Splendidly new, splendid lizard - Japalura spledida

froggsong · #1 (**permalink**) 05-04-2009, 05:08 AM

Oh wow, are these guys pretty! It is only 1:33 in the AM, so for the sake of not confusing anyone terrible, today refers to Sunday, and yesterday to Saturday...

So, yesterday, we stopped by the Petco to pick up some crickets. We always look at the reptiles when we go, and I ALMOST bought a little CWD as a companion for Riku, but he was injured and I wasn't going to "rescue" him. We spotted these really pretty lizards we had never seen before that were labeled as "Neon Tree Dragon"s. They were really cool, and only 19.99 per, so we asked if they had a care sheet. They did not, and in fact knew NOTHING about the animal, not even the species. SO.... I went home and did about 5 mins of research (if that...) and discovered that they are called Japalura splendida, and require the same care as my CWD, without the occasion offered veggies. They can even be found in the same regions, according to some of the limited info I have found on them so far.

I decided that I must have them, and they will be going into the large CWD enclosure when it is done. Right now, I have them in the frog tank (it has the perfect temps, humidity, foliage, etc for them, and if I think it is a problem, the frogs can be moved until the CWD tank is done). They are exclusively insectivores, so there shouldn't be an issue with them trying to eat the frogs (which are far to large to be considered prey for these small lizards anyway). They are very docile, seem to be held willingly, and the two of them get along very well.

I'm hoping I have a male/female pair. I KNOW that one of them is female... Hoe do I know, you ask? Well, I didn't hold them at the pet store, because I spent alot of time watching them and they were both active, bright and healthy looking, and when I pulled the second one out of the carry box, it felt as if she was either impacted (and likely a deadly one from the feel) or she was gravid. Well, she WAS gravid... I now have two large (compared to the lizard, and even larger than they felt inside of her) lovely eggs!

I knew it was too cold where she layed them, so I removed them to a rigged up incubator. I hope they are fertile and I hope they hatch. I can't BELIEVE that I bought a lizard that laid eggs just a few short hours after I brought it home. I read that these guys can hold off laying their eggs until conditions are correct, so I guess they like the enclosure they are in, lol. I couldn't find any info on incubation temps specific for these species, so I am shooting for between 80 and 85ish.

I have the eggs in with some moist moss in a bowl with a lid and ventilation holes small enough to allow for airflow, but not so much loss of humidity. The bowl is inside of a cardboard carry box from petsmart, with a very low wattage UTH sandwiched between the two bottom layers of cardboard (it is only 8W and doesn't get very hot at all, I tested at by holding it between my hands for a little over a half hour and it stayed warm, that's it, so I don't think it will be a fire hazzard). There is a piece of styrofoam over the top of the bowl to prevent too much heat loss (lots of vents in the top of the carry box). I have a temp probe inside the bowl, and it is reading at 83.4, which has been steady since the box warmed up. I was also very careful not to turn the eggs when I removed them (which was VERY difficult, due to the places she laid the eggs and the way the tank is set up with unmovable branches and whatnot).

Does anyone have any incubation suggestions or info they think might be helpful?

stupid computery playstationy thing.... I was typing and it got rid of everything on the page and when I cautiously used the undo button it didn't restore everything and I am NOT trying to retype all of that, lol... You'll have to be happy with what's already here.

Chu'Wuti · #2 (**permalink**) 05-04-2009, 02:19 PM

After looking them up, WOW! Very pretty lizards! I hope the eggs are viable--very exciting!

froggsong · #3 (**permalink**) 05-04-2009, 04:04 PM

what little i've read says that they are very easy to breed in captivity, so have my fingers crossed.

now all i have to do is figure out how i'm going to get them the UVB she's going to need to get her calcium back up... the frog tank was a temporary solution that didn't account for a gravid lizard... none of my UV strips are short enough to fit in there, and one of my fixtures stopped working... i'll probably rig up a feeding tank and put them in for a couple of hours a day until i get something better going. i hate to stress them, but i prefer stress to MBD. they don't seem to mind being handled, so that's good...

luckyluke · #4 (**permalink**) 05-04-2009, 09:50 PM

wow these lizards look so cool and everything i read says they are reasonable easy to keep... i am so surprised that i have never heard of them before now! Im glad someone can over ride their conscious like that, always come so close to going back in to town to buy a lizard or a frog that i saw earlier in the day/week... my 'no fun' side always seems to win out. I hope you can get some viable eggs out of the female, that would be so cool to just have a couple babies fall right in to your lap like that! Hope we can see pictures sometime soon!

froggsong · #5 (**permalink**) 05-05-2009, 03:01 PM

i took a few pics today. as soon as i get around to fixing my pc, i'll get them posted.

Chu'Wuti · #6 (**permalink**) 05-05-2009, 08:12 PM

ooooh! [jumping up & down in anticipation of a treat!]

froggsong · #7 (**permalink**) 05-05-2009, 10:28 PM

please don't hold your breath in anticipation, it's going to be a while.

today was special supplement day 'round these parts, so i chased these guys down to give them thier dose too. just a little V8 Splash withe some calcium mixed in, they all love it, even the new guys. that way i know everyone is getting thier calcium, since none of them want to eat right when i feed them if i'm not hand feeding. i actually got to watch one of the new guys eat a cricket today. she was hanging upside down and chomped it right down. it's good to see a new herp eating so soon. they seem to be settling in nicely, and i think i'm going to really enjoy thier antics.

gulogulo82 · #8 (**permalink**) 05-06-2009, 04:22 AM

Yay! Im so glad someone else in the area is providing a good home for Japa's. Your gonna love them! I've had mine for almost two years now. Im still learning too, but let me know if you have any questions and maybe I can help. If you post pics of them showing their backs, I can tell you if they are male or female by the patern. I would totally love to place an early claim for a CB baby. Mine can be a bit skittish, so I would love a CB baby.

froggsong · #9 (**permalink**) 05-06-2009, 06:14 PM

i'm almost positive that the other one is a male, which will be awesome! they just look too different. the one i'm not sure about is more patterned and has a much more defined crest.

i'm planning on keeping the babies this time, if they hatch, but if it does turn out that i have a male/female pair, i'll be selling them in the future.

i'll see about getting started on the computer this evening so i can post some pics.

froggsong · #10 (**permalink**) 05-15-2009, 09:47 PM

so... i think at least one of the eggs is viable! i can't find my little flashlight that would be best for candling, so i'm not SURE, but i think at least the one is getting darker inside. i'm so excited!!! now if only i knew what to expect for the incubation time...