Featured video of the week- how we setup our pictus eggs for incubation.
P. pictus egg incubation
A belated Christmas gift for Robin from MCSS
Shortly after Christmas, Elke received a call from an exited Robin about finding a hatchling on Petite Anse, West Mahé. Robin Bhugaloo is the “Turtle Manager” at the Four Seasons Resort, but as there has been no nesting activity on the beach this season due, most likely, to the increased human presence from the Resort, he has had very little to report... a hatchling, therefore, was a major find!
Robin Bhugaloo proudly showing off his find, photo Elke Talma.Unfortunately, the hatchling which had emerged from a neighbouring beach and was washed ashore by strong currents was very weak and died shortly after. Its death, however, was not in vain as Elke was on hand to collect a DNA sample for IFREMER.
Elke collecting DNA from the dead hatchling, photo Elke Talma. Two days later, during regular beach patrols in the area, Elke dug up a recently hatched nest with 10 stragglers. As Robin was a short drive away, the hatchlings were Robin’s reward for diligently patrolling Petite Anse since October 2009 to no avail. By the time Elke arrived at the Resort, word of the imminent release had spread like wildfire and a large group of tourist and staff had gathered to wish the hatchlings a final “bon voyage”.
Clients and staff from four Season resort, treated to an impromptu lecture on turtle conservation by Elke, photo Robin Bhugaloo.
MCSS assisting with regional turtle DNA study
Researchers from IFRMER and Kelonia using variations in the mitochondrial DNA patterns in green turtles from the Southwest Indian Ocean have revealed two distinct genetic populations within the region – namely the Indo-Pacific turtles and the Atlantic turtles.
Previously, it was believed that the Cape of Good Hope, at the tip of Africa, acted as a natural barrier between the Indian and Atlantic Ocean populations.
A little nip and tuck, photo Catarina SchlottSince the beginning of the 2009-10 nesting season, Elke has been collecting turtle DNA samples on behalf of IFRMER. To date 14 Hawksbill, 1 Green and 1 Olive Ridley tissue samples have been sent to Reunion for analysis.
Over the course of the nesting season an additional 35 Hawksbill samples have been collected from both nesting turtles and dead hatchlings and embryos dug up from nests. Samples have also been taken from 2 dead adult turtles found by MCSS during the season.
DNA can help us better understand the population distribution, photo Elke Talma
MCSS helps celebrate 15 years of the Seychelles Wildlife Clubs
A festival was organised in November 2009 to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Seychelles Wildlife Club, and Elke volunteered to talk to club members about turtles. Armed with a turtle poster from Kelonia, Tiny the inflatable turtle, lots of informative turtle leaflets, some drawing material and the “pièce de résistance”, Isabelle the terrapin who had been rescued from Anse Forbans, Elke was ready to take on the challenge of keeping a group of over 15 kids entertained for over 2 hours!
“Turtle Time” started with a question and answer session entitled “Who’s who in turtle land”, using the turtle poster donated to MCSS by Kelonia. It was clear that, despite never having seen a live turtle, the kids knew their stuff, leaving Elke to ask more challenging questions.
When it came to turtle protection laws, Elke was pleased when her avid crowd of turtle fans suggested that poachers should be locked up for 15 years for killing turtles, as opposed to the 2 years currently imposed under the Seychelles law.
Elke and her avid group of turtle fans, photo Michelle Martin
When it came to turtle protection laws, Elke was pleased when her avid crowd of turtle fans suggested that poachers should be locked up for 15 years for killing turtles, as opposed to the 2 years currently imposed under the Seychelles law.
Elke and her avid group of turtle fans, photo Michelle Martin The next session entitled “Shush! Do not disturb”, was to teach the kids the MCSS Turtle Watcher’s Code of Conduct and Tiny the inflatable turtle was key to this role playing exercise. By the end of the morning the kids, knew the Green Line number (72 21 11) off by heart, and promised to stay with a nesting turtle until she made if safely to the sea ... if they ever saw one, that is!
“Shush! Do not disturb”, photo Michelle Martin. To round off the morning activities, Elke shifted to the main attraction ... a live terrapin rescued during a recent turtle patrol and, at the time in quarantine, before her release in the Banyan Tree Resort’s Wetland. The session entitled “Meet Isabelle, the terrapin” gave the kids the opportunity to, not only learn more about terrapins but also to see how conservationist can help protect endangered animals through their work.
Under Elke’s close supervision, Isabelle was photographed, weighed and measured by the kids, much to her annoyance, giving the kids a taste for what they could be doing, should they eventually decide to work in environmental conservation.
