Furcifer labordi are endemic to the western coastal lowlands of Madagascar. There is a marked rainy season from November to March and the humidity is consistently high. Aim for 70% or better. There will be annual and daily temperature fluctuations but temperatures are fairly warm during the day. (25-30C). The labordi can also tolerate a temperature drop at night.

Perhaps people who have been to Madagascar can comment more on specific climates?!?

I don't see any live plants in their cage; considering how shy they are; I'd make sure the vivarium is densely planted. They are also both female and probably gravid so make sure you've got a proper egg laying chamber in the cage as well.

They certainly are beautiful animals and I wish you the best of luck with them.

Cheers,
Trace

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Oh, my, god. Becky, look at her cham. It is so small. She looks like, one of those herp guys' girlfriends. But, y'know, who understands those herp guys anyways? They only talk to her, because, she looks good in khaki's, 'kay? I mean, her cham, is just so small. I can't believe it's just so ungrateful, it's like, out there, I mean - gross. Look! She's just so ... COOL!
I like small chams and I can not lie. You other keepers can't deny...

Man, even with how blurry those original photos were, I kept going back to them wondering if they could be, they just didn't look right to be lateralis but I didn't figure they would actually be F. labordi...what a shame.

This species has been illegal to export from Madagascar since 1995 and very little breeding of this species has ever occurred in captivity. I'm going to venture a guess and say that you're located in Asia, am I right? This species is still sent out of Madagascar illegally, particularly to Asia. This species is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red Listed of Threatened Species. Of the more then 180 chameleon species, only 9 are IUCN listed. This isn't to say that more shouldn't be listed, but...many of the designations are out of date and need to be updated. To give you an idea, Brookesia perarmata is also listed as vulnerable and they are on CITES appendix I (the only chameleon species to be listed as such).

Recent research has shown that in at least some populations, this species is extremely short lived with complete cohort die offs during the dry season and a life span of 4-5 months from hatching to breeding to death. Since during the dry season, the only specimens surviving of the species are eggs, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize what a horrific impact collecting females from these populations can cause. They just are not a species that should be taken out of their habitat it seems...

Your females definitely need more vegetation in their enclosure. Give them a temperature gradient for them to choose what temps they are comfortable with. I've not been to the area this species comes from but did visit a little further South where their relative F. antimena lives. I would assume it is similar and during the wet season, vegetation is very thick, lush and you should make sure you provide your girls with ample water via misting and drip. I would not try to simulate an authentic dry season if I were you though.

Chris

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Christopher V. Anderson
Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Integrative Biology
University of South Florida
cvanders@mail.usf.edu
Professional Website; Chameleons! Online E-Zine; Chameleon Care & Information Center (CCIC)

After going back and looking at the pics again, I noticed the newspaper text and realized that my guess about you being in Asia was more obvious then I thought. Some of the species that are illegally exported to Asian markets still are unbelievable...really a shame...

Chris

the chinese get everything on the black market

The collecting will stop when the demand declines. Raising awareness could dramatically decrease the sales, but this doesn't seem to be as big of an issue on American soil. It might be a good idea to post a "Sticky" thread with some images of species that shouldn't be purchased. Enough "What Did I Just Purchase?" threads come onto this forum to justify it.

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2.4.0 Furcifer pardalis (Sambava)

WOW how beautiful. Reading what everyone else has said about them I will also have to add. WHAT A SHAME!

Asia or Hacienda Heights.