male or female?

[Shawntea]

ok I have had one reply saying male, but I noticed the color is more muted, ridge less pronounced, belly is huge, and the color around eyes is more dull. So this is my new 4 month old temporalis pygmy (pitted) please help I need to know if I should provide a bigger space on the flooring for possible egg laying.

 

[PeriTanz]

I have no idea. But what an interesting looking chameleon you have got!!

 

[Shawntea]

is a cool one right now housed with a male bearded pygmy, pet store had no idea what they were selling and told me this was a bearded girl, wrong!

 

[Shawntea]

Hopefully a better shot of chubby tummy, seriously everyone gravid female or fatty male?!

 

[Shawntea]

ok now it appears a hole has been dug this a.m., are females the only ones who dig?

 

[Shawntea]

so far I am controlling my curiosity and staying away from the viv until I see my pyg back in the branches.

 

[pssh]

Male. Remove it from the brev enclosure. Your brev might be the female. Temporalis like it cooler, generally, and they stay closer to the ground. I doubt the pygmies are cb.

 

[sdheli420]

looks male to me...but digging..im not sure if i have heard that before...

 

[Shawntea]

The brev is a male, and they stay in entirely different areas of the enclosure. I know they have diff requirements, so I do not plan on keeping them house together long. Just worried if it is a female of moving while digging is happening, that would be two moves in a week, because I just brought them home on Sunday.

 

[pssh]

The tail is nice and thick. It would probably be best if you separate them so they dont have any issues with eachother.

 

[Trace]

Upon seeing this clearer picture, you've definitely got a FEMALE temporalis and this would explain her digging behaviours. There are some species of pygmy chameleons that will dig holes in the dirt to cool off during hotter seasons but I have not known the temporalis to do so.

You may want to remove the male brevicaudatus so to give her some privacy while she lays her eggs.

For future reference; about half way down this article there shows a picture of both a male and female temporalis and as you can see the males have a very large hemipenal bulge. Yours doesn't. http://chameleonnews.com/07FebHildenhagen.html

Good luck!

 

[Shawntea]

thanks trace that article is very interesting, and one I have not seen before.
separation will happen soon, and for the hole dug today no eggs, maybe an experimental hole? She/he has spent a lot of time pretty low the past two days, so I'll keep watching. Bought vermiculite and Rubbermaid style container today jic.

 

[pssh]

That female has a fat tail then!

 

[Shawntea]

but an even fatter belly, goodness this one is causing quite a commotion already

 

[Trace]

Pssh et.al. Here is a old pic I took back in 2001 showing both sexes. Female would be on the left and the male on the right. Note that the tail base on the female is large but not as much as the male. The larger, thicker tail base in the females is normal for the temporalis.

I think Shawntea has a female.

 

[Shawntea]

thank you so much the side by side comparison really helps! glad I went and bought incubation materials jic yesterday! will let everyone know when and if i find eggs.

 

[Shawntea]

I swear that belly gets any bigger and this pyg will pop Seems to have doubled in just a few days.

 

[Trace]

Are you sure that isn't a golf ball with feet? I hate to be Captain Obvious or anything but she does have some substrate to dig in correct?

 

[Shawntea]

she does have substrate I went in just a few days ago and removed leaf litter from bottom, and she has been digging test holes. The substrate is about 3-4 in. thick to screen over charcoal and hydro balls. Substrate is coco fiber moist mixed with sand and organic potting soil.

 

[Shawntea]

Side view after a nice warm misting tonight, swear it's not a golf ball with legs. ha