Freakz Nz

If you want to know the basking spot temp etc, I use a non contact I/R thermometer from Jaycar.co.nz. Costs $60, but sometimes they have specials on them for around $30. It is good for instant temp measurement of not only the environment but also your BD or other reptile. Jaycar catalog number = CAT. NO. QM7225 Cheers

Hi, I have separated Munch & Horse, they definitly know that they are alone now , Horse was displaying like crazy when i did it. Munch is now eating crickets and Horse seems abit moopy and has slept most of the day. I have noticed that Munch seems to be alot more relaxed now. I will weigh them on tuesday and see if there is any difference.

With veggies, try dandiloin flowers, you hold them infront of their nose and spin it, i think it annoys them and they eat it to get rid of it - lol The clover and dandilion greens are a real hit, even if you put Doza outside on the grass, he will eat what he likes and it is normally the clover. It is so funny to see a little BD trying to eat a leaf, when they are using all their might to tear it, kind of like a dog pulling on a rope toy.

Will do .... : ]

Hi Elaine, Put a him in a big shallow bowl of warm water ... I bet he will poop then ! plus it is funny watching them dunk their heads under and go for a look around - Munch loves it

The arm waving is so funny, have you tried putting a mirror in their enclosure ? I also like the head bobbing, Munch has a pattern of 2 bobs down and then 3 in reverse ... who would of known that you can have a bob that goes up ? I suppose it depends where you start from - ha ha The "biting" is more of a taste to say "oh I know you, hey it's me" kind of a re-assurance. If you seperate them and them put them back together one of the first things they do is the "lick / taste" ... they do it all the time when checking out enviroments to, they will take a few steps and then have a tatse of the gound or whatever.

Hi Divine Miss Izzy and Bluey's mum. I tried the Flukers crickets when they were younger but they didn't like them, no matter how long i tried to jiggle and make it seem if it was alive so they ended up in the blue tongues. I have tried the dried BD food with some success, but live cricket , mealworm (limited) and greens seem to be the main foood of choice. With Munches breathing, it is different, but it doesn't seem to be stopping him from trying to rule the roost or charging around chasing crickets. HIs eyes are still very alert if you know what I mean, there is no nasal discharges or mucus of any sorts so that fits into the goodthing pile ! Looking into getting a good source of worms, which seems to be mainly obtainable from gardening centers or suppliers that deal with worms for composting. Hows your two BT's going ... eating heaps of snails ? Cheers Kev

Hello, Went to the vet in Petone, their vet has had limited experiance with lizards but came to basically the same conclusion after looking at both Munch and Delilah / Horse. Munch has a bacterial lung infection, which has caused the delay in growth. His bones are fine with no defects, which is a big relief as all I could think of was MBD. The size difference and shape is noticable in that one is 150gms and the other is now 96gms. So within a week Munch has gone up from 56gms to 96 which is a good sign, his breathing is still different on the exhale and the vet could hear it as well. We were looking at a course of anti-biotics administered via injection. He said he would check with a collegue at the Napier aquarium, who came back and said hold off and check the environment and diet. We will give it a month and see if he improves. the things I will do are ... Seperate them ... which is underway. Turn up the heat .... so the 100W red light will stay on 24/7 not just at night. Diet needs to include more calories and protein, which can include worms and catfood. He is still eating and pooping but not at the same volume as Horse. so fingers crossed. Thanks for the advise and concern, i will post changes.

Yeah, i'm in the process of building habitat number 2 ...

Hi Elaine, Sorry for not posting earlier, the vet is postponed until wednesday .... Munch is still eating and got serveral crickets into him along with veg. he is still laboured on his exhale, but generally is still running around and head bobbing. I will post the findings and any treatment. Cheers : ]

Talked to the other half, she said that he is still active and eating, so it can't be that bad - yet ... but I don't want anything to develope further into something real nasty, like death. We have hit up the Wellington Zoo for advise and was put onto a vet in Miramar who has treated BD's before, so we are going to have an appointment in the weekend for both Munch & Delilah as my thinking is if it is viral or a bacterial issue then both of them may have been exposed. I think a health check is a good thing every so often anyway.

