Housing a breeding pair of chameleons together.

The more I read about housing two chameleons together, the more I understand that you shouldn’t. I have kept chameleons for a couple years now and I believe I understand what the warning signs are. Now the question I have, is people say you can do it, but you need a huge cage. I have recently built a 4 ft tall by 4 ft wide by 3ft deep cage, there is a ton of foliage and two basking areas, also two main dripping areas on either side and I will manually feed both. Also I will separate my female when she becomes gravid. Does this seem like a cage setup that will work for breeding pairs or not?
 
Nope. I think what people meant by a huge cage was a greenhouse, not a 4x4x3. I heard of one person keeping two in a greenhouse, and even that didn't work. If you are willing to spend the time to build a big cage like that just make two. If it is just for the aesthetics of it, put a 2x2x4 next to another 2x2x4 and put a curtain between them. It saves you the maintenance of hand feeding both of them, and taking the risk of them hurting each other, or at least stressing each other out.
 
The more I read about housing two chameleons together, the more I understand that you shouldn’t. I have kept chameleons for a couple years now and I believe I understand what the warning signs are. Now the question I have, is people say you can do it, but you need a huge cage. I have recently built a 4 ft tall by 4 ft wide by 3ft deep cage, there is a ton of foliage and two basking areas, also two main dripping areas on either side and I will manually feed both. Also I will separate my female when she becomes gravid. Does this seem like a cage setup that will work for breeding pairs or not?

I was headed this way at first too. My set up is over a bathtub, one on each wall. Hang a plant in the middle when I want them to reach each other. Pretty cool right.
They had different thoughts. It was a no go as they got older.

But I have not abandoned the idea. First from what I have seen in observations is that what they appear to need mostly is an escape and to be able to get out of sight comfortably, and (I am guesstimating ) 3-5 feet of separation minimum. There would need too be visual dividers at least partial. It seems it might work if they felt safe and un-invaded.

Problem two, with the Yemen any way, How do you control breeding. What I have learned is that they are very prolific. In such a set up if temp and food not balanced, and even then they would likely be breeding every 3 to 4 months.

Their wild strategy is go like crazy till you die. In the wild they often do not see two years.
 
If males think that they can get to a female they will try relentlessly and not eat or rest much. The female will have to try to hide to avoid unwanted attention and won't have full access to UVB, heat or food.
 
The more I read about housing two chameleons together, the more I understand that you shouldn’t. I have kept chameleons for a couple years now and I believe I understand what the warning signs are. Now the question I have, is people say you can do it, but you need a huge cage. I have recently built a 4 ft tall by 4 ft wide by 3ft deep cage, there is a ton of foliage and two basking areas, also two main dripping areas on either side and I will manually feed both. Also I will separate my female when she becomes gravid. Does this seem like a cage setup that will work for breeding pairs or not?
This really depends on the species and how the inside is set up. Veiled chameleons probably won't work out. It isn't that there isn't enough space, it is that they will search each other out and cause stress. I just released an episode where Bob Cochran says he keeps pairs of the Helmeted chameleon together (Trioceros hoehnelii). In a cage that size it sounds like it would work for a lower aggression species. Because with a smaller chameleon that size cage may give them the space they need to communicate.

Though, me personally, I just don't like doing it at all. I compare the behaviors between a chameleon in a walk in enclosure alone and then with other chameleons. It can work with other chameleons in there, but they appear to be so much more content alone. So, how do you judge a content chameleon? It is just a feeling you get after decades of watching them. Completely subjective so I couldn't say my interpretation is correct. But, my personal advice for a cage that big would be to make it up into the coolest plant paradise and get one perfect chameleon to bask in its glory. That makes an incredible show piece.
 
This really depends on the species and how the inside is set up. Veiled chameleons probably won't work out. It isn't that there isn't enough space, it is that they will search each other out and cause stress. I just released an episode where Bob Cochran says he keeps pairs of the Helmeted chameleon together (Trioceros hoehnelii). In a cage that size it sounds like it would work for a lower aggression species. Because with a smaller chameleon that size cage may give them the space they need to communicate.

Though, me personally, I just don't like doing it at all. I compare the behaviors between a chameleon in a walk in enclosure alone and then with other chameleons. It can work with other chameleons in there, but they appear to be so much more content alone. So, how do you judge a content chameleon? It is just a feeling you get after decades of watching them. Completely subjective so I couldn't say my interpretation is correct. But, my personal advice for a cage that big would be to make it up into the coolest plant paradise and get one perfect chameleon to bask in its glory. That makes an incredible show piece.

I agree, For me this time things happened quickly, as far as having two, I was prepared for one.

I love keeping multiple animal enclosures, but this is tricky. Kind of like a reef tank, everything has to balance.
My successes have come when I have created full biotopes first, then introduce species.

If I were to seriously peruse this, I would firs start researching what cham would be the best choice for my set up.
 
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