New baby panther may not be baby

[evadora]

I'm new to this forum and thought maybe you guys might be able to guesstimate for me. I just received a panther chameleon - I was expecting it to not be a chameleon at all, and have never had one personally so I'm learning still Anyway I was told its a she which I believe is accurate and I think she actually is a panther, from all I've seen and read, the doubtful part is that she's 3 and 1/2 mths old. She seems really big for that age, I've seen a few pics that look like it could possibly be accurate and I know these guys do run bigger, but she just seems too big to be that young. I will try to get a pic up soon, but she is about 6 inches or so in body length and then of course another several added for tail. Any guesstimates to if thats still "baby" sized?
Thanks!

 

[Texas Panther Man]

Hard to say without pics. Also some grow bigger and faster than others if they have no competition for food. She may have been the first or last to hatch so she didnt have to compete for feeders etc...

 

[Elizadolots]

I just received a panther chameleon - I was expecting it to not be a chameleon at all

My first thought was: "I hope you weren't expecting an engagement ring!"

Hopefully you also got the supplies needed to keep a chameleon. If you have any question on that, look about the health and enclosure forums for tips on how to procede.

Good luck with your new companion. I'm sure you'll find her challenging and enjoyable.

 

[evadora]

HaHa, no we were honestly expecting an iguana or even an anole. I've had lizards all my life and had people call everything under the sun a "chameleon", add that to, the person who gave her to me is "unreliable" to put it nicely and yea I was very (pleasantly) surprised. We got everything we needed for her and she seems quite happy, eating crickets both from hand and hunting them, she's drinking from her drip and exploring her entire realm. Hopefully with pics up I get a few more experienced opinions of what she might be and her age. Thanks for the answers so far.

 

[pssh]

Maybe pictures with something (like a ruler) in it for size reference would help others. My female isn't even 6 inches snout to vent and she is 8 months old. Mine is only like 3-3.5 max snout to vent, but hey, she is really little.

 

[Elizadolots]

lol...Well, I'm glad it wasn't a disappointment. I'm also glad you were ready to deal with a chameleon.

I am not a veiled person, so I can't comment on size, but I am a photography person so I can second pssh's suggestion of pictures with a size guide in it. Obviously a ruler is the best, but anything that's standardized will work.. While I wouldn't want a chameleon to walk on a standard metal ruler, I'd be fine with one crawling on a standard pencil (unsharpened so we don't have to guess how long it is) and it's possible to glean an actual size from that. I've even used coins in pictures to convey size for something really small.

 

[evadora]

Ok here are so far the best two pics we've been able to get of her (?) First is of her posing and second is of her tail so hopefully someone more experienced than I can confirm female or tell me if she's actually a he. Once again any help or comments are appreciated - thanks.

 

[bridgofaith]

She is a gorgeous panther girl! She is also older than 3-3.5 months old. My 10 month old female is about 6-7 inches nose to vent, so I would guess yours is around the same age.

 

[jamncristian]

hello, you have a very pretty girl
if you dont mind can you fill out these questions
its just so we can find a problem and fix before it becomes a big issue

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
Location - Where are you geographically located?

 

[PaulZarate]

She is a gorgeous panther girl! She is also older than 3-3.5 months old. My 10 month old female is about 6-7 inches nose to vent, so I would guess yours is around the same age.

I'd have to agree, she looks a lot older than 3 1/2 months. I'd also say she's around 10months. But she's very beautiful.

 

