Meller "fall in love" together?

[Mawtyplant]

Hello!
Two of my 3 meller alway stay together. this is really cute in fact but im curious.. is your chameleon live separate or they are friendly together (im not sure about how to formulate my question in english now. ask me if my question sound weird)View media item 42052View media item 42051View media item 42050

 

[jannb]

I use to have two panthers that like to hang out together.

 

[Carlton]

Hello!
Two of my 3 meller alway stay together. this is really cute in fact but im curious.. is your chameleon live separate or they are friendly together (im not sure about how to formulate my question in english now. ask me if my question sound weird)View media item 42052View media item 42051View media item 42050

Melleri are sometimes a bit more social than other species but it is still very individual. Because they are so hard to sex its difficult to know if you happen to have 2 females, 2 males, or one of each. Gender may create very different reasons for their compatibility. I kept 3 melleri together in a free range, but the area the size of a bedroom. They didn't necessarily share perches or sit together, but they didn't bother each other either. I also had a male deremensis and a male fischeri who often slept on the same perch. I guess the answer is, with the right individuals who happen to be more tolerant or less territorial in personality it happens. Just enjoy it, but don't count on it.

 

[Mawtyplant]

Wow, you have some picture of your freerange setup? (thank, you're right im gonna keep one eye and enjoy it for the moment i think the problem for the moment is for my last meller (i have 3) , she look a bit stressed by this relation :/

I think at 99% i have 1 male, 1 female and at 80% 1 other female View media item 42053

 

[Carlton]

I don't have any digital photos of my setup but there were a couple of scans included in the chameleon e-zine article on free range habitats years ago. Basically I set up a circle of live and fake trees on a heavy plastic tarp in the center of the room, hung lights from the ceiling, and connected the trees together with branches so the chams could reach every part of the clump. There were live potted shrubs in between the trees so there was a lot of visual cover. An automatic misting system and ultrasonic foggers kept the room humid, though all the spray was directed into the trees and fell on the tarp.

People who happened to see all those leaves and bright lights from outside the window were very curious to know just what I was "growing"! When I heard from a neighbor that the local sheriff had asked about me I gave him a personal tour. He turned out to be really interested in the chams! When I learned I had to move and my real estate agent first saw this room I thought she was going to faint.

 

[jajeanpierre]

People who happened to see all those leaves and bright lights from outside the window were very curious to know just what I was "growing"! When I heard from a neighbor that the local sheriff had asked about me I gave him a personal tour. He turned out to be really interested in the chams! When I learned I had to move and my real estate agent first saw this room I thought she was going to faint.

That's funny. My husband kept a hydroponic garden of vegetables--tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers mostly. Definitely nothing the police would be interested in. Some low life was busted near where I lived and to try to mitigate his legal woes, offered to show the police where there was a marijuana grow op. My place was searched while we were off on a skiing trip. They left their card on the dining table. When I called to complain, they explained what happened. This was the narcotics division of the police force that would handle anything at Toronto International Airport where a LOT of illegal drugs come in to. They were so embarrassed--they told me the other officers on the narcotics team would drop bunches of carrots on their desks and even made up a fake newspaper page with the headline: "Mississauga Police Bust Vegetable Grow Op!" Finding out they were the laughing stock of the police department went a long way to help me get over my feeling of being violated by them breaking into my house.

 

[Carlton]

Wow, to actually break in instead of stake the place out until someone came home. Well, at least they had the conscience to feel embarrassed about it. My sheriff was pleasant about his curiosity, but again I was there, nothing to hide, and always liked any chance to talk about the chams. We had a laugh about it.

 

[jpowell86]

Hey Mawtyplant.

Melleri are different in the fact some believe they thrive better in a group arrangement. In my experience, it is not that cut and dry. I have some of my Melleri that are in groups and some that are not. You really have to pay attention to each one individually to make sure it is a good arrangement for them. If your two females are close in comparison size wise and a male is breeding one, don't be surprised if the other female does stress and don't be surprised if there may be some "jousting" of sorts. My advice would be to take one out of the equation. If you are trying to breed, let the pair stay. If not, take the other female out. Plus Melleri have long courtships and if they feel the other is "interrupting" they may both attack in unison, especially if they become a breeded pair. I just would not risk it.

IMO, if the male and female are that chummy together already.....remove the other female. You are just waiting for something bad to happen. Plus, if they do bite each other, it is very hard to treat.

If you could send me photos of each separately from different angles and really capturing the base of the tail, I might be able to offer some insight on their sex.