Hello, I have a sick Munch (BD), he is not growing as fast as Delilah and his breathing has changed in that it is abit laboured and when I put him up to my ear to listen to it I can hear a " squeak" on the exhale. He is active, eating, pooping, Beard goes awesomely black and he headbobs most mornings and before he goes to bed, along with when he see's himself in the mirror. Their setup has a MVB bulb plus a D3 fluro for the day and an I/R 100w for night. The temp during the day at Basking point hits around 40/42 deg and at night 20 with a thermostatically controlled fan to cool if it overheats. He wont eat crickets and prefers mealworms which I feed sparingly (and monitor his poops) he really enjoys clover, flowers and his greens, but he only weighs 58/60grams while Delilah (a.k.a Horse because it eats like one) is hitting 140 grams. Both share the same food which is dusted and I include Flukers BD food, so I wouldn't of thought that the problem was environmental or to do with the food. They both are in same environment and the main difference in their personalities is that Munch is more flashy and will try to assert his authority and Delilah is more of a laid back sort of lizard who knows that she is the boss no matter what Munch thinks. So, my question is ... does anyone know of a Herp vet in Welly ? as I want to get him checked out. I have all sorts of ideas in my head as to what it could be like MBD or lack of Vit D. Because the obvious outward sign is the squeaky laboured breathing, then it could be a viral or bacterial lung infection ? CHeers

The max temp at the basking site is 105 deg f, I have a min max thermo located at the side of the basking spot which normally indicates 95 to 98 deg f and I get that via a MVB. I set the fans to 12v to remove heat at the cool end, which as you stated is replaced and this is what gives the heat gradient along the lenght of the cage. For night I use a 60w, Red Bulb and turn the fans down to 7.5v which then keeps the cage at around 20 - 23 deg cel. I am going to create a dry rocky basking site in the middle of the cage , opposed to the jungle and woody looking one I have at the moment.

Yep ... Munch is going thought a leg and head shead and he is abit off his food apart from the really tasty mealworms, mean while Delilah is scoffing down cicadas. : ]

I am using two PC 80x80mm 12V fans at the top on the cool side of an enclosure, similar dimensions to the one you are doing, 1800 x 600 X 600. They are on a thermostat so if it gets above 30 deg cel they start up. I put a car stereo speaker cover over the fans to make it less escape proof for bugs (sony xplode 6.5inch). It moves heaps of air and gets rid of the heat pooling at the top.

Have you tried hand feeding the dandiloin flowers , you just put it up to their nose then move it down to their elbows and rotate the stem ... they will track it and then bite .... same with most food, if it is down to the side of their face and moving it is game on !

Hi Dave & Amy, Have you tried clover or dandilion greens ? they are high in calcium and both Munch & Delilah love it ...this is the main staple of vege in their diet although they like abit of grated carrot & torn lettuce ( not to much though - high in water content) even mushed tomatoe's.

55 grams yesterday and that was before his meal of cicada , clover, vege and mealworms .... I will have to post exact statistics sometime , plus some pics of his new house ...

Hello D & A, I have his brother .... Munch ! .. I will have to post some new pics too. : ] Munch is loving cicadas, crickets and meal worms, for vege he really goes for clover and dandilion leaves plus the odd flower. 45grams of pure BD muscle - ha ha

Munch the little bugg-er-eater, He decided today that it would be a good thing to eat a bumble bee and looked very proud of himself after the fact. I have read that it isn't such a good thing for them to do that. Any opinions on bees apart from they hurt when they sting ? He ate it over 3 hours ago and is perky as ever, I thought that if it was harmfull he would of had a reaction by now ? He is 26grams and just finishing his second sheading Cheers

Hi, Mine does this only when clearing nasal passages, very common after eating a snail or having a drinking. For a reptile the are quiet vocal and emit alsorts of noises, snuffing & huffing, a subdued hiss when annoyed and of course sneezing. The funniest noise is the farting, especially when you don't expect it. Is the BT active and the sneezing is dry ie not spraying any gunk ?

Morbid I know, but that is the nature of the beast ... so to speak ! Glad to share ... has anyone else got any action shots ? Food or fingers its all good - lol

Fanx, It was "she who must be obeyed" who took these pics of her BT a few days ago ... she was playing with her camera and did a few black & white shots of Paddy when she was feeding him.

Paddy doing a good snake impersonation, hunting and stalking a snail ... Nom, nom, nom ... Mmmmm snail foam ....

Hi, Munch is outside getting some rays .... same with Paddy who is free-rangeing on the backyard. Munch is so funny, already giving me some attitude .... ggggrr !!! Anyone else in Wellington with BD's or BT's ?