"Cammy" The "Pygmy Leaf Chameleon"

"Click On The Thumbnails To See A Larger Image"









It's hard to believe such a tiny creature can be so territorial towards other males and will fight to the death to keep their territory.




Rhampholeon brevicaudatus

Common Names:
Bearded Pygmy Chameleon
Rhampholeon boettgeri,
Brookesia brevicaudata,
Chamaeleon brevicaudatus



brevicaudatus is a member of the pygmy leaf chameleons indigenous to coastal Tanzania where it inhabits grass and leaf litter of of the evergreen rainforest floor. It may be found at elevations between sea level and 1300 meters. Total length is to 4 inches. This is one of a growing list of chameleons known to "buzz" or vibrate when threatened.

Housing: Because R. brevicaudatus needs constant high humidity, an aquarium is the best choice for housing. A 20-gallon long aquarium is good for a pair or trio but males should not be housed together as inter-male aggression is well developed. Aggression between siblings and juveniles is quite possible as well so a close eye must be kept on them to watch for signs stress or overt aggression. A 3 to five inch soil layer is required, along with a variety of plants and ground cover such as dead leaves, mosses and cork bark to hold humidity up and provide hiding places. .

Lighting: Only a single cool, white fluorescent bulb is required over the length of the tank. Basking and UVB bulbs seem not to be necessary.

Hydration: Misting heavily twice a day with a fine mist works well in supplying water needs. A dripper tends to over-soak the soil and should not be used. The mist should drip from the plant leaves but the surface of the soil should be allowed to dry out between misting's.

Temperatures: The writer has successfully maintained R. brevicaudatus at temperatures from 62ºF to 87ºF. This may be higher than most recommend but 1 month with high temperatures of 77ºF-85ºF did no harm. With higher temperatures, however, higher humidity is crucial.

Breeding: Breeding occurs throughout the year. R. brevicaudatus reproduction does not shut down for winter although there may be a slight slow down. Two to four clutches are possible in a year, with eggs 1 to 4 eggs in a clutch. Eggs have been successfully incubated by leaving them in situ and also by removing them from the tanks and incubating them at room temperatures that varied between 67ºF and 87ºF. Both methods yielded 100% hatching rates. Incubation times were from 60-75 days. Fertilization from retained sperm has been reliably reported (L. Christenson, personal communication).

Care of the Young: The hatchlings grow rapidly and readily eat pinhead crickets and both large and small fruit flies. I feel a mix of all 3 is best in providing a mixed diet. Young become sexually active as early as 3 months laying first clutch at about four months old. Fertility on these early eggs is not yet known. Young can be raised in-groups but should be separated at about 2 months old to stop aggression and unwanted breeding.

Source:
http://www.adcham.com/html/taxonomy/specie...vicaudatus.html




Two new photos of "Chammy"




Doesn't chammy look like a minature pot-bellied pig.....lol

Chammy is full grown in length. The pygmy's are little eating machines and really loves the flightless fruit flies more than the pin head crickets. When the pin heads get too big I remove them and feed them to the leopard gecko's or Bearded Dragons.

__________________
Thanks For Reading My Post

bob/stano40

chams look like aliens. :

Thanks for sharing.

__________________
My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

Very cute pics.

__________________
Just because you have an animal that isnt dead doesnt mean you know how to take care of it

he's a cutie but at the same time he looks like a turd with legs...

__________________

I second that!!

__________________
MARSHA

:D I'm smiling because I have no idea whats going on!

Stub tail chams just look alittle strange, she seems happy. Is she alone or are you keeping a group of them?

__________________
http://www.ig-phelsuma.de/
http://dght.de

"Chammy" is alone. We had originally bought 4 pygmy's at a reptile show we went to, but when we woke up the next morning we found two dead at the bottom of the tank. The two littlest ones and my favorites.

About two weeks later we found the third one dead under the leaves. I don't know why. I did read that they can be territorial and have huge appetites. They got fed flightless fruit flies and pin head crickets. Misted at least twice to three times a day with warm water.

"Chammy" is my survivor.

__________________
Thanks For Reading My Post

bob/stano40