Isabelle making her movie debut, photo Elke Talma
Isabelle making her movie debut, photo Elke Talma The morning’s turtle activities concluded with a session in which the kids could paint or, for the more talented artists, draw some turtles to show their parents what they had been up to that morning.
Turtle masterpieces by budding artists, photo Elke Talma.
Christmas and New Year break
For the those of you who may regularly log onto the MCSS turtle blog, you may have noticed a decided lack off activity on the site during January. While Elke continued to write blogs, David was in Djibouti chasing whale sharks . With limited internet access, he was unable to post any of Elke’s blogs for the period he was away.
Our apologies....
Our apologies....
Musical Chairs
Yesterday was musical chairs for the leopard breeders. The heat is on in the room, the animals are eating like nobody's business, and I am moving them into their breeding groups for the year. This is the exciting time of the year as I envision some of the neat combinations that may be produced.
Back from the dead
Wheaton All Animal show this weekend. I purchased a box of small crickets at the reptile show yesterday. Due to other commitments, my middle son and I met my wife and youngest at the soccer complex to watch him play.
Middle son drove the car home and unloaded our animals but did not get the crickets. I remembered this morning and pulled them from the car where they had been in the 35 degree temps for over 12 hours. They were all motionless at the bottom of the box, as expected. We put them in the house and around noon my wife checked them. She said that about 90% lived! It took them several hours to even start moving again but once they did, they were bouncing all over the box like popcorn
Day Gecko One, Day Gecko Two
I stayed behind to throw out the used paper cups…. Oh and to put away that day gecko. I finally decided on a XX-large deli cup, moistened a paper towel, and started to work on the tiny, lightening fast green gecko. If you know day geckos, you know what I mean when I say that I did not enjoy him leaving me down there with this task. The small incubation cup’s top was opened with hands cupped around the top, it was placed over the deli cup, and a gentle nudge coaxed the baby right onto the paper towel. Quickly putting on the XX large deli cup lid on, I proudly joined Wally upstairs for the rest of the evening.
This morning, we went down together to check on a few animals. As he noticed the new baby in its new deli cup home, and before I could share my victory from the night before he asked, “Where is the other egg”? “What egg”, I said. Well, he pointed out that 2 eggs were hatching, the new day gecko hatched from one, and so there must be another one.
I never knew day gecko eggs stuck together and thought I was throwing out a hatched egg! Ugh! I could have cried. Wally retrieved the other egg calmly and mentioned that it would be fine. Well, it might but I will not be… until I see the little head poking through the now-incubating day gecko egg.Posted by- Nanette
Sunday's Lake County Reptile Show and Lovely Young Ladies
Just a very quick update on the LCRS this past Sunday.
Jordan and I setup and greeted customers by the 10:00 open Sunday and quickly realized that the cold would keep a few folks bundled up at home. We met a number of new customers, including 3 inquisitive, young ladies (more on this in a moment) but also spent a lot of time talking to families/individuals that had purchased from me before. One family even brought in their two new baby crested geckos from a pair that I had sold them about a year ago. This just made my day!
Another note- if you are planning on purchasing animals from me at this show in the next few months, please let me know in advance. I will not be vending at the February show (will be at the NARBC show in Tinley Park instead- Sorry Ron and Nick).
Oh, the young ladies.... they are around the same age as my son Jordan (high schooler) and I found him spending MUCH more time answering their questions (many but very good questions) than I was. Slowely exiting the table I stood there and watched him interact with the ladies as I snickered with one of the show organizers. Well, last night I received a phone call (Ashly I believe was her name). If you know me, I don't give out our home phone number simply because I am in and out so much, it is easier to catch me by Email or Facebook or one of the many forums I'm on than by phone. The young lady had a great question but it was not until I hung up that I connected the dots and determined that Jordan had given this very lovely young lady our home phone # the day before at the show. She must have been disappointed when she had the 'grumpy old man' instead of the hansome Jordan answer her question.
Jordan and I setup and greeted customers by the 10:00 open Sunday and quickly realized that the cold would keep a few folks bundled up at home. We met a number of new customers, including 3 inquisitive, young ladies (more on this in a moment) but also spent a lot of time talking to families/individuals that had purchased from me before. One family even brought in their two new baby crested geckos from a pair that I had sold them about a year ago. This just made my day!
Another note- if you are planning on purchasing animals from me at this show in the next few months, please let me know in advance. I will not be vending at the February show (will be at the NARBC show in Tinley Park instead- Sorry Ron and Nick).
