Odd Female Jack Behavior?

[Solid Snake]

Oy, my female xanth, Stella, has been showing unusual color patterns, and crawling on her cage. She has never crawled on her 2X2X4 cage since she's been in it, that I've seen(she gets a lot of observation). When she's doing this, she puts on a light pale green/yellow/whiteish tone with black and brown speckles, it looks great! Very interesting! But this pattern/behavior is new. Other than that, she eats normal, fecal looks great, and generaly keeps her schedule. The main reason its got me spooked is that she's moving like she's on a mission, it doesn't seem right, does this sound familiar to anyone? I havnt found anything in search about their color patterns really...

 

[Pilotman800]

Maybe she's ready to have babies? Can you upload photos of her?

 

[camimom]

Oy, my female xanth, Stella, has been showing unusual color patterns, and crawling on her cage. She has never crawled on her 2X2X4 cage since she's been in it, that I've seen(she gets a lot of observation). When she's doing this, she puts on a light pale green/yellow/whiteish tone with black and brown speckles, it looks great! Very interesting! But this pattern/behavior is new. Other than that, she eats normal, fecal looks great, and generaly keeps her schedule. The main reason its got me spooked is that she's moving like she's on a mission, it doesn't seem right, does this sound familiar to anyone? I havnt found anything in search about their color patterns really...

Does she have sight of a male?
Maybe she is receptive for breeding? not sure on jacks, or if they even change colors when receptive and gravid, but if they do,then that could be it.
imean they are live bearers so not sure if they show the same changes that egg layers do.

 

[Solid Snake]

My hunch was that she is "in the mood". I put her age at right about a year, but unsure of exact. I do not have a male.

 

[camimom]

My hunch was that she is "in the mood". I put her age at right about a year, but unsure of exact. I do not have a male.

Well they can still display receptive colors even when not in sight of a male. You may want to post a pic, but I suspect that the color change is from her wanting to mate.

 

[Elizadolots]

They can still produce infertile eggs which they need to expel, so be on the lookout. Here's a thread that discusses this:https://www.chameleonforums.com/what-these-46663/

Here's Chris Anderson's post in that thread: https://www.chameleonforums.com/what-these-46663/index2.html#post436726

Jackson's give live birth but all that means is that they retain developing embryos inside uncalcified egg cases and the neonates "hatch" immediately at or following oviposition. Having a female jackson's drop a clutch of slugs (infertile eggs) has nothing to do with not being healthy or fed properly. They will drop infertile clutches without a male, just like egg laying chameleons lay infertile clutches, and chickens lay infertile eggs.

 

[Cainschams]

Everyone can speculate what is going on and even though good speculations, Id like to see the "how to ask for help" form filled out. Anything change in husbandry lately?

 

[jdog1027]

I have a female that is about 1 1/2- 2 years old, and she typically stays a lime green color. However I have a female that is 43 weeks old (9 months) and she has maintained a whitish coloration for the last 3-4 months or so. She is just now begining to get some lime green around her lips and face area. I don't know why she has always been very light colored. Lizardlover told me it is normal young female Jackson coloration. Here are some photos of my young female. Is this similar to what yours is showing?
As far as wandering the cage goes, she hasn't really done any of that. My older female will go through phases where she roams.

 

[Miss Lily]

She is a beauty! I love her red markings!

 

[camimom]

her back feet look huge compared to her smaller body.

 

[jdog1027]

She is a beauty! I love her red markings!

Yes!! Unfortunately, she is losing the red with age. I was hoping that it would be something that persisted, but it seems to be fading.

her back feet look huge compared to her smaller body.

Ha!!! I never really noticed that, but your right. I think it is just the camera angle.

 

[Solid Snake]

Thanks everybody. Here is the best I can do for pics, hope it works,http://m618.photobucket.com/albums/...YMHtp30dJGtZ98PCnSIuaXsHiC1iIgts1cHzoTn/AV70=. The first is her eating a mantid, but the second and third are the best I can do for the coloration. I would fill out the help form if I had time, I'm a huge advicate of filling it out, but nothing has changed in her husbandry, and I believe its practly perfect, thanks to you guys and if someone told me to change it at this point, I highly doubt I would...

 

[Solid Snake]

Jdog: Stella had the same red just a few months ago, she still retains some, but its rare. She was never as white as your girl, but close. I need to get pics of her current "usual" colors. But they are more "jungle" greens now.
Camimom: Stellas legs are proportioned the same, it seems she uses her hind legs more, and maybe just builds more muscle? At rest her fronts are frequently loosly resting on the perch, or one raised in the air, she looks like a waiter ;P I know that's common cham behavior, but that's just my opinion on the miss-proportion...

 

[camimom]

shes cute.
it probably was just the angle of the camera. but it was funny so i had to say it. Im sure shes fine.

 

[Solid Snake]

No, its not the angle, Stellas look the same, they are two, maybe three times the width of the front legs, ill see if I can get a good example, it is highly noticable in real life, most people who see her comment on it...

 

[sdheli420]

she may be in what i call wandering mode..shes looking for a male..and as for the blanks, its pretty rare to have females drop unfertilized sacs(only once during my 10 years with that species did i have a female that was not bred for a few years drop blanks just once, other females weather bred or not never did that..)as for the real white and red female..super rare, thats what my lil female scooby looked like (back in 1993)..