Chameleon Breeder Podcast With Bill Strand

Trioceros montium. The two horned chameleon. The mountain chameleon. Is one of those incredibly decorated Cameroon chameleon species with crests and horns. It is no longer imported, but there are small pockets of breeders working with it. One of them is the team of Tyler Gordon and Kristen Zeller at Cage the Chameleons in Medicine Hat, Alberta Canada. Today we talk to this dynamic duo about their work with this rare chameleon.

One of the basic environmental husbandry conditions is humidity. This is one of the more difficult of our conditions to dial in. In this episode we talk with Mario Jungman from the Netherlands about how he has refined his husbandry with humidity as a critical element.

In the first part of this series we talked about the natural history of Trioceros melleri and the housing strategy. Today we will talk about husbandry. And that is how you set up their cage to replicate the conditions they need as well as nutrition. Our three breeders are back to help us get started in the right direction. Dale Tamura from the United States, Martine Desjardins from Canada, and James Killey from the United Kingdom share their hard won elements of success. To start off, I’d like to say that much of what we go over is the same husbandry that you would perform for any chameleon. We are going to start at the beginning so we are comprehensive. But it won’t be long before some of you who have been around for a bit will start thinking that this care information sounds suspiciously similar to the care information I share about just about any other chameleon species. And that is because Meller’s Chameleons are….chameleons. Just like most other chameleons, once you dial in the basics the difference betw

One of the most impressive of chameleons is the Meller’s Chameleon. Trioceros melleri is the largest of the African chameleons. With recent captive hatched specimens available in the US, Canada, and Europe more keepers have access to this special species. But there are extra preparations necessary to keep them healthy. Today I start the discussion with the top breeders of Trioceros melleri who have graciously agreed to share with you their methods for success.

Today we explore the concept of co-habitation in chameleons. For the purposes of this podcast, co-habitation is more than one chameleon living together in a cage. If the chameleons have physical access to each other it is cohabitation. By the end of this episode you will understand the “why” behind advice regarding co-habitation.

Welcome to a fascinating episode of the Chameleon Breeder Podcast where we will look into the development of a veiled chameleon in the egg. Dr. Raul Diaz is about to give us a tour of what goes on during incubation! Just what is going on inside a chameleon egg during incubation? That is a question just about every chameleon breeder has asked themselves. I am excited to say that, as a result of the work of Dr. Raul Diaz, we now know. And we are lucky enough to have the scientist himself speaking with us today. I am pleased to bring you, Dr. Raul Diaz.   I’d like to encourage you to check out the show notes to see a progression chart of embryonic development of the Veiled Chameleon. It is nothing short of amazing to think about what is going on inside the egg. Thank you for joining Dr. Diaz and me today. Have a great day and we’ll meet again next Friday for our weekly chameleon fireside chat.

We spend a great deal of time focusing on what goes into the mouth of our chameleons, but there is just as much happening at the other end of the system. And sometimes things can go wrong. Today, Dr. Rob Coke comes back on and we talk about prolapse, sperm plugs, and constipation.

In west Africa there is a line of volcanic mountains that starts in the Gulf of Guinea and makes landfall in the country of Cameroon. Upon these ancient volcanos has arisen some of the most incredible chameleons found nowhere else. Today we talk with Walter Tapondjou, a scientist whose research work focuses on the bizarre and beautiful chameleons of Cameroon.

A relatively new feeder to the reptile world is the Black Soldier Fly. There are many marketing names given to the larval stage of this insect. Today we are joined by Lauren from Symton, a company that breeds and sells the BSF to the reptile community. She will be giving us an introduction to the Black Soldier Fly!