Oh, the young ladies.... they are around the same age as my son Jordan (high schooler) and I found him spending MUCH more time answering their questions (many but very good questions) than I was. Slowely exiting the table I stood there and watched him interact with the ladies as I snickered with one of the show organizers. Well, last night I received a phone call (Ashly I believe was her name). If you know me, I don't give out our home phone number simply because I am in and out so much, it is easier to catch me by Email or Facebook or one of the many forums I'm on than by phone. The young lady had a great question but it was not until I hung up that I connected the dots and determined that Jordan had given this very lovely young lady our home phone # the day before at the show. She must have been disappointed when she had the 'grumpy old man' instead of the hansome Jordan answer her question.
I Have A Big But!
I just realized I have a big but. Sometimes it is because of work. Sometimes it is because of time constraints. Sometimes it is because of the weather. Sometimes it is because of some factor out of my control. I have a big but! I would like to do so many more things with my family, with the geckos, or with my web page BUT I have some other commitment that in my mind sometimes keeps me from these other things. It's just a matter of getting off my big BUT and doing it!I do have a solution for this and I will be writing a future article on this called "Procrastination- how to avoid the common pitfalls". I think I will start on this tomorrow :)
Wally
Paroedura pictus Hatched With Parents!
We answer the question- “Can Paroedura pictus babies hatch and live with their parents?”
A little over a couple of months ago, I was asked if one could leave the eggs of P. pictus with their parents and expect the newborns to be ignored after their hatching. What a great question and one that needed to be answered as I could find nothing on the internet about this.
So, for 3 lays I left the eggs in with the female (15 qt tub, ½ inch sand and a couple of hides- and no male). Checking every other day when I fed, I could see the eggs just peeking over the sand, under their private hide that the female seemed to ignore. I never saw any sign that the female even cared about her earlier laid eggs.
Finally about 65 days post lay of the first eggs, I lifted the ‘egg’ hide and there it was. One solo hatchling. Well, I reasoned, I’m sure the female has been in contact with this miniature pictus so they must be able to co-exist. Right?
Moving the ‘egg’ hide caused a disturbance that initiated activity under the ‘female hide’ and it wasn’t long before she poked her head out and bolted out of the darkness of her hide. She raced to her feeding dish, which I had already added 4 or 5 small mealworms, and hungrily wolfed one down. I love watching animal behavior and this was starting to become fascinating to me. The female spotted the youngster and bolted over.
All that I can do from this point on is report the facts- The female nudged up to the smaller animal, licked it one time as geckos do when meeting up with another conspecific, then proceeded to treat it just like she would any other food item.
I neither wish to debate that this is what happens in nature nor whether this is inhumanity. I will note that baby pictus cannot be allowed to hatch in their parent’s enclosure and that I am not the one that will be performing these type of tests in the future.
So, for 3 lays I left the eggs in with the female (15 qt tub, ½ inch sand and a couple of hides- and no male). Checking every other day when I fed, I could see the eggs just peeking over the sand, under their private hide that the female seemed to ignore. I never saw any sign that the female even cared about her earlier laid eggs.
Finally about 65 days post lay of the first eggs, I lifted the ‘egg’ hide and there it was. One solo hatchling. Well, I reasoned, I’m sure the female has been in contact with this miniature pictus so they must be able to co-exist. Right?
Moving the ‘egg’ hide caused a disturbance that initiated activity under the ‘female hide’ and it wasn’t long before she poked her head out and bolted out of the darkness of her hide. She raced to her feeding dish, which I had already added 4 or 5 small mealworms, and hungrily wolfed one down. I love watching animal behavior and this was starting to become fascinating to me. The female spotted the youngster and bolted over.
All that I can do from this point on is report the facts- The female nudged up to the smaller animal, licked it one time as geckos do when meeting up with another conspecific, then proceeded to treat it just like she would any other food item.
I neither wish to debate that this is what happens in nature nor whether this is inhumanity. I will note that baby pictus cannot be allowed to hatch in their parent’s enclosure and that I am not the one that will be performing these type of tests in the future.
Crested Gecko - Baby Setup
We keep our baby crested geckos in small Kritter Keepers so we can manage them better- watch what they eat and whether or not they are pooping.
Crested Gecko - Baby Setup
Crested Gecko - Baby Setup
Wanna See What We Have Planned for 2010?
So is it Twenty-Ten or is it Two Thousand Ten? Guess I have a year to figure this out.Thank you for hanging in there this past week. You’ve read through many posts summarizing the happenings at the Kern home in 2009. This post will give you some insight to my plans in 2010 with the animals, facility, and internet presence. While this could go on and on, I will try to keep this under 50.000 words…. Or so.
