Companion for my chameleon?

[Corallee]

So, i know chameleons.. especially Veileds (which is what i have) are very solitary and territorial by nature. Well i first bought my guys I got my Female first she was about a month old. and about 3 weeks later i got my Male who was also about a month old. I kept them together when they were little until my male started showing signed of maturity, and then separated them. and NOW my male is super super sad and darkly colored(where he used to be always fired up and happy. I feel as though he misses her, and misses the company of her.

 

[p1u5h13r4m24]

I dont think that is the case, it's a good thing that you did take them apart the male usually becomes more dominant and doesnt let the female eat. I know chams show darker colors when they are cold. Ive been breeding panthers for almost 2 years and the first male and female I ever got were in the same cage but with a screen divider the male was alsways on the divider and my female would never eat she was always stressed and it let to her death. I would not suggest keeping the companion close to him hope this helps!

 

[Corallee]

Well i have them in a big 24Lx18Dx48H with a cardboard divider. They have both have there own UVB and heat lamps. and there highest basking point the temp is about 90. And she seems fine, she just laid eggs and is skinny, but is eating well and is happy as can be. He can't see her, but he is seemingly always dark (his unhappy brown color). When i take them both out and he sees her she gets all colored up and happy. I tried putting them together to see how it would go, but she also as sexually matured, and isn't ready to mate.... so she wasn't having him, but he seems to really like being with her.

 

[p1u5h13r4m24]

males will always love females If she doesnt want to mate dont keep them together Ive heard of people leaving the chams together over night but ive never tusted it. do you know if her eggs are fertile?

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Brightly colored does not necessarily equate to "happy". He is definitely going to become more brightly colored, or fired up, when he's in sight of a female because he is trying to court her for mating. He's trying to show off. Any male in sight of a female will become more colorful. So the fact that he was always more brightly colored while sharing a cage with the female probably means he was constantly trying to mate with her. That is way too stressful for a female and will cause her chronic stress leading to poor health, if not outright aggression to try to keep him away. So he is not actually lonely, he is just not showing off all the time. And he shouldn't be so that's okay.

They can also become more brightly colored when they are afraid or stressed. My veiled is never prettier than when I have him out to take his picture - he hates being handled and he is afraid of the camera! So in that case brightly colored means he is anything but happy. In your cham's case he might have even been intimidated by the female and being more brightly colored was his stress response to her.

What you're seeing is his normal coloration while he's relaxed. He does not need a friend.

 

[p1u5h13r4m24]

my males will tend to get dark in color they arent always happy but if i'm ever worried about one my first test is show him a female he will fire his colors it's their way of showing off for the females i think he will be fine I just know from expierience when they are mature its not a good idea to even let them see eachother all day

 

[Corallee]

males will always love females If she doesnt want to mate dont keep them together Ive heard of people leaving the chams together over night but ive never tusted it. do you know if her eggs are fertile?

not sure yet, Its been about a month and the eggs are seemingly well. no rotting or molding. they have a brown spot that developed a week after they were laid. but they are seemingly healthy

 

[Corallee]

Brightly colored does not necessarily equate to "happy". He is definitely going to become more brightly colored, or fired up, when he's in sight of a female because he is trying to court her for mating. He's trying to show off. Any male in sight of a female will become more colorful. So the fact that he was always more brightly colored while sharing a cage with the female probably means he was constantly trying to mate with her. That is way too stressful for a female and will cause her chronic stress leading to poor health, if not outright aggression to try to keep him away. So he is not actually lonely, he is just not showing off all the time. And he shouldn't be so that's okay.

They can also become more brightly colored when they are afraid or stressed. My veiled is never prettier than when I have him out to take his picture - he hates being handled and he is afraid of the camera! So in that case brightly colored means he is anything but happy. In your cham's case he might have even been intimidated by the female and being more brightly colored was his stress response to her.

What you're seeing is his normal coloration while he's relaxed. He does not need a friend.

Now, i know his fired up color(when he sees her) is different then, what i thought, was is normal green color, and always, until he matured, he would maintain it. is was a pail green with light striping. and then once he mated with here, i separated then, and ever sense is been brown... :/