Mark Scherz is a scientist who studies the chameleons, frogs, and other reptiles and amphibians of Madagascar. Today he brings us with him on his latest expedition through interviews and audio journals recorded while he was in the forest. We learn what his team does and what daily work is like in the field. This expedition explores Montagne d'Ambre, a mountain in the northern tip of Madagascar. Although it is a popular tourist destination, only the entrance to the national park has been well studied. The peaks and other side of the mountain are new to herpetological science. And this is where Mark takes us. We will listen to field reports, frog calls and nature's sounds directly from Madagascar in this episode series! In this second part of the podcast series, we join Mark on the Eastern side of Montagne d'Ambre as he continues his studies. His purpose is to determine how much the change in environmental conditions due to elevation develops different species.

In 2017, scientist Mark Scherz led a research team to Montagne d'Ambre in the northern tip of the island to study the difference elevation makes on speciation in chameleons and other reptiles and amphibians. During that expedition, he took an audio journal so that we on the podcast could go along with him and experience what a scientific expedition was like.

At this episode 100 milestone it is time to reflect on where we have been and how we have grown over these last 99 episodes. I share my growth in the area of chameleon hydration philosophy and describe other challenges we are up against as the chameleon community.

Today we answer the question: What Chameleon Should I Get? This is for the keeper just starting out and finding themselves faced with a myriad of choices. Let’s discuss your options and get you on the right track!

Welcome to an exploration of the world that both we and chameleons live within. We are honored to have John Courteney-Smith share with us a preview of his upcoming book. It is part 1 within the new Elements series: Fire – The Sun, its use and replication within Reptile Keeping. Today, we will talk about light and its importance to us as chameleon keepers.

Today I interview Helen Kairo from Anatomika about chameleon anatomy, MBD, and what goes on under a chameleon's skin. Helen is no stranger to the chameleon or even reptile world. If you have seen postings on social media of bright pink skeletons or beautiful images that show a window into the internal organs – that is Helen Kairo. She is actively sharing her love for anatomy and teaching. Today we get to know Helen, her art, and her outreach through her online business Anatomika. Here is our interview together.

Metabolic Bone Disease is a terminal condition. But, if caught in time, the chameleon’s life can be saved.  Today we talk about living life with a special needs chameleon. Cheryl Garcia runs the reptile section of an animal rescue called Another Chance Sanctuary in the state of Ohio. Her daily duties are to manage the rescues when she is not traveling across the country picking up reptiles too sick to ship. One thing she sees on a consistent basis is Metabolic Bone Disease. If you have been following our series on MBD you know this is a condition where the body does not get enough calcium. The most visible effect of this is rubbery bones and the degrading of the skeleton structure. It is a painful condition and, by time the inexperienced keepers gets the clue that something may be wrong, the chameleon could have gone through multiple bone breaks and jaw disfigurement. The point the keeper decides to get veterinary help, or give it to a rescue, plays a great factor in what the rest of this chameleon’s life wil

Nutritional disorders in chameleons, like Metabolic Bone Disease, are a result of us not providing natural conditions. Today, John Courteney-Smith joins me to discuss preventing illness through proper environment. Welcome, chameleon wranglers, to episode 95 where we are continuing our discussion into Metabolic Bone Disease, or MBD. MBD is important enough to get multiple episodes worth of attention because it is so prevalent in our hobby of chameleon keeping. The good news is that it is preventable and that education is readily available.

Metabolic Bone Disease, or MBD, is one of the chameleon world’s leading causes of death. And it is completely preventable. Join me in the “Scare Away MBD” campaign and let’s make MBD a story we tell from the chameleon dark ages. In this first episode we are joined by Dr. Rob Coke, the head veterinarian from the San Antonio Zoo who explains what MBD is and what is going on.

More and more chameleon breeders join our ranks every day. And you may be one of those curious about starting a chameleon breeding business. There are scores of instructional materials on how to start a business. But we have an extra twist that our product is a living creature. And with that comes added responsibility. Today we will talk about the basics of pricing your chameleon babies and how your choices affect much more than how quickly you sell the clutch.

Food and water fuel living creatures. Understanding the right fuel for your chameleon is critical to their health. Today we explore the diet of the Veiled Chameleon in the wild and how we can feed them a healthy diet in captivity.