Amibilobe Panther Boy or Girl?

[guacamole2025]

Hey everyone,

I’m new and have just purchased my very first and very sweet amibilobe panther. He was sold to me as a male of around 4/5months old. They said you can see his red starting to come through and he’s just started getting his colours…

I can’t help but wonder though with all the info online that he might actually be a she?

I can’t see any indication of a hemipenal bulge but I know sometimes they can also be super subtle when juvenile.

Colours showing right now range from darker browns and beige to a pastel turquoise and reddish-orange. I am also sure I saw the tiniest tints of green dotted along near his spikes and on his cheek “freckles” today.

Can anyone abit more experienced help better identify his/her sex?

 

[Beman]

Hey there welcome to the forum. This is a little girl. Showing classic female coloring. But if you take a look at her tail she is showing no hemipenial bulge at all. So this is how we would be able to tell that you 100% have a girl not a boy. And at the current size of this baby it is not a situation of it being too small to tell.

She is a very pretty girl. Love her teal blush on her cheeks. Husbandry for a girl is going to change a bit when it comes to temps and feeding amounts. Temps would be max 80 at basking. Then below I am adding the feeding for a female so you have full detail. Basics like UVB and supplementation need to be spot on for girls because of their egg production and to ensure they are very healthy for it.

Females:

As she matures you will have to start cutting back her food. By about 6-7 months she should be getting about 5-8 small feeders each day. At about 7-8 months you want to slowly reduce by cutting down feeder amounts so that she is on a feeding schedule of 3 days a week with 3 feeders. You want them to be on this schedule by the time they are 9-10 months old.


You will not ever want basking to be over 78-80 for her. Very important for females because as she ages she needs this temp no higher at basking to help control the amount of eggs she produces. The hotter the temp the more their metabolism speeds up so we have to keep the temp lower since we are doing lower food intake.

A lay bin should be added as a permanent fixture by the time they are 6 months old so they get used to it and it does not cause stress.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/laying-bin-set-up-educational-video.77225/

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/veiled-chameleon-laying-101.2488/

 

[guacamole2025]

Hey there welcome to the forum. This is a little girl. Showing classic female coloring. But if you take a look at her tail she is showing no hemipenial bulge at all. So this is how we would be able to tell that you 100% have a girl not a boy. And at the current size of this baby it is not a situation of it being too small to tell.

She is a very pretty girl. Love her teal blush on her cheeks. Husbandry for a girl is going to change a bit when it comes to temps and feeding amounts. Temps would be max 80 at basking. Then below I am adding the feeding for a female so you have full detail. Basics like UVB and supplementation need to be spot on for girls because of their egg production and to ensure they are very healthy for it.

Females:

As she matures you will have to start cutting back her food. By about 6-7 months she should be getting about 5-8 small feeders each day. At about 7-8 months you want to slowly reduce by cutting down feeder amounts so that she is on a feeding schedule of 3 days a week with 3 feeders. You want them to be on this schedule by the time they are 9-10 months old.


You will not ever want basking to be over 78-80 for her. Very important for females because as she ages she needs this temp no higher at basking to help control the amount of eggs she produces. The hotter the temp the more their metabolism speeds up so we have to keep the temp lower since we are doing lower food intake.

A lay bin should be added as a permanent fixture by the time they are 6 months old so they get used to it and it does not cause stress.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/laying-bin-set-up-educational-video.77225/

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/veiled-chameleon-laying-101.2488/

Thanks so much for your help. I did think so but the breeder assured she was a male!

Either way she is so curious and quite well socialised. Does she look happy and well in the images provided? She does seem to like coming out of the enclosure to explore and climb all my house plants (I have many) but if me handling her in the images show otherwise then would be great to know so I can ensure I don’t stress her out.

 

[Beman]

Thanks so much for your help. I did think so but the breeder assured she was a male!

Either way she is so curious and quite well socialised. Does she look happy and well in the images provided? She does seem to like coming out of the enclosure to explore and climb all my house plants (I have many) but if me handling her in the images show otherwise then would be great to know so I can ensure I don’t stress her out.

She looks really good. Colors are nice calm resting colors so that means she is not showing any signs of stress from being handled. Looks like you got a rare one, most of the time they do not enjoy human interaction. She looks to be healthy as well. Granted we cant see anything internal like parasites. But physically she has a good body tone and does not look to be underweight at all.

I would recommend doing a husbandry review should you be open to it. This will ensure you received all the correct husbandry info for your little girl to ensure you have the best experience as a first time cham keeper. Let us know if you are interested and one of us will see and post it for you to complete.

 

[guacamole2025]

She looks really good. Colors are nice calm resting colors so that means she is not showing any signs of stress from being handled. Looks like you got a rare one, most of the time they do not enjoy human interaction. She looks to be healthy as well. Granted we cant see anything internal like parasites. But physically she has a good body tone and does not look to be underweight at all.

I would recommend doing a husbandry review should you be open to it. This will ensure you received all the correct husbandry info for your little girl to ensure you have the best experience as a first time cham keeper. Let us know if you are interested and one of us will see and post it for you to complete.