Animals
To reiterate from the prior post, we are very proud of the colors of the crested and gargoyle geckos born in ’09 but really struggled producing enough to grow out to adults or to fulfill our wish lists. Our main issue related to selling our bearded dragons. How could this be linked you might ask? Well, we kept our dragons next to our cresteds and their extra heat warmed the entire room by at least 6-7 degrees! By selling the bearded dragons and taking out the 8 heat lights, our cresteds basically ‘cooled’ the entire year! The electric bill went down considerably but the number of crested/gargoyle babies went down by 2/3!!! Plans for 2010? As we are in the middle of winter (yes, still cooling) in Wisc. our Rhacodactylus are still cooling down. Once we start warming up naturally, our plan is to warm up the room with a small space heater.
We held back some high harley, Reds, Mocha’s babies, Pinstriptes, and some amazing red Harleys. As well, we held back our better gargoyles and the 4 R. chahouas from last spring.
We are planning to breeding 4 types of day geckos this upcoming year- P. standingi, P grandis, P. laticauda, and P. klemmeri.. We really enjoy working with these beautiful animals and will be holding back several, and offering some on the Store and at Reptile Shows.
Leopard Geckos- with many beautiful, different morphs bred here last year, we are most excited about mixing and matching in 2010. One aspect we will focus on will be the Raptor morph. This will be introduced to many other morphs and hopefully will produce a number of new variations (at least new to us), including Radars, Diablo Blancos, dreamsicles, and others. As usual, we will concentrate on our carrot tails as these are still one of our favorite leopard colors to work with.
Pictus- In 2009, we bred a number of P. pictus and held several back. We also purchased a line from a close friend that is an outstanding red variant! Photos will be coming in early 2010 so stay tuned!
Australians- We are working with a handful of these cute, small animals. They include knobtails, velvets, Diplos, and Strophurus. As everything was cooled this winter, our fingers are crossed that we can bred enough to offer some to our friends. However, we will probably hold several back to add to our collection.
Facility
Where in the world will I go with all the new animal that are expected to be hatched in the new year? I don’t know! I usually plan this out so well but, here I sit.... :)
If all the kids don’t move out of the house, I’m going to have to start looking around for some rental property!
Supplies
No real plans here. We like to consider ourselves the one stop shop for your gecko needs so, if you need something, let us know!
Reptile Shows
About once a month, I’m asked if we do the Texas, or California, or New York, or some other show. I wish we could get around more to these great shows but we just have no time. I’m hoping that through the year we will be able to expand out a bit and do other shows in the Midwest. Of course, if someone would like to sponsor a business to fly out to one of the coasts to do a show, I know just hte person that would be excited to come out.
Blog / Web Site / YouTube / Email / Forums
In reverse- one area I feel I neglected this past year was in participating in forum conversations. I will change this in 2010 as this is such a pleasure in my gecko keeping experience and I enjoy sharing what I can to hopefully help others in the hobby.
Our Emails will be more frequent as the goal will always be to share information- such as upcoming shows or a short note on something like hatching out a chahouas (like our November Email). If the Emails come too frequently or you do not want to see them, please click the link at the bottom… or better yet, let me know what I can change!
YouTube One thing we will continue to do is educate. Whether it is learn from our success or even sometimes learn from our struggles (like the crested gecko issue in '09), we enjoy sharing with other hobbyists as others have shared so much with us. SEND US YOUR SUGGESTIONS!
Finally Web Site- I will not go into this too much on this as I don’t want this to sound like I'm promoting our store but we have BIG plans for the site in 2010. This seems like a never ending quest for me but my goal is to provide more, and easier access to the information.
Blog- See above comment about our Store page. We will be looking at a completely new format to make this easier for us to maintain and most importantly for you to access.
Stay tuned!
Facebook / Twitter /YouTube
As there is some much potential to meet new people, we will continue to support the Supreme Gecko and the Australian Geckos pages on Facebook as well as keeping up with our Wally Kern page.
Twitter is growing so very slowly for us as we have a difficult time keeping in touch 24/7 with the tool. We might spent some time getting more Tweet Knowledgeable this next year. If you have suggestions for us, we are all ears
In summary- we have many plans for 2010- When I say many plans, I want to emphasize that we will be breeding for color, breeding for new morphs, changing our web site, offering more videos to provide more to you, the hobbyist. Again, I can only do this through your suggestions and comments so please let me know what you want to see.
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