You know, Thats a great question. Although I do have large numbers, I really only keep about, at most, fifteen in one enclosure. But for me, working with reptiles is indefinitely exciting, but also a challenging process. The method I use, and I know not everyone can manage this method because of its agregious process. I incorporate a transitional quarantine process which we use at our zoo. It's method is prescribed to identify the exact characteristics that you mentioned in your post. What I do is rotate the animals twice a year, as to not stress them anymore then need be, and perform two to three forms of fecal examinations on each lizard. These tests are fecal floats, fecal direct smears, and enzymatic bile salt tests. I suppose I'm lucky because I have my own compound microscope with needed supplies to conduct these tests myself without paying the high costs of vets as I know they can be expensive. I examine the tests, take pictures with camera attachment to compound microscope, record results using number assignments and then basically act accordingly to the results. But if you utilize the correct quarantine process and monitor them regularly, then parasites aren't an issue even with twenty or thirty reptiles. I have seen Coccidia (single-celled parasites that infect the intestines) make themselves present with high stress levels but I usually can successfully treat coccidia with (sulfadimethoxine) with no recurrence. Although they usually can be very healthy, I usually don't keep this infection at any cost or in any form with my colony. I have always liked Uroplatus, and continue to learn about the species with each year.For example, on my first trip to Madagascar, the north eastern tip of Nose Be has the most amazing specimens ever that you can find rather easily. There, I learned about the sub-species of U. phantasticus that are around nine inches in length and have no identifying class yet. These are rather most uncommon and are a Montage d' Ambre specimen isolated to that area. I have heard of people successfully interbreeding U.phantasticus and U.ebenaui in vivariums but have yet to see it myself. But as for the Subspecies of U.phantasticus, I have seen one that was indeed around nine to ten iches long. It's crazy to think about it because we are finding new species every year from the "White eyed Fimbriatus", to the U. Malama. What are we going to find next? I'm excited to see.

[ Reply To This Message ] [ Subscribe to this Thread ] [ Hide Replies ]