life span

[reptilemancan]

hey ok so all the websites i have looked on say that veiled chameleons live longer then panthers, they also say that panthers only live 5 years!! when a veild livs like 10, is this true? how long has your panthers and veilds lived? also someone said i could put a baby cham in a adult cage, but he will be only slightly bigger than my thumb? what setups are good for a baby panther, what temps and hymidity? etc... cheers

 

[bosco]

A friend of mine has a Calyptratus male, 9 years old now.
I saw F. Pardalis in the wild in Mscar, I think they live 1 or 2 years.
Most of females, died very young after laid.

 

[naich]

males ussally live between 4 to 7 years panther wise, vields arent much different. mabey a year or two.

 

[Eric Adrignola]

The wild lifespans are probably much lower - very much lower in panthers from what I have heard. I know of a few people with veiled males over 10 years. I had one pass 8, and would hav ived longer if not for manyinjuries. Females can live to 7 or more.

Usually, you can expect a well cared for male to live over 6 years, and females around 5. If they are bred often, and have large clutches, that will be greatly reduced.

I have never heard a firsthand account of a panther living more than 6 years, but I would think it would be entirely possible.

A huge factor with veiled's life expectancy is their diet - too much will kill them. Keep them on the verge of starvation, and they'll probably live for 15 years!

 

[veiledchamguy]

The wild lifespans are probably much lower - very much lower in panthers from what I have heard. I know of a few people with veiled males over 10 years. I had one pass 8, and would hav ived longer if not for manyinjuries. Females can live to 7 or more.

Usually, you can expect a well cared for male to live over 6 years, and females around 5. If they are bred often, and have large clutches, that will be greatly reduced.

I have never heard a firsthand account of a panther living more than 6 years, but I would think it would be entirely possible.

A huge factor with veiled's life expectancy is their diet - too much will kill them. Keep them on the verge of starvation, and they'll probably live for 15 years!

I was thinking the same thing my 4 year old veiled gets fed every 2-3 days and he has been the most active he has ever been. Do you know why of this?

 

[chambabysitter1]

The wild lifespans are probably much lower - very much lower in panthers from what I have heard. I know of a few people with veiled males over 10 years. I had one pass 8, and would hav ived longer if not for manyinjuries. Females can live to 7 or more.

Usually, you can expect a well cared for male to live over 6 years, and females around 5. If they are bred often, and have large clutches, that will be greatly reduced.

I have never heard a firsthand account of a panther living more than 6 years, but I would think it would be entirely possible.

A huge factor with veiled's life expectancy is their diet - too much will kill them. Keep them on the verge of starvation, and they'll probably live for 15 years!

I believe Dave Weldon's Nosy Be was pushing 7 or 8. One of the first panther's I saw in person when I was doing my research. It was pretty amazing looking, if anyone can do it for that long, it would be Dave though, wouldn't it?

 

[sandrachameleon]

I have never heard a firsthand account of a panther living more than 6 years, but I would think it would be entirely possible.

My first chameleon, a male panther, lived to be over seven years.

There are several other threads on this topic already, which may be of interest to you:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/oldest-chameleon-7848/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/poll-lifespan-chameleons-21820/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-long-do-female-23431/

 

[Eric Adrignola]

ok, that's good. I have known they could reach about 8, but I never knew anyonepersonally that had them that old.

Reptiles are very different from mammals. They do not live like we do. More food and better, more "favorable" conditions might not work for them, in all situations. They're variable - they change with their environmental conditions. Mammals are more stable, but with a higher energy cost.

While we may view a chameleon's life as being "better" if it lives longer, that is not necessarily a good indicator of "success" for the animal.

A female chameleon thatlays huge clutches over a short life but has more offspring survive, despite her short life, is more "successful" than a long lived female with fewer living decendants. It's relative.

When we see these animals in the wild, they go all out very quickly. they live fast, die young. We can artificially alter things to suite OUR needs.

We want more babies? Simple - feed them an unnnaturally large amount of food and supplementation.

Want calm, gentle and non-aggressive animals - a better "pet"? Breed for animals that are so - they'd not get far in nature...

Want longer lived animals? Keep temps lower, where applicable, and keep the animla healthy, but hungry. They may not have the energy or activity, as awild animal, but they'll develop fewer eggs, wear out slower, and livelonger.

 

[sandrachameleon]

It is my understanding that Kinyonga keeps long lived veileds partly by restricting their food intake (Not starving them, just not over feeding) and by regulating temp

 

[Eric Adrignola]

yup. the restricting of food may be done to an unnatural level, which prolongs life to an unnatural length! Starvation, in reptiles, is a relative term.

 

[kinyonga]

I'm sure that the diet restriction I do and the slightly lower temperatures for female veileds plays a big part in the egg production and the longevity...but the gutloading and supplementing play a part too.

I haven't noticed that they seem to be inactive most of the time...they do slow down a bit in the winter...but then the temperatures are cooler and the days shorter then too.