a small amount of information.

They are small, about 6" total length. I have no idea if they are full grown as I am finding conflicting information about the size of this species. Some sources describe them as being large, up to 15", but others say they are small around 6", which would make mine adults. They resemble bearded dragons, but with much, much shorter spines and a shorter tail. Both sexes have mottled-yellow throats. My males throat becomes a brillaint blue when he is agitated. Adult males are supposed to have completely blue heads during the breeding season, like this one (not my pic);

Most of the time however my male is brownish gray, with a green stripe running down his neck and between the shoulder blades, with tints of green elsewhere on his body. The female is deeper brown and has shown no colour change so far. She is quite aggressive and will hold her ground and lunge repeatedly when reached for. The female is slightly larger than the male, I believe my male is younger.

I have them set up in a 24"x12"x18" tank, with a large artifical rock/log background for them to climb on, the inside of which is like a cave which I keep humid. There are also branches and artificial plants in the cage, with a cocomulch/cypress mulch mix for substrate. I have a water dish which I have not seem them use yet, and I have been misting daily. Temps are about 80f ambient, with basking spot of 120f. A repti-glo 10.0 runs the length of the cage, they can bask within 3" of the light. Female has been basking for long periods in hottest spot, male has spent entire time so far hiding (I have had them for 2 day.) They have both eaten several dusted crickets. I'm really hoping they shed soon, as they appear to have some stuck skin around the eyes.
I'm really hoping to breed these guys. I have never heard of them before I bought them, but I am already thrilled with them. They are active, bold, and though they are quite drab right now hopefully they will be prettier after some TLC. Hopefully my male will soon show colours like the one pictured. Is there likely to be a high demand for CB babies of this species? I figure their bearded-dragon-like appearance, colours, feisty personality and oh-so marketable trade name (pitbull agama lol) could make them quite popular.

If anyone has ANY information about these guys or keeps them please post about it here!! Also if anyone thinks I may have got the wrong species please let me know. I'm not sure if blue-throated agamas, blue-headed agamas, and blue tree dragons are really all the same thing :