Sexing BB Ambilobe Panther Chameleon

[jbarnes668]

I got this BB Ambilobe from LLL about 2 weeks ago. When I got them they said he was around 1 month old I'm guessing s/he is around 1 1/2 months old. S/he is mostly tan with reddish orange stripes. Is it too soon to tell if it is a male or female? Also does s/he look healthy? Its eating around 10-12 crickets a day and I feed him dubias twice a week where he usually will eat around 4-5, please give any critique possible I want to make sure s/he is nice and healthy!

 

[ChameleonRave]

I would say male due to the bulge in the base of the tail.

 

[carol5208]

Yes, I think male also and he looks healthy to me.

 

[jbarnes668]

Okay, great news! Thanks for the help guys!

 

[Olimpia]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

Definitely a male!

I'd swap out his red basking bulb for a white one, however. Chameleons see the world in color, like we do, and red light is not natural. You'll see a happier chameleon long-term with a white incandescent or halogen bulb (you can use the ones from Home Depot or Walmart, basking bulbs don't need to be reptile specific. Something like a 40-75w bulb will usually do the trick, depending on your home temps.)

Here is the panther caresheet, in case you need any more questions answered: https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/panther/
That should be a big help. And we are happy to help you with anything if you ever need anything.

 

[jbarnes668]

Thanks Olimpia! The guy at LLL told me I could use the red for him that why I had it. I just switch from white to red at then then, correct?

 

[Olimpia]

Unfortunately you'll learn that pet store people, even if they have 20+ years of reptile experience, don't usually know chameleons very well. They may be avid keepers of snakes or whatnot at home, but chameleons are different.

The red isn't going to kill him but it's like with us, we're happier and more balanced in natural, white light. So yea, just stop by a store for a normal incandescent white bulb in the wattage you need and you're good to go. I used to get the packs of 6 for about $4, so they're a lot cheaper than the red bulb, too!

 

[jbarnes668]

Alright cool, good facts to know. Love learning as much as I can about my chameleon! I look through these forums almost every day! Love them! I'll stop by and buy a light today. Thanks so much for the input!