Gravid/Receptive/Adult-Coloured Female Panther?

[Yzma<3]

Hi everyone!
I'm pretty new to this, but I wondered if you could help me out?
I've had my female panther for nearly three months, making her about 7 months old now. A month ago she went from the dullish brown/ white stripe colouration in the first picture (1), to this vibrant pink/orangey stripe and dark splotches colour (2&3). She doesn't stay dark all the time but her tummy line stays orange/pink. She is also getting plump in the belly but her food has not changed. I have put in an egg laying bin just in case but she's been like this for little over a month now and she's barely looked at the bin. But she has been wondering in weird place in her viv and like hanging upside down! Haha (4) Could anyone shed some light?
Thanks
(1) View attachment 146312 (2) View attachment 146313 (3) View attachment 146314
(4) View attachment 146315

 

[bobcochran]

Can't open your attachments.

 

[Yzma<3]

Sorry!
How about this? (1)

(2)

(4)

(3)

 

[AlaskanReptile]

She doesn't look as plump as most gravid females are. But she is her own individual haha.

I would say gravid or stressed, maybe both. But there are more experienced keepers who will most likely post soon and help me out on that diagnosis.

Have you changed anything in her care? How has her behavior been?

 

[bobcochran]

She is displaying non receptive colors. She could be Developing eggs, or she could be just going through
Her normal receptive/nonceptive cycle. Some virgin females will go through the first 1or2 cycles without developing eggs, when not bred s, others will develop infertile eggs the first cycle. Development of eggs (fertile or not) is
Usually accompanied with an increase of appetite and a swelling of the abdomen. Egg development in panthers takes about 30 days, at that point she should be quite large, stop or decrease eating, become restless and start roaming the lower areas of the cage. She will need a laying bin at this point.

 

[Yzma<3]

Thanks for both those comments! Very helpful. Sometimes she looks chunky, other times normal. As for her behaviour, she's been ok, a little unwilling to come out etc for when I need to clean her, but once she is out she is totally fine. She sometimes puffs up but she has never hissed at me or bitten me, and usually allows me to rub her chin when she puffs up and then she relaxes and comes out.
I have got an egglaying bin in her cage just incase, and she is a bit restless, but not seen her scope out the bin yet. She's been like this for over a month now.

Also, she seems to be eating less cricket (not sure that she likes them anymore) should I start to feed her everyother day? What else can be a staple food instead of Locusts and roaches? Thanks sorry this is so long.
May get her looked at by the exotic vet soon just to be safe

 

[AlaskanReptile]

If she has started to cut back on her food intake and has become restless I imagine she is almost ready to lay. Just keep the sand mixture moist and let her be. Its possible you trying to handle her while gravid and watching her constantly has her a little nervous about going to the bin and checking it out. Just do what you need to do first thing in the morning then leave her be the rest of the day I suggest. Eventually she should go down and scope it out and lay some eggs.

Other good staples I use are stick bugs which you can get from Nick Barta here on the forums. Supers are also a go to for me (but that is because they are readily available up here while I wait for the new bugs to ship).

I hope this little bit can help you out, but it's always nice to get a vet or more experienced members opinion too haha.

 

[del1976uk]

Definitely displaying non receptive colours. I would just leave her alone as much as you can. Maybe even put a towel over the front of the viv to give her some privacy. That's what I do when my females getting ready to lay. Here's a pic of my female displaying non receptive colours

 

[Yzma<3]

Definitely displaying non receptive colours. I would just leave her alone as much as you can. Maybe even put a towel over the front of the viv to give her some privacy. That's what I do when my females getting ready to lay. Here's a pic of my female displaying non receptive colours

Aww! She's so beautiful! Thanks for the reply!
Well, she's really young and only just hit maturity. We gave her all last week and other occations to be alone- apart from feeding. I'm wondering since it's her first time gravid, she may not lay eggs? She has zero interest in her egg laying bin, amd goes from looking chubby to looking thin... What do you think? Did yours lay eggs the first time she became gravid? Btw, I keep her basking spot at 28 degrees roughly, and feed her about 6-8 feeders daily. Is this ok?

 

[del1976uk]

I would say your temps are fine. My female lay her eggs first time she was gravid but she was quite late. Around 8 months but she lays them fine every time in her laying bin. I'm breeding her at the moment and even still she lays her eggs pretty quickly with the minimum of fuss. I think I got quite lucky. You will know when she's getting ready to lay as she will start roaming about down the bottom of her viv. Hope this helps

 

[del1976uk]

Hi forgot to add at that age I used to feed my female as much as she would eat in one sitting. Hope this helps

 

[Yzma<3]

I would say your temps are fine. My female lay her eggs first time she was gravid but she was quite late. Around 8 months but she lays them fine every time in her laying bin. I'm breeding her at the moment and even still she lays her eggs pretty quickly with the minimum of fuss. I think I got quite lucky. You will know when she's getting ready to lay as she will start roaming about down the bottom of her viv. Hope this helps

Thanks!
Yeah that's very lucky!!
My panther is roughly 6/7 months old. And she's been this colour for over a month. Wouldn't they be egg bound and die by now? Which makes me think she is just hormonal lol! And not laying yet

 

[Yzma<3]

Hi forgot to add at that age I used to feed my female as much as she would eat in one sitting. Hope this helps

She likes locusts but dislike crickets. I try to give her a varied diet but sometimes she just waits a day for the locust or worms! And eats two crickets just to tide herself over!! When should I start to feed ger every other day? Bearing in mind her age and that she's a panther chameleon.???

 

[del1976uk]

I don't think she's egg bound. When she's ready to lay you'll know cos she'll head down to the bottom of the viv and wander about looking for somewhere to lay. Your doing everything right you have a lay bin. I use a big tub filled with about 12 inches of damp playsand. It's always worked well for me and my female seems to like it for laying.

 

[del1976uk]

She likes locusts but dislike crickets. I try to give her a varied diet but sometimes she just waits a day for the locust or worms! And eats two crickets just to tide herself over!! When should I start to feed ger every other day? Bearing in mind her age and that she's a panther chameleon.???

Opinions vary but I didn't start feeding mine every other day until she was about a year old. Mine has never liked crickets and has always preferred locusts and roaches. She used to take 7 large locusts a day if thats any help to you

 

[Yzma<3]

I don't think she's egg bound. When she's ready to lay you'll know cos she'll head down to the bottom of the viv and wander about looking for somewhere to lay. Your doing everything right you have a lay bin. I use a big tub filled with about 12 inches of damp playsand. It's always worked well for me and my female seems to like it for laying.

Yeah my tub is pretty big and ready for her to do her thang! Haha! I've got the repile soil stuff in mine at the moment. I just worry about her as she's been this colour and way for over a month and I read that they usually lay within a month?? Not sure what mine is doing!

Thanks, that helps! She currently eats medium locusts or crickets alternating days with some super worms or meal worms thrown in every so often too as a treat and for variety as I read they can't gave them as staple food because thwy are fatty and less nutritious. So I'll feed her every other day when you suggested (which makes sense!). It's nice to know that Yzma isn't the only fussy panther though!