Female Panther Help!

[Dbash44]

About a month ago I bought a female panther from a breeder down in Long Beach. He told me she was 8 months old. I measured her snout to vent, 4 1/2". I haven't weighed her yet, I'm going to pick up a scale on Friday. Upon picking at old threads, I have concluded that she is either, a. not as big as she's supposed to be, b. she's not 8 months old, or c. I don't know what the heck I'm talking about. I'm curious if she's gravid as well, 'cause she's unreceptive to my male; this is my first female panther so I just need to learn to recognize these things. Also, I was told she's an ambanja panther if that helps at all.
Thank you all! ~Dylan


Pictures From a month ago:



Pictures from today:

 

[jannb]

Congrats on your first female. She is a pretty little girl. She looks receptive in the today pictures but she is to young to breed IMHO. As long as she's healthy I wouldn't worry about her size. They come in all different sizes. I've had a small female and a very large one. Do you have a laying bin for her? If not I would get one right away. https://www.chameleonforums.com/laying-bin-set-up-educational-video-77225/ https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/jannb/345-egg-laying-laying-bin.html

 

[junglefries]

She is probably 8 months. The females seem to vary sometimes in size. Receptiveness, shedding and clutch amounts can affect feedings. As far as breeding, I wait until 14-16 months of age to breed my females. They REALLy need their Ca for bone and tissue growth. The eggs will strip her of any available. No more than 3-4 clutches for health reasons.

 

[Dbash44]

Congrats on your first female. She is a pretty little girl. She looks receptive in the today pictures but she is to young to breed IMHO. As long as she's healthy I wouldn't worry about her size. They come in all different sizes. I've had a small female and a very large one. Do you have a laying bin for her? If not I would get one right away. https://www.chameleonforums.com/laying-bin-set-up-educational-video-77225/ https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/jannb/345-egg-laying-laying-bin.html

She is probably 8 months. The females seem to vary sometimes in size. Receptiveness, shedding and clutch amounts can affect feedings. As far as breeding, I wait until 14-16 months of age to breed my females. They REALLy need their Ca for bone and tissue growth. The eggs will strip her of any available. No more than 3-4 clutches for health reasons.

jannb, This link is great thank you very much. I need to get a laying bin, but I was reading up on a half sand and half soil mixture or something of the sort.

junglefries, I have read a lot about waiting at least a year of age before breeding females, but how much months/years are stripped if you breed earlier than that or the time you allot?

 

[Carlton]

jannb, This link is great thank you very much. I need to get a laying bin, but I was reading up on a half sand and half soil mixture or something of the sort.

junglefries, I have read a lot about waiting at least a year of age before breeding females, but how much months/years are stripped if you breed earlier than that or the time you allot?

I don't think its a matter of how much time is "stripped" by earlier breeding, but the health of your female over time does matter. Breeding a female too early risks death, internal injuries, and bone deformities. Let her organs and bone mature before putting that sort of pressure on her.

 

[JoeVet]

I'm curious too. They are going to lay eggs regardless of mating. Waiting 1-1.5 years means they will be laying infertile eggs right? Does it matter if they are infertile or fertile?

 

[jannb]

I'm curious too. They are going to lay eggs regardless of mating. Waiting 1-1.5 years means they will be laying infertile eggs right? Does it matter if they are infertile or fertile?

When the girls lay infertile eggs it's not as hard on them. The eggs are smaller and easier to lay. Also if you keep them out of sight of the males, feed them less and lower their temps. they might not lay eggs at all and if they do it will at lease be a smaller clutch. This also works for panthers. My daughter had panthers and used this method and they never laid eggs.
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/2007/12/keeping-female-veiled.html

 

[Dbash44]

I don't think its a matter of how much time is "stripped" by earlier breeding, but the health of your female over time does matter. Breeding a female too early risks death, internal injuries, and bone deformities. Let her organs and bone mature before putting that sort of pressure on her.

Okay I get it. Kinda like stuffing a small pastry with too much creme. If its not big enough for the amount of creme, the pastry will surely not hold up. Or at least thats the best way I can put it.

So I'm going to put a laying bin in her cage since I'm working most of the week. That way I wont need to be home for her to do her business.
I'm going to use organic soil for her bin, since I read that some chams are picky and that there are no beaches/sandy areas in rainforests. That way, too, she will have dirt stains on her so I'll know if she was doing her thing.

My question: Should I drill holes at the bottom of the bin so any extra water will drain out of the bottom? I'm afraid too much water if I'm not there to manage will allow the holes to collapse on her. Either that or just squeeze out the water from the soil daily?

Thanks for all the help everybody!

 

[jannb]

Okay I get it. Kinda like stuffing a small pastry with too much creme. If its not big enough for the amount of creme, the pastry will surely not hold up. Or at least thats the best way I can put it.

So I'm going to put a laying bin in her cage since I'm working most of the week. That way I wont need to be home for her to do her business.
I'm going to use organic soil for her bin, since I read that some chams are picky and that there are no beaches/sandy areas in rainforests. That way, too, she will have dirt stains on her so I'll know if she was doing her thing.

My question: Should I drill holes at the bottom of the bin so any extra water will drain out of the bottom? I'm afraid too much water if I'm not there to manage will allow the holes to collapse on her. Either that or just squeeze out the water from the soil daily?


Thanks for all the help everybody!

Drilling holes would probably be a good idea. Also when we were in Madagascar on the island of Nosy Be. The line of small trees and shrubs were up and down the sand by the ocean and the the Malagasy told us that's where the females laid their eggs so sand can be a natural thing for them to lay in but soil will work too.

 

[Dbash44]

Drilling holes would probably be a good idea. Also when we were in Madagascar on the island of Nosy Be. The line of small trees and shrubs were up and down the sand by the ocean and the the Malagasy told us that's where the females laid their eggs so sand can be a natural thing for them to lay in but soil will work too.

Okay will do then. I was reading other posts and thats where I got that information. I'm sorry if I was talking as if I knew, when I was just repeating an opinion I heard.
What do you suggest, Play Sand or Soil or a combo?

 

[kinyonga]

JoeVet....maybe this will be of interest to you...
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.ca/2007/12/keeping-female-veiled.html

 

[junglefries]

I monitor the temps and feeding. Also, kept from seeing other females or males. Maybe 1 out 4 will get a infertile clutch before year old. Something I learned from breeding rabbits, I mean veils.

 

[jannb]

Okay will do then. I was reading other posts and thats where I got that information. I'm sorry if I was talking as if I knew, when I was just repeating an opinion I heard.
What do you suggest, Play Sand or Soil or a combo?

Play sand, soil or a combo will do. If your girl doesn't like one then switch to another. Some females can be picky.