Male and female in the same enclosure?

[JonathanF]

Here's something I've always wondered: Is there a species of chameleons you can keep as a couple(male female) in the same enclosure all year long?

What's everyones take on this? Ive seen a guy that kepts Rudis' together and another one who kept a couple of carpet chameleons together, same with veileds...

any others

 

[ChameleonsTree]

In my opinion and experience you need to let the male set up his territory in order to want to breed with the female. So if you keep them together he wont feel manly enough make his moves.

 

[cookiegirl]

Here's something I've always wondered: Is there a species of chameleons you can keep as a couple(male female) in the same enclosure all year long?

What's everyones take on this? Ive seen a guy that kepts Rudis' together and another one who kept a couple of carpet chameleons together, same with veileds...

any others

I keep my male and female Jacksons together but it is a very large cage. They have been together for over a year now. They were purchased as babies from differant breeders. I have not had any problems with them. They have their on side of the cage they claim. When it comes time to feed they share the bowl I put the food in. I have never put my male and female veileds in the same cage.

 

[kinyonga]

If you keep a male and female of most species of chameleons together, one or both will usually suffer from the stress of it unless the cage is huge. IMHO you are forcing the chameleon to defend its territory every day. In the wild they can move away from each other but in captivity they only have a limited space that they can use.

Not only that but if you keep them together from the time they are young, the female will undoubtedly become gravid as soon as she is sexually mature ...and it will more than likely be before she is full grown.