Male & Female Veiled Growth Difference?
- Thread starter mika
- Start date
Chameleons Northwest
Avid Member
How old are they? Initially, growth may be about the same. But as they mature it would be possible for the male to be twice the size/weight of the female. Not literally twice as long, but a bit longer in hte body and a lot beefier. We have an adult female veiled that weighs about 100g and a male that weighs 220g.
Chameleons Northwest
Avid Member
That size difference does seem a bit extreme and I wonder if the female is not thriving for some reason. We have not raised baby chams. Hopefully an experienced breeder will offer advice here shortly.
mika
New Member
I was wondering the same thing. She doesn't seem to be getting any bigger. I've had her for about a month now. I've been feeding her crickets and fruit flies. She doesn't like silkworms. I was thinking of weighing her but she's sleeping right now.
Brad Ramsey
Retired Moderator
Do you have them housed together?
Are they competing for food?
-Brad
Are they competing for food?
-Brad
Brad Ramsey
Retired Moderator
Describe their enclosures and the lighting you are using, also the temps.
-Brad
-Brad
chamlover
New Member
We got 3 baby veileds at a reptile show all about 2 mos old and not related. 1 female and 1 male grew steadily while 1 female did not. I bought a scale and weigh all my chams( especially the babies ) every Monday. So when 1 wasn't growing i could tell right away. As it turned out in my case, i had the 3 cages all together and had put a brown paper bag in between the cages so they coudn't see each other. To my surprise 3 weeks later , i noticed that they coudln't see each other, but they could see shadows and the female that was in the middle could see the shadows of the other 2 and even though she was eating as much as they were, was not putting on any weight at all. Once i solved that problem she put on 2-4 gr a week and is now up to 34 gr. As far as the male and other female there is quite a bit of difference in weight, but like someone said she will only be half of the weight of him. Weigh her and try to see some other underlying problem as to why she might not be gaining.
mika
New Member
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Screen Cage. 36"H, 18"L, 17"D.
Lighting - Reptisun fluorescent tube 5.0, 18 inches that goes across the top of the enclosure. I keep it on from 730 to 7pm.
Temperature - Basking spot is 80-85F. Temps at night from 65-71F.
Humidity - I try to keep it at 40-70%.
Plants - Live ficus and pothos, 2nd enclosure where female is has hibiscus and pothos.
mika
New Member
I have a very dark pillowcase cover that hangs between the 2 enclosures. I'm pretty sure they can't see each other but I will definitely start weighing her because it doesn't seem to me like she's gaining any weight or getting any bigger.
Brad Ramsey
Retired Moderator
Mika,
That all sounds good ... although a little large for their current sizes, but that wouldn't effect her growth unless she is having trouble finding food.
Babies are generally really good eaters and she should be offered as much as she wants (in one or two controlled feedings) each day.
Is she eating well?
-Brad
That all sounds good ... although a little large for their current sizes, but that wouldn't effect her growth unless she is having trouble finding food.
Babies are generally really good eaters and she should be offered as much as she wants (in one or two controlled feedings) each day.
Is she eating well?
-Brad
mika
New Member
Hi Brad,
I have fruit flies everywhere and the crickets I put in a cup for her to eat. She does eat but I don't think she eats a lot. I've seen her hunt for food too. I had the crickets in a 1 inch tall cup and changed it to a 3-4 inch cup about a week ago (one of those 32 oz deli cups that the silkworm chow comes in from mulberry farms) because the crickets were jumping out. Not that I mind them escaping, just wanted them in one place so she can easily find them. I just switched it back yesterday to the 1 inch ones because I don't think she was eating from the big cup.
She only uses half of that cage because I have a 5 gallon hibiscus (lowes said this is the smallest they have) that takes up the other half. She doesn't go any lower than the base of the plant.
She's still tiny and has that "umbilical cord" i posted previously.
Do you think she has worms or parasites? But worms would show under their skin right? Should I try something like "Parazap"?
Brad Ramsey
Retired Moderator
I would first try moving her into a small enclosure (like a Kritter Keeper)
for feeding sessions.
Dress it with a branch or two and release the crickets and fruitflies (free range) in it with her for 1/2 an hour at a time a couple of times a day.
Be sure to dust 1/3 or so of the crickets with whatever supplement you use that day (you are rotating 3, I assume).
-Brad
for feeding sessions.
Dress it with a branch or two and release the crickets and fruitflies (free range) in it with her for 1/2 an hour at a time a couple of times a day.
Be sure to dust 1/3 or so of the crickets with whatever supplement you use that day (you are rotating 3, I assume).
-Brad
mika
New Member
I was thinking of also doing that but I thought it would stress her out so I didn't try it. I'll give it a shot.
Also she was eating fine before with the 1 inch cups but I'm not sure why she's still the same size.
Yes, I'm rotating the supplements. I use the Cal with and w/out the d3, mineral O and herptivite.
Brad Ramsey
Retired Moderator
Excellent.
Keep a log of her eating habits for a few days under the previously described method/idea.
This information will give you a place to work from and a better ability to asses if food intake (or lack thereof) could be contributing to her slow growth.
-Brad
Keep a log of her eating habits for a few days under the previously described method/idea.
This information will give you a place to work from and a better ability to asses if food intake (or lack thereof) could be contributing to her slow growth.
-Brad
dodolah
Retired Moderator
hi Mika. Not all parasites/ worms would show under chameleon's skin.
If you are really worried, the next time you see a fresh poop from your baby chameleon, grab it and put it inside a ziplock bag and have a vet do a fecal test.
MaddyandDakota
New Member
My Female is MUCH larger
I also have a male and female (in separate cages) who are now 9 months old. My female veiled cham is HUGE compared to the male. My son and I each got one and he was so worried that his male was sick b/c he was so much smaller. The male acts completely fine and doesn't seem bothered by the fact that the female is much larger. I have read that males are supposed to be larger, but maybe sometimes they just aren't as big. When I bred them I was actually glad our female was larger, I thought it gave her a better shot at rejecting the male if the timing wasn't right. I think as long as they are eating right, you are giving them water, the appropriate lighting and vitamins then maybe some are just a little smaller.
I also have a male and female (in separate cages) who are now 9 months old. My female veiled cham is HUGE compared to the male. My son and I each got one and he was so worried that his male was sick b/c he was so much smaller. The male acts completely fine and doesn't seem bothered by the fact that the female is much larger. I have read that males are supposed to be larger, but maybe sometimes they just aren't as big. When I bred them I was actually glad our female was larger, I thought it gave her a better shot at rejecting the male if the timing wasn't right. I think as long as they are eating right, you are giving them water, the appropriate lighting and vitamins then maybe some are just a little smaller.
