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 #2084449


Tonybolony
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 Questions (:

Hello all! I bought my MHD a few days ago, and I have a few questions. I got him on the 12th and of this month (October), and he ate the first day, and second day. Almost as soon as he hit the cage really. But now, he isn’t really eating much. I’m feeding him dusted crickets (large ones), and was thinking about feeding him super worms. I’ll post some pictures of Hor’ton (my MHD :D) below. I keep the temp between 75-80, but no more than 80. I mist him quite a lot, and have a moving water in his water bowl. Branches for him to climb on and hiding spots are present aswell. Crushed walnut is what he has for his bedding. He’s in a 40 gallon tank. He stays a consistent brown, untill taken out. Then turns to a dark green with various yellow spots. I hope I provided enough information and stuff, if not ask me (: . As for my questions..

1. Does he eat every day (should he?)
2. What is the best to feed him? (Read superworms)
3. Is he really as lazy as he is now? (Rarely moves, haha)
4. Is it possible to determine the type of MHD, through my pictures I provided/are there different ones?
5. How can you tell if it’s a female or a male? (Assuming he’s a male, has lumps around begining of tail)

And then, tips would be nice (:





10/15/09  09:35pm

 #2084815


Gravel1
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   Message To: Tonybolony   In reference to Message Id: 2084449


 Questions (:

probably just getting used to his new cage may need to be de wormed
10/16/09  06:35pm

 #2084824


Mattmillen
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   Message To: Gravel1   In reference to Message Id: 2084815


 Questions (:

Ehh, I didn’t think of that. But thanks (:
10/16/09  07:14pm

 #2084933


Dericka
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   Message To: Tonybolony   In reference to Message Id: 2084449


 Questions (:

Hi!
One thing I will say you should never use crushed walnut for these guys, they need a softer substrate that holds moisture well, coconut bark is by far my first choice and recommendation. The walnut can also cause your dragon to become impacted if he just ingests even a little bit...
Temps and water situation sounds good, to me in the first picture he looks a little dehydrated and thin, a good soak for 20- 30 minutes would be good for him either way. The fact that he turns colors like that is good, mine do that also, it is def a normal thing.
It’s a great sign that he ate the first two days,
1.) no they do not eat every day, every 2 or 3 days is normal.
2.) Most of them looove nightcrawlers, you can usually find them at a bait shop. I stick with nightcrawlers and crickets, and only give superworms occassionally, though superworms are much better than mealworms b/c they are less chitenous and more digestable. I feed nightcrawlers the most. Waxworms are great at first and will put a little weight on. Just don’t use them too often later on.
3.)Haha, I dont like to think of them as lazy, more like chill, but yes, they are not nearly as active as many lizards are. It would be a good sign if yours is climbing up and chillin’ on the branches and stuff, as opposed to just sitting on the ground...
4.)I would definatley say yours is an Acanthosura capra, the most common species you will find, and also the calmest typically. That is what all mine are.
5.) It looks like a boy to me, that’s what those lumps would indicate.

And my important questions, where did you get him? He’s big, and I would bet he was wild caught, which means that one, there is a very good chance he has parasites and it would be a great idea to get him dewormed, and two, hydration will be of the utmost importance right now, as they are usually quite dehydrated from shipping and everything. They like very high humidity, 70% average. And has he pooped yet? They don’t always poo right after eating, but if he ate twice, then doesnt eat or poop for more than I’d say 2 or 3 days, that’s kind of a worry. For both hydration and to help him poo, it would be a great idea for you to soak him, you can do it once a day for like 2 or 3 days, just in lukewarm water for about 20 minutes at a time.

Hope that helps, these are wonderful lizards to have!!!

deri
10/16/09  10:48pm

 #2085060


Tonybolony
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   Message To: Dericka   In reference to Message Id: 2084933


 Questions (:

Yeah, he pooed the second or third day. It was all white, so I’m assuming he is hydrated (at the time). I bought him from Pinevillepets (Kind of a local store) They said they already had him dewormed. He stayed at the top for the most part at that pet store. However, they are the ones who told me crushed walnut is the best for him, because if he ate any he could easily poo it out. I am kind of worried because one, he’ll try and bury himself (usually just his head) under the substrait. Two, he hangs out in the waterbowl almost all day for a few days actually. I have to pick him up and put him up on a perch, I haven’t really seen him climb up the branches (Maybe he’s still acclimating?) Last night he ate two crickets after about a 20 minute process of me tossing it in front of him, letting it run away, and then tossing it back. Does your MHD go and attack the crickets? Mine really doesn’t chase it...at all haha.

Would it be okay if I fed him in a different location (i.e. bathtub) so he doesn’t get impacted? I don’t really have the money to buy much of anything, kinda pushed it for this month. I had done that for my Giant Day Gecko, and it seemed to work for her, then again she was on tropical soil.

The store said he was dewormed, but I’m not fersure myself. These pet stores around here don’t really seem to be full truthful I guess you’d say (even the petsmarts ):). The nearest reptile vet is an hours drive to there *sigh*.