[evadora]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - panther chameleon, female, we've had for about 2 days and were told she was 3 and a half, a person I work with apparently is breeding them, and she gave her to me.
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - Right now she is mainly eating crickets but today she did eat 3 wax worms
What is the schedule? we are still working this out since we just got her but right now its a couple times a day we get her to eat what she will and then a few hours later repeat. she seems to be eating 2-3 of whatever I give her at a time, so about 6 - 8 a day which I thought was normal.
How are you gut-loading your feeders? veggies at the moment not much else not giving them any vitamins atm either.
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? we have only dusted the crickets once and it was with flukers calcium with d3, i have since went and got some without d3 as well
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? we have a basic cup drip going into a rock bowl which we empty out and keep the bottom dry. How often and how long to you mist? we've been misting at least 3 times a day for at least a few minutes but sometimes longer. Do you see your chameleon drinking? we have seen her drink from the cup drip several times this seems to be her preference.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings.Havent seen much of droppings yet, the hubby said he cleaned out the bottom of the cage today and there was a little bit of white poos. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Not to my knowledge I don't know if previous owner did.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
The person I work with is not the most reliable, habitual liar to be blunt, but she was telling the truth about having a cham, and she did say it was a panther. However she said that this girl is 3 and a half and was the only one left in the litter and noone wanted her because she was dull and apparently unamazing (I thinks shes awesome!). Supposedly she owns the mama panther and shes orange and yellow and she claims its still young, but also that she will have more babies come late spring early summer if I want another. She also says she has a veiled boy and thats whose baby I was supposed to get but she woke up the morning she was to give me one and two of the three babies were dead and she didn't know why. This is mainly why I'd like to know as much as possible about her breed, because I'm never sure whats true when the previous owner tells me something. She also said she had just shed before she gave her to me, and my cham does have a small white spot on her side that she claims is the last bit of the old skin?
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) Right now we are using a bird cage type enclosure until we can get a proper screen cage, we weren't honestly expecting it to be a cham and had an aquarium ready expecting gecko or iguana. When we got her we got the next best readily available thing.
What are the dimensions? Its approximately 3 or 3 and half feet tall, sitting on a small table that puts it up another couple feet - the top is almost even with the top of me and I'm just above 5 ft. Its about 2 and half feet wide and 1 and half feet deep (guessing, haven't measured)
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? We have two clamps at the top one with a regular house bulb 40watt, and the other a repti glo 26w 5.0 uvb compact flourescent.
What is your daily lighting schedule? Lights go on so far about 7am, and off about the same in the evening 7pm or so.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Basking spot is about 85 usually , and the bottom I've not seen lower than 70. Lowest overnight temp? lowest I've seen the bottom read is about 70, but its harder to see the gauge at night, the room never dips below 60 though.
How do you measure these temps? We currently have a basic pet store thermometer near the bottom and her basking spot, not the best I know but we needed something to get started and get the basic idea.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? Humidity we have not gotten a gauge for yet, we do live in ohio so its not arid here, and I've put plants and theres always water in the enclosure, I know I need to get a guage, but was told for what shes in right now - not being screened - it'd be nigh impossible to get an accurate read.
How are you creating and maintaining these levels? Lots of plants and theres always water.
What do you use to measure humidity? nothing atm
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? We have several fake vines for her to climb in and we also have several small pothos plants located about half dozen spots throughout for her to climb on and hunt from.
Placement - Where is your cage located? Cage is in our bedroom on small table across the room from us. Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? Vent is across the room, we have a small space heater that we use sometimes, not since we got her, thankfully its been a bit warmer, but she would possibly feel it if we turned it facing her, which its not now. At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? Top of cage I'd guess is almost 5 ft from floor, like I said, a bit below me.
Location - Where are you geographically located? Southern Ohio, outskirts of Columbus.

 

[justjumpit621]

3 1/2 years? That is no where NEAR a baby LOL I would help more but I ned to hit the hay, good luck!

 

[bridgofaith]

3 1/2 years? That is no where NEAR a baby LOL I would help more but I ned to hit the hay, good luck!

the doubtful part is that she's 3 and 1/2 mths old

This was in her first post.

 

[evadora]

If I typed yrs in there anywhere I didn't mean too, was trying to hurry, 3 and half mths is what everything should read.

 

[Elizadolots]

I think justjumpit was making a funny....

Beautiful pictures!! Wow! And, you did a good job of conveying size. Nicely done!

 

[evadora]

Just double checking after filling out the questions it was entirely possible that I typed years in there somewhere haha. Thanks for all the input though so far and I appreciate all the compliments we certainly think she is beautiful.

 

[bridgofaith]

we have only dusted the crickets once and it was with flukers calcium with d3, i have since went and got some without d3 as well

Be sure to dust the feeders lightly with calcium withOUT D3 5x a week, with D3 1-2x a month and vitamin 1x per month. Gutloading your feeders is key. Kale, carrots,turnips,collards,apples,oranges, ect. are good gutloading foods.

You may want to do a vet visit to have a fecal done, just to be safe. The white "poo" you see in her cage is her urate, or pee. It should be white and this indicates that she is hydrated. It turns orange when she isn't getting enough water.

and the other a repti glo 26w 5.0 uvb compact flourescent

Compact lights are not recommended because they have been known to cause eye problems. The best UVB light out is the ReptiSun 5.0 linear fluroscent.

Hope this helps and I'm sure others will have some more advice for you as well.

 

[justjumpit621]

If I typed yrs in there anywhere I didn't mean too, was trying to hurry, 3 and half mths is what everything should read.

Sorry I read in the health info you posted it just said 3 1/2 so I didn't know if it was years or months.