I’m so glad to hear. Yes she is very friendly and enjoys climbing right to the top of my head to sit there happily! She does seem to turn the pastel teal and peach colour when she is on me would those be her resting colours?

Would be really helpful to do a husbandry review as I am reading more and I think maybe I have items that aren’t needed and don’t have items I do need. I also want to make sure she is we taken care of so any support/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Beman]

I’m so glad to hear. Yes she is very friendly and enjoys climbing right to the top of my head to sit there happily! She does seem to turn the pastel teal and peach colour when she is on me would those be her resting colours?

Would be really helpful to do a husbandry review as I am reading more and I think maybe I have items that aren’t needed and don’t have items I do need. I also want to make sure she is we taken care of so any support/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Perfect, copy and paste the form below into your reply and answer all the questions. attach images of the entire cage including the lighting on top. Either myself or @MissSkittles will do your husbandry review for you. Per being on top of your head. I would avoid that. It does not give you control should she get spooked and try to jump. Colors there still look ok. She is in a calm stance and not showing a karate chop posture which is more of a back off dont wanna posture.



Here is some recommended information to include when asking for help in the health clinic forum. By providing this information you will receive more accurate and beneficial responses. It might not be necessary to answer all these questions, but the more you provide the better. Please remember that even the most knowledgeable person can only guess at what your problem may be. Only an experienced reptile veterinarian who can directly examine your animal can give a true diagnosis of your chameleon's health.


Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

 

[ehdee6]

Your panther is adorable, and healthy looking. Welcome to the forum!

 

[guacamole2025]

Hey, sorry for the delay as I have been super busy with work and just had the time to sit & do this properly.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? I have as told it was a Panther Chameleon Amibilobe Male around 4 months old. I have had him/her for 6 weeks now.
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Every other day or other 3 days. Mostly when feeding, letting roam on the 3m tree I bought for him/her or the living plants I have near the window which I know he/she particularly enjoys sitting still on the plants and looking out of the window (albeit longingly as if wanting to go outside on the much larger trees right outside)
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? Currently feeding a mix of brown crickets & locusts (both medium size). Very rarely also waxworms. I have a few brown crickets small and larger roaming in the tank for free feeding. I will feed locusts until he/she becomes uninterested which is usually after around 3-8 depending. I do this Twice a day. Gut loading is a mix of kale, papaya & pumpkin.
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Vetark Calci-Dust is used on every feed.
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? I use a spray bottle twice a day (AM before work/PM after dinner) I mist around the enclosure, on the enclosure floor and then more concentrated on the fake plants & branches around the enclosure so that a good amount of droplets appear. Yes I see him/her drinking on a few occasions, more recently as he/she is going through a shed.
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Solid normal poop from what I have googled along with a white part. Never tested for parasites.
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. Bought from a local pet store that specialise in selling different types of lizards, snakes, frogs & arachnids.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Habistat Glass, Mesh Top. 60cm x 45cm x 90cm high. It is placed on top of a drawer unit around 70cm high.
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? Heat lamp is ExoTerra portable luminaire & light is ZooMed Reptisun 11” 5.0 UVB
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? I have a Habistat Dimming Thermostat which is set to 32c. At night when off temp drops to around 20-21c
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? Not sure on exact levels, I judge by the condensation on the glass.
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Not currently although I have given the enclosure an upgrade with new fake plants and branches. I am considering to add some bromeliads or tropical orchids as a live element as well as some other real plants around the tank. I have also recently added some springtails & Isopods.
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? In my bedroom, no air vents, quietest room. Above the cage is the ceiling.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? London, UK

To note I bought the current enclosure I have with him/her when I bought him/her as I thought it may offer less big change and familiarity to settle in to the new people, new schedules etc.

I am in the process of getting a much larger enclosure built in my living room which I plan to start fresh and go full bio active with. The planned size should also allow for using a large 2m+ tree, as well as additional plants like Areca palms, asplenium, orchids and overall create a setup closer replicating a Madagascan landscape as I am a landscape designer & work with indoor landscapes too for commercial businesses I thought I would put my skills to good use and hopefully make him/her very happy especially as they grow up & get bigger as well as create an amazing living “art” piece for my living room.

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about. I don’t have any major concerns currently, I have always loved chameleons and finally taken the step to own one and as a first time owner am just welcoming to the idea of any advice or tips for how to keep them happy, healthy & well lived!

I will post pictures of the current enclosure separately x

 

[guacamole2025]

Images below after the decorative upgrade. I then added a little bridge for him/her which seems to be enjoyed and also a new sleeping spot.

I’ve also attached an image of him/her in their favourite tree

 

[guacamole2025]

I hope I’m doing ok @MissSkittles @Beman

Also as for the top of the head thing I understand what you are saying and we do try to avoid that but that seems to be the place he/she enjoys going to the most and is actually still. Although the risk of poop on the head is a natural deterrent

 

[guacamole2025]

Your panther is adorable, and healthy looking. Welcome to the forum!

Thank you hoping I can gain some valuable tips to take the best care and also see lots of chameleons growing up!