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Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

Jackson, never green?

joy143 Nov 18, 2003 07:30 PM

I recently purchased a trio of adult Jackson's. The male shows green color all the time, but 2 females show redish and have some dark pied... (I don't know how to describe.) Sometimes they show light brown-red all over, no spots(). I don't know if that's what we call "red phase" or they are gravid? If you have any information, please let me know. Thanks.

The picture of female when she doesn't show any pied.
http://members.cox.net/cshy1/matt/jackson2.jpg

Next picture shows what she looks like almost of the time.
Image

Replies (10)

gomezvi Nov 18, 2003 07:44 PM

Gravid female Jax don't have a gravid coloration outside of their normal coloration. From the pictures, looks like you have 2 red-phase female Jacksons.
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Victor Gomez
gomezvi.tripod.com/sdchamkeepers/
gomezvi@yahoo.com

chamsrcool Nov 19, 2003 02:37 PM

thats red phase but it looks like a stressed red phase.

all of your chamsleoens have separate cages and they can't see each other right?

Carlton Nov 19, 2003 04:26 PM

Whichever phase (I haven't seen the reds myself) she looks stressed. The diamond markings on her sides are typical of stress and should disappear when she's calm. I'd at least separate them visually to be safe. It always takes a while to get to know each cham's "menu" of color and mood.

joy143 Nov 20, 2003 01:38 AM

They are in a big cage, 2L' X 4W' X 4'H. I put some branches and plants in it, but seems not enough. They came to me on last Wednesday, maybe they need more time... One of the females does show the stressed marks more often then the other, and the male seems fine. I will put more plants in, hopefully that will help.
Image

gomezvi Nov 20, 2003 10:18 AM

>>They are in a big cage, 2L' X 4W' X 4'H. I put some branches and plants in it, but seems not enough. They came to me on last Wednesday, maybe they need more time... One of the females does show the stressed marks more often then the other, and the male seems fine. I will put more plants in, hopefully that will help.
>>
-----
Victor Gomez
gomezvi.tripod.com/sdchamkeepers/
gomezvi@yahoo.com

joy143 Nov 20, 2003 02:28 PM

p

trinacliff Nov 20, 2003 04:08 PM

I hate to be the one to tell you this, but they need to be seperated into their own cages. They do not fare well when together because they are stressed by the presence of each other.
It's even best if they can not see one another (i.e. screen cages next to each other should have some visual barrier between them).

I'm sure whoever you bought them from did not tell you this. You wouldn't believe that I hear breeders at herp shows telling potential buyers that they can live together.

Once you get them settled into their own cages, they should lighten up and be a much prettier color.

Good luck
Kristen
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1.1 pygmy leaf
1.0 carpet
1.0 jackson
0.0.3 red eared sliders

joy143 Nov 20, 2003 04:42 PM

I was told that they can be housed together as long as cage is well planted. I guess that he just didn't tell me that by "cage" he meant greenhouse.

Will seperate them very soon. Thank you all for your input.

Carlton Nov 20, 2003 04:28 PM

This is most likely your main problem. Not all chams tolerate each other equally. Even if they don't physically attack each other there is usually one who becomes dominant, with the others becoming submissive, unable to compete as well for food, water, basking spots or favored perches. One or more will eventually get sick or die. To keep them in the same cage (really hard unless its greenhouse sized generally) you will either have to fill it with so many plants YOU can't find them, offer multiple basking, feeding, drinking, and roosting spots to keep them alive, or separate them. Your 1 stressed female is already in trouble and low in the pecking order and should be moved out of sight of the others.

chuckelliott Nov 26, 2003 05:33 PM

I've had a fem. now for almost a year. She dropped babies after I got her. She's been that exact color the whole time I've had here and she's doing great. she does get green sometimes at night and when I put her on my 10' ficus tree. Other than that she has the same color as yours. she will also get darker when she basks in the sun and then go green.
fyi,
chuck

ps try pulling a single fem. out for awhile and see if two works in the cage.

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