Ferry - Rhacodactylus Chahoua (Chewie)

[dakski]

I had to install some Exoterra (waterproof) Mossy Vines in Ferry's enclosure tonight (more on that in a moment), and he ate last night, and was rather social, so I decided we would do a little bonding tonight as well.

After his light went off, I kept one light in the room on, a small lamp, but kept the main light off, and the bright lamp off, and I took him out. He was a little active, but I put him right into his holding container anyway to install the vines.

Once installed, I took him out, and again he was active for a minute, climbing up my arm, and looked like he wanted to jump, etc. I did what I do with Ezzy in that instance; I block and distract. I got him to walk from hand to hand for a minute and sat down in my office chair (his tank is in my home office - he's my office buddy). He got comfortable and literally sat in the position in the pictures below, for 15 minutes. He let me rub his back, adjust my hands, touch his tail, whatever. He was comfy and he seems to realize, I am not going to hurt him. I think he's also beginning to realize I feed him. Finally, after 15 minutes, I started to get tired, and I put him back in his newly designed digs (see below).

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I have 2 hollow logs and 2 flat pieces of bark for Ferry. I plan to rotate one of each (have two pieces in at a time - one log and one bark piece) weekly, which will give me a week to brush and F10 the other pieces, rinse them with water, and let them dry. We do the same thing with Ezzy. She has multiple/redundant pieces as well. It also allows me to slightly change the decor of the tank and keep in interesting.

To add a little height, and because Chewie's like wrapping around smaller branches and vines, and using their prehensile tail, etc. I bought these Exoterra Mossy Vines and Jungle Vines (similar but slightly different texture and color). They are waterproof and can be cleaned the same way as the bark (I got multiples of these as well). They are flexible, but also pretty stiff. The tank he is in, a 16X16X20" PM Herp Tank without a screen top (better to keep the humidity in) has small vent slits in the back, and on the sides.

I put a zip tie on each side to run the vine through and add support and then used the real bark and log and also looped the vine over itself as well. This adds height and different size and texture for him to climb. He's only about 60G and although it might flex a little, should support him fine. If not, I also bought the large versions in case (this is the small). However, I've heard that he should prefer this size. I'll advise.

Links:

http://pmherps.com/cagenew.html

http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/jungle_vines.php

http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/moss_vine.php

Okay, looking at the pictures, I realize I can double over and twist the vines to give more integrity. I may do that and advise.

In the meantime, here's a picture of what the tank looks like now. Can you find Ferry? If so, how quickly did you find him?

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[Bogertophis]

Aww, he's so cute! He's really seems to trust you already. (don't worry, we won't tell him any different, )

And I saw him at the top right away, but then again, I used to live with Tokays. He sure does blend in though.

[dakski]

Aww, he's so cute! He's really seems to trust you already. (don't worry, we won't tell him any different, )

And I saw him at the top right away, but then again, I used to live with Tokays. He sure does blend in though.

Please don't tell him anything bad about me Bogertophis! I'll do anything!

It's bad enough the other animals are talking to him!

Seriously, trust me, this dude is cool as the other side of the pillow. He's settling in really nicely.

He ate his Dubai, now he needs to eat his Chewie Food/Gel/Goo. I gave him nothing last night and mixed up a nice bowl of it tonight. I hope to see some of it gone in the morning.

[dakski]

My mother met Ferry today for the first time. She adored him. She loved his markings and thought he was both very calm and cool and very beautiful. She even watched the video of him eating the Dubai.

However, being the softie she is, when I joked about the Dubai who came out the bark of the log, "looking for his friend after he heard the screaming and chewing," she asked if they really screamed and if they suffered?

I had to explain that I love all living creatures, but that all animals need to eat and that he won't eat dead bugs, and neither will the leopard geckos. However, the insects die very quickly and barely suffer, and NO, they do no scream!

She seemed okay with that and ultimately thought it was kind of cute the way he lunged at them and ate them (I prefer the term devoured them, but I didn't say that to her).

​"Hi Grandma!"

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[dakski]

It's hard to tell if Ferry's been eating his gel food because the bowl is pretty big and he's pretty small. I think he knows where it is and today I had him out for a minute and showed it to him putting him back. He took quite a few licks, I think to humor me, and then went back in his tank.

Either way, I'll offer some Dubai tonight.

Here are some more pictures:

Ferry saying "Good Morning! I mean Good Evening!"

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Ferry trying out the vines:

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[dakski]

A few updates on Ferry.

I tried feeding Dubai last night and although interested, he was on his vine (more on that in a minute) and I put the Dubai on the branch next to him and they were gone into, around, or fell off, it before he even had a chance to react .

I hope he found some later, but if not in or on his log, I'll either put him there, or offer in a container as discussed in a previous post.

Secondly, he found the vines. He loves the vines. Apparently Chewies like smaller branches/vines that they can wrap their prehensile tail and arms around and kind of hug. I don't think he realizes I can see him, especially with the white tank as a background, but I am not going to tell him.

Finally, he's getting very social after the lights go out.

Last night, a few minutes after his light went out, he was at the tank door looking out. I opened the door and held out my hand, he waited a few seconds, checked things out, then walked right onto my hand/arm. We walked around a bit and said goodnight to momma who was already in bed.

Then I put him back. 1 minute later, he's back at the front of the tank again. Picture below.

Vines are fun! "You can't see me Dad!"

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"Dad! I know we just played, but can we do that again? It was fun! I just woke up! Did you know that? It's nighttime. Nighttime is playtime! Dad? Where are you going? Oh, Don't go to sleep!"


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[zina10]

Haha, that is what Smeagol does.

They are demanding little critters, aren't they ???

I swear they rap their little knuckles on the door...HELLO...ANYONE...LET ME OUT. NOW!

[richardhind1972]

That is pretty cute

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[Bogertophis]

I would try putting the Dubai* into a bowl they cannot climb out of (*they don't fly, do they? some roaches do...) & put the bowl under his vine where he
can see it from his "perch". This way they won't get "lost" in the cage, hopefully? They'll move around in a bowl & I'm betting he'll hear them and investi-
gate, especially at night.

[dakski]

I would try putting the Dubai* into a bowl they cannot climb out of (*they don't fly, do they? some roaches do...) & put the bowl under his vine where he
can see it from his "perch". This way they won't get "lost" in the cage, hopefully? They'll move around in a bowl & I'm betting he'll hear them and investi-
gate, especially at night.

Yeah, already tried that. No interest. He wants to hunt them. Does not associate the bowl with food even if the Dubai are in them. If they are walking on a log, it's FOOD TIME!