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new chameleons/ questions

fantasyxbabygurl May 23, 2008 10:54 PM

So i just got these two chameleons. i believe there between 9-12 months old. I cant figure out whats going on with them. Im new to chameleons but not to reptiles.

To start it off the girl who gave them to me gave me them both in a 10gl tank with a wirecage about the same size that clips on. I know they need a way bigger size and they need to be seperated. Im assuming though that this is what they have been in since she bought each of them.

Anyway my past attempt at posting pictures didnt work so i have links to pictures to help discribe what im talking about.

First the male:

http://www.lizards.com/learn/veiledChameleon.jsp

There are 4 pictures at the top of the page. the second looks exactly like my male. is this normal coloring? most of the time he also seems to suck in his tummy like the third picture. Is that normal? it makes him seem so much smaller than the female who seems kinds ....round, chubby, wide.

2nd the female:

http://chameleonsonly.com/Pictures/Veiled - gravid female.jpg

I know this is a picture of a gravid female but i read that they will look like this when they are ready to breed as well. She looks exactly like this and as far as i can tell theres no "telling" bump right before the hind legs.

There temperments are confusing me as well. They dont act aggresively towards eachother although the male keeps his distance and she does sometimes open her mouth at him when he tries to climb up her (i know, im trying to get bigger cages for them). The male lets me reach in and he'll climb up onto me without a fuss. the female wont budge when i stick my hand in there and usually open her mouth at me but no hiss or bite.

I put a dish of moist sand in the bottom because i though she was gravid but now im wondering if possibly she just changed her color to receptive breeding colors and the males just not interested.

Thanks for the help.

Replies (1)

kinyonga Jun 01, 2008 09:08 PM

You said..."I know this is a picture of a gravid female but i read that they will look like this when they are ready to breed as well. She looks exactly like this and as far as i can tell theres no "telling" bump right before the hind legs"...if the two of them have been together and she looks alike the picture, then she is likely gravid. How old are they? How long have they been in the same cage?

You said..."she does sometimes open her mouth at him when he tries to climb up her...that is a warning to stay away from her. (i know, im trying to get bigger cages for them).

You said..."I put a dish of moist sand in the bottom because i though she was gravid"..I recommend leaving the container of sand in there so you don't miss any of the subtle signs that she is gravid.

You are definitely right about getting them separated and into bigger cages...ASAP!

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