In a message dated 11/30/01 12:53:50 AM Eastern Standard Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
<<
I'd like to know if anyone can explain this: I keep PHelsuma mad mads,
and every now and then one will pick up a piece of LECA (little clay
balls) or a rock (I use those for substrate, and they are too big for
the gex to swallow) and shake it around, run around with it in the
mouth, etc. Makes a nice percussion instrument, but has anyone else
seen this??
Thanks,
Melody
>>
Hi-
I once kept 1.2 Pm grandis in a 55 gallon tank in my living room. I was often
around to see their activities and banging rocks was one of them.
I thought at first they were trying to eat the stones, but they never did.
And some of the stones were much too large to be mistaken for a food item.
Then I thought they were mineral deficient, but they were well fed and
healthy. And very productive.
I watched them for long periods of time, wondering if they were using the
stone as a tool somehow. ( In my mind I already had my paper written and
mailed to all the herp journals). I still coudn't figure it out. Could the
stones resemble some beetle or animal that predates phelsuma? Were they
trying to kill it? When I couldn't explain it my theories got less and less
plausible.
It seemed to me in the long run that it was just something they did with
stones.
But I'm glad someone else witnessed this behavior. I thought my "kids" were
a bit wacko.
Jason
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