2 Female Panthers in one cage ?

[JoeG]

Has anyone successfully kept 2 female panthers in the same cage? I have a 6 month old just starting to show the receptive female coloration & one 12 month old who is gravid. Her cage is 18 x 30 x 36 with laying bin so I was wondering if they can be kept together instead of setting up another cage with a laying bin or rearranging the younger girls cage to put a laying bin in there also [just recently found out he was a she so I didn't expect to have this situation].When I take them out to freerange in the same tree they seem to be fine together.

 

[Olimpia]

It's not a very big cage for both of them. The trick to keeping several panthers together (considering the compatability of the individual animals and all those other factors) is having enough space where they can be far away from each other if they do have conflicts or ust get sick of each other. Something as small as your cage isn't really a lot of room for them to get a good distance between them. So I would say no.

 

[kinyonga]

IMHO you will likely end up with one or both of them going downhill if you keep them together. To me its just not worth the risk.

 

[JoeG]

What are the smallest cages that can have room enough for a laying bin. If the cage is not wide, you have to choose between a live potted plant & a laying bin. I don't have enough room for another 30 wide.

 

[Olimpia]

Well, as an alternative option, you could always put something smaller in the second cage, like a tupperware, full of sand as a "test bin" and then move her into something she can't escape to actually lay the eggs in. Like, if she starts digging and you know she's ready to roll then put her in something like a kitchen trash can with 12" of sand/dirt and leave her alone in there until she's done. It's what I did with my female, perhaps it will work for you if you have space problems.

 

[NWD]

Can be done

Depends on the cham but it can be done I know ppl who have kept 4 females together in one cage...they each claim there own branch and chill. So I'd say try the two together make sure they have there own perching areas and see how it goes..if they get stressed remove them. I am currently housing two together right now and they are totally fine never seen any signs of stress or fighting.

 

[kinyonga]

How long did they live together?

 

[JoeG]

My older girl [12 months ] just started digging test holes in her bin. Does that mean she doesn't like the spot or do I need to wait a little longer ?

 

[Olimpia]

It can be done, I just don't think a cage that size (or even the 2x2x4's) are enough space to keep them happy and healthy long term. I have several male panthers living together for a few months now but in an area about 10'x7'x8', but I'm sure it wouldn't be as smooth in a small cage, especially long term. Even in such a large area they have a system set up for turn-taking, especially around the food bin. It's easier to let a hiearchy settle itself when there's enough space to let it happen, but in a small cramped space it's much harder to settle disputes without violence, I think, because there's no where for the "loser" to go to leave the dispute as a sign of peace. This is just me speculation based on the things I've observed over the last few months, but I think the same would apply to females. Females are usually more docile, but if they have a dispute there isn't space in a cage to go away. Also, they have to be like right ontop of each other to bask and such, which is uncomfortable.

That's my advice, anyway. It can be done, and I have a room to proove it, but the key word is room.

 

[kinyonga]

When a chameleon is digging its important not to let her see you watching her so she won't abandon the hole. If she abandons it often enough it can lead to egg binding.

This is the way egglaying should go...the female may dig several test holes but should settle on one and dig it until she is content with it. She should then turn around butt down, lay the eggs,fill the hole in and tamp it down and return to the branches.

The trouble with keeping more than one adult chameleon in a cage is that the stress doesn't always show until suddenly one or both of them go suddenly downhill...and believe me, it can happen very suddenly. IMHO, as I've said before...its just not worth the risk to me.

 

[JoeG]

Thank you, I'm going to keep them apart. I am concerned about the egg laying still. She dig tested twice already & was not interrupted or watched so hopefully she will lay soon. Incubator is ready.

 

[pantherlover]

she may dig test holes for 2 or 3 days depending on the temps. Do the holes look like tunnels or valleys?

 

[laurie]

Depends on the cham but it can be done I know ppl who have kept 4 females together in one cage...they each claim there own branch and chill. So I'd say try the two together make sure they have there own perching areas and see how it goes..if they get stressed remove them. I am currently housing two together right now and they are totally fine never seen any signs of stress or fighting.

I would guess we will see you back here when for some unknown reason you start having trouble with your chams. Just my opinion or my bet.

 

[NWD]

No

I watch them closely and I'd separate them before there was a problem worth noting and keeping only two together is fairly common....every reputable breeder iv spoke with has said the same it can be done just be willing to separate if u have too.....I'd say making a separate egg laying chamber would be good because privacy is important for that.

 

[Texas Panther Man]

I watch them closely and I'd separate them before there was a problem worth noting and keeping only two together is fairly common....every reputable breeder iv spoke with has said the same it can be done just be willing to separate if u have too.....I'd say making a separate egg laying chamber would be good because privacy is important for that.

Exactly how much exp do you have keeping chams? Because some of the information your giving is suspect at best. You dont even have any info on the OP. This guy/girl may be a new cham keeper. Would you still be giving him or her the same advice and say its ok to keep these gals in the smae cage? Because I know I wouldnt. A new owner may not know what signs of stress to even look for. And breeders and hobbyist say it CAN BE DONE. They didnt say it was the optimal situation or option. You can make things work, it doesnt mean its in the best interest of the animals.

 

[NWD]

Well

I didn't say they had to do it I just said it's possible if u keep an eye on them.