Faded colors on panther chameleon

[Geckoflora]

I've posted here before and everyone was incredibly helpful, so I figured I'd try again with something else that has come up! I may be worrying over nothing here, but I just wanted to get some thoughts from other keepers.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Male panther chameleon, I've had him a little less than year and I believe he's two years old but I'm not entirely sure. Weighed in at 155 grams on April 15.
• Handling - 1-2 times a week at most, often less
• Feeding - About 4-5 large crickets every other day. I occasionally feed waxworms or mealworms as a treat, but not often
• Supplements - Crickets dusted with Repashy calcium. Every other week I dust crickets with Repashy calcium + D3, as well as dusting with Reptivite Vitamin A every other week. (He only recently started getting the calcium + D3 supplement again as I learned I was overusing it previously and it was recommended I hold off on using the D3 for awhile)
• Watering - Hand misting with a large pump mister bottle at least 3 times a day- more if I can. Misting 1-2 minutes each time. I sometimes see him drink but not often.
• Fecal Description - He doesn't go often, maybe once every three weeks? I was concerned originally but it hasn't seemed to be a problem. Poop is solid (but not hard) and urate was pure white the last time he pooped.
• History - Received in 2016 summertime from someone who could no longer keep him, so I don't know that the age is entirely correct. I was told he had no previous medical problems. He did have a minor problem around August of 2016 with a URI but it was treated. He has never had a 'full shed' from what I've seen; he usually sheds certain parts of the body at a time instead of his whole body looking flaky/peel-y at once (such as just the back legs/tail area shedding first and then the eyes/face later).

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Screen 24x24x48"
• Lighting - 12 hour periods of light and dark. Currently set up with two small heat lamps (focused on one spot) and one UVB strip light (All Living Things brand T8 tropical bulb)
• Temperature - The basking area is right around 90 degrees F. The coolest/lowest area of the cage is around 70 degrees F. At night the temperatures drop to around 65 degrees F. I measure using a Nat Geo brand laser thermometer
• Humidity - Humidity is usually above 50% but I try to keep it around 65% or so. I mist him several times a day to keep humidity up and make sure the soil in the plant pots gets wet as well which helps
• Plants - Two pothos plants and one umbrella plant
• Placement - Cage is set up next to a floor to ceiling window on a low table, so the top of the cage is probably about 5 feet off the floor. There is another male panther chameleon cage (same size) set up beside his cage but the neighbor chameleon has shower curtain around his cage so they can't see each other very well but can see a bit of movement. He has never seemed bothered by it from what I can tell
• Location - Virginia, USA

Current Problem - My chameleon (Ramses) is green and had some really nice red vertical stripes for awhile, but in the last few months his colors have seemed to really fade. I'm not sure why, but I was worried it could be a problem relating to lighting or a deficiency or something? I got my second chameleon (Pete) from another person who couldn't care for him in early February, but as I stated, there is shower curtain between the cages and the chameleons never reacted to the other one so I wasn't sure if that could be at all related. Ramses was definitely already losing color before I got Pete, though. I also thought maybe it was related to shedding, but it seems like his colors have been faded for awhile and I haven't seen any signs of shedding. He hasn't shed recently but the colors have been faded for at least a month or more, so I assumed if the problem was related then he would have shed by now and the colors would have been back to normal?

I'm still rather new to the hobby so any help would be appreciated! I'm just worried the faded colors could be an indicator of a health/lighting problem. As much as I liked the red stripes I don't really mind how he looks as long as he's healthy of course!

I've attached some pictures to show the difference. I don't have many pictures of him since he doesn't like being taken out of his cage. (Apologies for picture quality- they're from my phone!)


September 16, 2016 - still has his nice color (maybe slightly flashier since I was handling him and he changes colors a bit when I do)


December 6, 2016 - color still there but maybe a bit faded?


February 14, 2017 - colors fading a lot


April 18, 2017 - took this picture about an hour ago, his red is almost gone

 

[bobcochran]

It's a cyclical thing with male panthers. They can't stay in their beautiful breeding colors all the time. In the wild the cycle would be annual, but in captivity we try to provide an ideal environment all the time so the cycle varies from individual to individual. The rather drab stage seems to last about 6 months with my males, the colors fading and increasing within that span.
Here's 3 pics showing some of the extreme color changes, and yes all 3 pics are the same male over about 6-7 months. You can see the same white marking behind his eye on his neck in all the pics.

 

[PJK]

It's a cyclical thing with male panthers. They can't stay in their beautiful breeding colors all the time. In the wild the cycle would be annual, but in captivity we try to provide an ideal environment all the time so the cycle varies from individual to individual. The rather drab stage seems to last about 6 months with my males, the colors fading and increasing within that span.
Here's 3 pics showing some of the extreme color changes, and yes all 3 pics are the same male over about 6-7 months. You can see the same white marking behind his eye on his neck in all the pics.
View attachment 180692 View attachment 180693 View attachment 180694

WOW what a difference.

 

[djdanny402]

Wow what beautiful colors!

 

[Crashbandit05]

It's a cyclical thing with male panthers. They can't stay in their beautiful breeding colors all the time. In the wild the cycle would be annual, but in captivity we try to provide an ideal environment all the time so the cycle varies from individual to individual. The rather drab stage seems to last about 6 months with my males, the colors fading and increasing within that span.
Here's 3 pics showing some of the extreme color changes, and yes all 3 pics are the same male over about 6-7 months. You can see the same white marking behind his eye on his neck in all the pics.
View attachment 180692 View attachment 180693 View attachment 180694

Thank you for the information and pictures, I had no idea male panthers did this!

 

[bobcochran]

Thank you for the information and pictures, I had no idea male panthers did this!

The above example is pretty radical, partially because the male is so colorful. The reason some people don't realize this happens is males usually continue to get more color for at least 1.5 years. Then stay really nicely colored for another 6 months before they can't keep it up any longer and their color starts to dull. That's 2 plus years. Under ideal conditions these color changes occur very slowly. I have more examples, this guy did the color change when he was still growing in addition to this older one.

 

[Rapunzel's Pascal]

Definitely thanks for the information. I learned something new also

 

[Rapunzel's Pascal]

Amazing colors on the Chams!

 

[Geckoflora]

Thank you for the information and pictures, I never knew they did that with their colors! Hopefully Ramses cycles back to his bright colors around summer time then; I miss seeing his red. Your chameleons are gorgeous!!

 

[JGspecial]

yeah mine does the same thing. hes been these dull grayish purple colors with pale red rain for the winter. now that im taking him outside in these little heat waves of natural sun hes been coming back to his nice aqua and sky blue colors with dark red rain with nice white patches. he looked almost sickly in coloring and i hated it but its seasonal i guess. i didnt get a picture of this winters colors but here are the variances, theyre kind of all over the place.

 

[broderp]

A very informative thread.

 

[ispeedonthe405]

Changes over about 2 years. Every shed is an adventure, although at this point in his life I think he's settled down on dramatic base-color changes (upper right).