A Trip to The San Diego Wild Animal Park

[Thumper]

Hi guys, so I had an awesome day today. It all started off with my girlfriend and I going to the San Diego Wild Animal Park where we are members.

Nile Monitor at the Wild Animal Park.

The Wild Animal Park closes at 5pm so I suggested we make a trip to LLL Reptile down the street in Escondido. That's when I found him/her in the back. It was love at first sight. A black and white hatchling burried under the mulch with only it's green head sticking out like an alligator in a pond. I held it and knew it was the one. I pick this little guy up tomorrow. I'm so excited!

I also got to hold their 13 year old resident male red tegu. He's way more tame than my dog. Lol

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

I am loving the spots on top of spots, in between spots and around spots on that tegu.

 

[chelvis]

I am so happy someone on the fourm is getting the little tegu at the escondido LLL. Its a tiny cage but the little giy/girl looks healthy. Man i got to get back to the Wild Animal Park. I wish my camera had not died when I got to go behind the scense at the reptile house at the zoo.

 

[Thumper]

Thanks guys. Hey Chelvis, where in San Diego are you?

 

[james.w]

Do they have a decent amount of reptiles between the wild animal park and zoo?

 

[babyyitslove]

Very cool!!! And its funny that you say their red is super tame... because my 6 year old red is a lot easier to hold and cuddle than my b&w female.
He just seems a lot calmer and less squirmy when being held.

 

[chelvis]

Thumper - currently I am out in Julian so its a stretch to say I am in San Diego proper. I got to the zoo and the park on maybe 10 to 15 times a year.

James - the wild animal park has maybe 6 or 7 reptiles, the zoo on the other hand has oh I think Rob says his section (1/4 of the reptile house) he has 200 animals and 110 speices in his care alone. The San Diego zoo has tons of reptiles that other zoos and collectors would droll over. They only display about 1/2 the collection. They had 20 Figi Iguanas when i was there. New Zeland even trusted them with two pairs of Tuatara's for breeding. I am bummed they got rid of their gators though. No tegus on display but I love looking at their Caiman Lizards and seeing what Bacardi will look like.

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Golden Frog

Kamodo Dragon

Hall way one, the big black thing in the background in the back door for the King Cobra enclosure

Still in the hallway

Green Tree Monitor, they had oh about 10 or so.

sadly that is when my camera died

Just before heading there were got to meet one of their ambassador animals

And just for good messure, my own litte dragon.

 

[Thumper]

Those are some sweet pics Chelvis. Here's some more of my little guy. Do you guys think it's too early to sex based on head shape?

Here's a pic of us chillaxin

And a little feeding video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTjkiCrDPlg&feature=youtube_gdata_player
I love the explosive movement when he goes for the cricket.

 

[BillieJeAn]

Awl too cute!

 

[Rhetoric]

Congrats on the new tegu! I wish we had more exciting reptile places near by... We just have the zoo... It's lame. I think its a little small to tell the sex, how big is it? Usually you can start to feel spurs (if male) when they are 18-24"

 

[chelvis]

For spurs its way too early. Some of the more experiace breeders on the fourm can get a good idea on the sex from the head shape and other features as a hatchling. Maybe someone else will come on and give us an idea.

 

[Thumper]

Here's a shot of the top of his head. I like his teardrop between his eyes. If he turns out to be a she I won't be disappointed. I ended up naming him Croc.

 

[TeguBuzz]

That's a beautiful tegu my friend. I got my blue yearling, Sobek, yesterday. He's tame as can be, with some real high whites.

 

[Thumper]

Here's a new video of my little buddy "Croc." Check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt_R9LXkgLc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

@tegubuzz Sobek looks cool. I was originally looking for a blue but then I found this guy.

 

[Thumper]

Hey Chelvis I read something about captive bred green trees not being super green like the wild caughts. That picture you posted looks like what I read about.

 

[chelvis]

Ya the parents were imports and had amazing coloring to them! The keeper was actully working on why this happens. His thoughts were possibly diet, humidity, lack of green cover or even that the UV wave lenght was different then what the bulb is or the sun wave lenght here in San Diego as they get a few hours of natural sun as well.