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 #379572


Keke
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 Butterfly Agama

A local pet store that I get my crickets from just got in a mating Butterfly Agama pair. I was wondering if anyone ever kept these guys or knows anything about them?
06/23/05  01:26am

 #423830


Dragon77
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   Message To: Keke   In reference to Message Id: 379572


 Butterfly Agama

Yes! Butterfly Agamas are WONDERFUL - usually very tame and handle well. I’m planning on getting a mated pair shortly. They are from the Vietman area, so they prefer a moist, jungle environment - some caresheets will say they want a desert terrain, but that is not preferable. Crickets, mealworms, superworms, etc are their main staple, but you can supplement them with fruits & veggies if you can get them to eat them (my male never did). They are avid climbers and like running water, so be sure to have a fountain or a water basin with a pump.

--- Dragon77



08/01/05  01:30pm

 #425178


Reptic Haven
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   Message To: Dragon77   In reference to Message Id: 423830


 Butterfly Agama

Well said.
08/02/05  12:08pm

 #602963


Flissy
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   Message To: Keke   In reference to Message Id: 379572


 Butterfly Agama

I have two of these precious babies. They are full grown but they truly are my babies. It has not been easy as I have lost one by using a heat rock and was too dumb and under informed to know that they will not get off of one if it is too hot. It was apparently damaged internally. I now keep an under the tank heater and a light above them. Have your local pet shop to order you the book called Ueromastics (probably mispelled) and Butterfly Agamas. It has been most helpful to me. They are mostly vegetarians, or so the book says, but they cannot read, and prefer crickets to vegetables. Their favorite vegetables are zuccinni, and turnip ggreens. They love mango pieces and other fruits. Limit the fruit because too much fruit will give them dhirrea. Limit strawberries and never give them spinach. They must be kept warm. Never let them get below 83 degrees and never over 120. I try to keep them between 85 and 100. As they have to have this constant temperature, and I don’t have the perfect burrowing conditions, I cover them at night with black felt. The start getting restless at "bedtime" and will start scratching the substrate and watching for me to cover them up. When they see the black felt in my hands, they lay down (usually with their heads flat on the surface of their substrate, near each other, between their little feet and close their eyes. These "babies" are so precious and tame. They like to go to bed around 7 pm and like to sleep till around 9 am. I wait about 1 hour after they are uncovered to feed them. By covering them with the black felt, I can leave the light on them all nigh long and maintain a constant temperature. Be carefull uncovering them and let them awake on their own, because waking the startles them and they will dart around and run into the sides of their cages.
I have had problems with both of the babies because they are very territorial and one will keep the other one from eating. I feed them in two seperate bowls, andin each on the opposite sides of the cage. I have had to take them both to the vet to get shots of Vitamin B12 to perk them up because they had stopped eating. He was very good with them and taught me to give the shots, and now I have a bottle of Vitamin B12 and syringes and have had to administer the shots myself, only once.
When introducing anew one ito the cage with the other, I suggest taking the former out of the cage for atleast adayor so, then introducing back into the cage where the newest one is. Watch them closely and make sure one does not lay down across the other sons food to keep it from eating. alway keep a saperate bowl foe each. I gutload my cricketw with baby food, usually mixed vegetables (without spinach orpreservative) Iplace several dozen crickets in the cage at all times. Imis calcium in the baby food with a herp vitamin supplement. This gives the crickets the esxtra vitamins the "babies" need. I also sprinkle alittle calcium on theit zucinni once or twice a week. These babies are a little more complicated than some other herpes, but they are well worth the effort. They are very loving and can be held and have their tummies and chins rubbed, but they are very fast and will unexpedly jump and run. Let them run till they stop as long as they are not running toward something dangerous. My cat runs around it, then touches it with hr paw and diverts it back toward me, and it must consider me the least of the two evils, because it will usually run backto me and upmy arm. Good luck with your babies and don’t expect to get results from breeding them. They rarely breed in captivity. You also stand a good chance of getting one of the strains of innerbred ones which are considered "hybred" and won’t produce anything but sterile males or females that are not breedable. Keep a close eye out for external parasites. Luckily mine have never has any.




01/12/06  01:37pm

 #765109


Reptile.man
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   Message To: Flissy   In reference to Message Id: 602963


 Butterfly Agama

from paulmacs?
04/30/06  03:54pm

 #841875


Jason 32
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   Message To: Keke   In reference to Message Id: 379572


 Butterfly Agama

Hi there can someone help me i have 4 butterfly agamas and would like more info about them
thanyou



06/20/06  07:06pm

 #886245


Mushmouse
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   Message To: Jason 32   In reference to Message Id: 841875


 Butterfly Agama

where can you get one?
07/15/06  08:34pm

 #894605


Bouncer
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   Message To: Flissy   In reference to Message Id: 602963


 Butterfly Agama

I have one butterfly agama it is a female and has layed 4 eggs. I would like to get a male and introduce them to see if maybe i can successfully breed them. I am afraid to because i do not want anything to happen to doejo thats her name. what would you reccamend doing? also i was wondering how big of a cage i should have for 2 full grown agamas if they both reach 20 inches.??



07/20/06  08:41am

 #1158891


GeckoDragon
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   Message To: Bouncer   In reference to Message Id: 894605


 Butterfly Agama

are these butterfly agamas good for tolerating handling????? thanks


geckodragon
02/03/07  12:10pm

 #1185068


Daisyandmaisy
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   Message To: Dragon77   In reference to Message Id: 423830


 Butterfly Agama

I have 2 Butterfly Agamas that now have stubs for hands. All of their fingers have fallen off. Anyone know why or if and how I can get them to grow back?