Thanks for the information Dericka! You’ve helped quite a lot already. Sorry for the abundance of questions >.>
10/17/09  11:06am

 #2085062


Tonybolony
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   Message To: Dericka   In reference to Message Id: 2084933


 Questions (:

Yeah, he pooed the second or third day. It was all white, so I’m assuming he is hydrated (at the time). I bought him from Pinevillepets (Kind of a local store) They said they already had him dewormed. He stayed at the top for the most part at that pet store. However, they are the ones who told me crushed walnut is the best for him, because if he ate any he could easily poo it out. I am kind of worried because one, he’ll try and bury himself (usually just his head) under the substrait. Two, he hangs out in the waterbowl almost all day for a few days actually. I have to pick him up and put him up on a perch, I haven’t really seen him climb up the branches (Maybe he’s still acclimating?) Last night he ate two crickets after about a 20 minute process of me tossing it in front of him, letting it run away, and then tossing it back. Does your MHD go and attack the crickets? Mine really doesn’t chase it...at all haha.

Would it be okay if I fed him in a different location (i.e. bathtub) so he doesn’t get impacted? I don’t really have the money to buy much of anything, kinda pushed it for this month. I had done that for my Giant Day Gecko, and it seemed to work for her, then again she was on tropical soil.

The store said he was dewormed, but I’m not fersure myself. These pet stores around here don’t really seem to be full truthful I guess you’d say (even the petsmarts ):). The nearest reptile vet is an hours drive to there *sigh*.

Thanks for the information Dericka! You’ve helped quite a lot already. Sorry for the abundance of questions >.>
10/17/09  11:08am

 #2085063


Tonybolony
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   Message To: Tonybolony   In reference to Message Id: 2085062


 Questions (:

Sorry for the double post ):
10/17/09  11:09am

 #2085545


Dericka
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   Message To: Tonybolony   In reference to Message Id: 2085060


 Questions (:

It hasn’t been that long that you’ve had him, so I am sure much of his issues are due to the stress factor.
I would not be too worried about him sitting in his water, they do that alot, and if he made a nice white poo/that is actually the "pee", that is def great. Though he does need to make a normal poo soon hopefully, he may just need to eat more.
I have had younger MHD’s that are more active and will chase the crickets if hungry, but I hand-feed mine for the most part, they are rather "lazy" about that, so don’t hesitate to like, hold a cricket or worm by the leg and dangle it and move it around in front of him. Something that they do, that I find quite endearing, is if they are not interested in the food, they will just close their little eyes at it and turn away. Sometimes I will put crix and superworms in big bowl and put it in their cage, just to get them moving a bit and so they remember that they can eat on their own without my help. :)
I disagree a bit with the walnut thing, though it is supposed to be easy to pass, it would worry me, it’s just so hard and their tongues are so sticky, I think they could easily eat too much of it. I have had alot of lizards accidentally get a little to alot of coconut bark on occasion, and never had an impactation. Coconut bark is pretty cheap, only $3.99 for a brick that expands enough to fill 40 gallons where I get it. And like I said, it holds moisture really well, but doesn’t attract bugs, at least none of mine ever has. Your guy definitely doesn’t look impacted, his belly would be really bloated, but just be careful, and by hand-feeding him, you really reduce the risk of him ingesting any walnut stuff!
So basically just keep offering him food, def try holding it for him if you can at least for right now, and hopefully he was indeed dewormed. Once he gets to eating regularly and gets comfortable with his new home, he should start climbing and stuff.

deri
10/18/09  03:32pm

 #2086906


Tonybolony
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   Message To: Dericka   In reference to Message Id: 2085545


 Questions (:

Well, I got the bark. He seems to be doing fine. It still pretty much chills out in the water bowl. He doesn’t really wanna eat nightcrawlers, just crickets. He poo’s regularly with actual poo in it now. I’ve put him in the tub twice on seperate days for like 20 minutes each time. He’ll get his yellow spots back and stuff. But as for him staying in the cage...he doesn’t really climb much (untill I set him on a branch). I’m starting to think he’s super lazy >.> . Just out of curiosity, are there any other reptiles that can go in the same cage as him? Or is he a solitary reptile?

Thanks for all your help guys (:
10/21/09  12:34pm

 #2087313


Dericka
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   Message To: Tonybolony   In reference to Message Id: 2086906


 Questions (:

Did you go to www.froggieb.com/MHDHome.html yet? That is a great site with the most accurate info on these guys you’ll find.
No, you should not put any other kinds of lizards in with him. You could get a female MHD or two, but that’s about it.
That rocks that he’s pooping, just keep trying different food items, keep doing what you are doing, and he should start climbing around once he gets used to everyhting. It takes them awhile usually. He should gain some weight and fill out once he eats well and regularly.
I think their "laziness" was one of the main things that attracted me to these guys in the first place, I could walk around with one on my head and they just sat there, I assume happily, enjoying being up at the highest point!

deri
10/22/09  12:13am


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