02/23/07  11:40pm

 #1245672


Lizard_lady
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   Message To: Daisyandmaisy   In reference to Message Id: 1185068


 Butterfly Agama

Mine lost a couple toe tips. They get them caught on things or nipped off by other cage mates. Mine caught one on a hammock which he loves and one on carpeting. They don’t grow back.



04/14/07  02:39am

 #1619160


Loopylou
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   Message To: Lizard_lady   In reference to Message Id: 1245672


 Butterfly Agama

I have a Butterfly Agamas but I’m a bit worried we bought him as a set deal including cage after a few months he lost his front nails/claws he has grown to big for his tank so we upgraded to a bigger tank so he has plenty of room and is so much happier but now his front feet are bleeding and the sand is sticking to them and in his hiding rock it is covered in blood, does anyone know why this is and what we can do to help them, i have read that they wont grow back but how do i stop the bleeding
be very great-full for your comments
02/11/08  04:17am

 #1632448


Flip811
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   Message To: Loopylou   In reference to Message Id: 1619160


 Butterfly Agama

I have one butterfly agama (I think she’s a girl, but I don’t know for sure). When I got her and her boyfriend I was told a lot of misinformation and put them in a small cage with no substrate to burrow in.
The boy died unexpectedly and she bounces back and forth form great health to deaths door every few months. She thrives on superworms, but I have a hard time giving them to her (long story). Right now she acting again like she is ready to die, but if she was soaked and helped with her shed and fed lots of supers, I’m sure she’d bounce back. Is there anyone near Gainesville, Florida that would like her? If you come and pick her up, I will give her to you for free. I just want have a better life....
02/21/08  06:34pm

 #1916562


Golinveaux
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   Message To: Flip811   In reference to Message Id: 1632448


 Butterfly Agama

I have had the same problem and have kept my BA alive by feeding the following with a syringe every other day while still trying to get him to eat regular diet.

2 oz. Ensure High Calcium meal replacement drink
1 tsp. Repashy Crested Gecko diet
1/2 tsp. Peach baby food
1/2 tsp. Chicken baby food

I serve this at room temp. and he loves to gulp it down slowly through the syringe. I would do anything if he would eat but nothing I have tried works and he was not thriving at all. I also make sur to soak him in warm water once a week and also offer watr through the syringe. Let me know if this helps or you find a solution to getting yours to eat. If you decide you are not up to hand feeding so often I have a rescue service and would be happy to add another "bottle baby" to care for.

As far as the toe loss it is probably incomplete shed that has constricted the blood flow and caused the toes to fall off and they will not grow back. To stop the bleeding you can purchase some styptic powder at the pet stoe and follow th directions..t is used on dogs when the quick is cut and bleeding. Also I would not keep BA on sand they prefer more humid conditions. Try aspen bedding which will greatly help in the healing process of those toes and provide a better burrowing substrate with more humidity.

Thanks and good luck,

Georgia



12/18/08  05:19am

 #2065763


Quidditch93
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   Message To: Dragon77   In reference to Message Id: 423830


 Butterfly Agama

what is the diffrenece between agama and agamids??



08/31/09  09:21am

 #2071609


Kibalus
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   Message To: Daisyandmaisy   In reference to Message Id: 1185068


 Butterfly Agama

I’ve had my darling BA for 5 years now, she’s really sweet, but like yours her feet are now all stubs. She had already lost two fingers when i bought her -and had to have part of her tail removed due to an infecion because she wasnt cared for well in the shop- but the rest have broken off mainly because of poorly made plastic hides with kinks and cracks in them. I advise you to check all your plastic hides and equipment so there is no where that you can imagine that your BA would be able to harm itself. I removed all of those hides from the viv and added a larger amount of sand and some flat rocks she can dig under which she seems to prefer to the hides.
Another thing thats problematic about BAs is the fact that they love to dig. If you dont have enough substrate -whatever you are using- they will tend to dig to the bottom of the viv and continue scraping away at the glass, which damages their bones to the point that their fingers start to break. Mine still does that despite the huge amount of sand, but less then she used to.
Also most storebought BAs -this goes for other reptiles aswell- are prone to having MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease) due to the fact that they arent exposed to proper lighting, and dont get proper Calcium/vitamin amounts when young. This makes their bones weak and easy to snap, which leads to the stumpy feet. Mine has a confirmed case of it, but a local breeder has assured me that the main reason for stumpy feet in BAs is the lack of substrate and their obsession with digging. -and i believe him as he is a profesional and has been breeding them along with many other reptiles for years- If your BAs are still young, you might still have a chance of fixing this problem to some extent, by providing them with proper lighting and a proper diet. Keep in mind that reptiles have a Calcium:Phosphorus ratio of 2:1, which means their body will want to keep it at this equilibrium. Feeding reptiles with MBD foods that are rich with phosphorus will cause the body to take the calcium from different places in the body to restore the 2:1 equilibrium, which means that the Calcium will go out of their bones/blood plasma, hence weakening them. And if the Calcium isn’t replaced the bones/ and blood plasma will still remain defficient and so gradually get weaker and weaker.
Anyways here are so foods that are rich with phosphorous and should tehrefore be avoided in large quantities: Bannana, Brussle Sprouts, CORN (has a Ca:P ratio of 1:13!), Tomatoes and Mushrooms
while some good Ca-rich ones are: Broccoli leaves, Cabbage, Chard, Kale and Watercress
Another reason for MBD is ofc lighting. Make sure you somehow get vitamin D3 into your BA at an early stage, either through vitamin supplaments or lighting.

Hope some of this helps :)
09/14/09  01:34pm


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