von hohnel chameleons??
- Thread starter dropanuke
- Start date
By aggressive, do you mean with the keeper or each other? They are very sweet animals and make great pets (in a chameleon sort of way).
As for towards each other, some chameleons can be found in the wild in close proximity, but there they have the option to get away whenever they want. In captivity they do not have that option and you are looking for trouble to force them together. Them getting along at one time does not mean they will get along as they get older or bigger or have hormone changes.
I'd recommend getting one or getting two cages.
As for towards each other, some chameleons can be found in the wild in close proximity, but there they have the option to get away whenever they want. In captivity they do not have that option and you are looking for trouble to force them together. Them getting along at one time does not mean they will get along as they get older or bigger or have hormone changes.
I'd recommend getting one or getting two cages.
Yeah, the term "community chameleon" is a tricky one. There are a number of chameleons that are not aggressive towards each other that can be kept in a large cage at certain times of their life, but chameleons change just like humans and adding the restrictions of five walls to keep them together when things aren't going well complicates things greatly.
Generally speaking, the stress and vigilance needed on the part of the owner to make sure things continue to go well in the cage out weighs any enjoyment received by having a couple in the same cage. I can't say it wouldnt work as I have successfully kept chameleons in the same cage. But it really wasn't worth it when it did work and I had to keep an extra cage around in case it didn't work...so, in the end it is just better to have two cages and watch both of them grow to their full potential.
Generally speaking, the stress and vigilance needed on the part of the owner to make sure things continue to go well in the cage out weighs any enjoyment received by having a couple in the same cage. I can't say it wouldnt work as I have successfully kept chameleons in the same cage. But it really wasn't worth it when it did work and I had to keep an extra cage around in case it didn't work...so, in the end it is just better to have two cages and watch both of them grow to their full potential.
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
I don't know what someone would mean by "community chameleon". I'd be very skeptical. Chams are usually pretty individual. Plus, normal behavior in the wild where they are free roaming, healthy, and acclimated could be a lot different than their behavior in captivity. The safest course would be to keep them separate initially and once you get to know their personalities, signs of stress, health, etc. you could do trials: first let them see each other, then try sharing a BIG cage. Just be prepared to separate them if one is aggressive or too submissive.
Monzon
Established Member
I have a male and a female "pair" of hoehnelii. They were kept together for several months before I got them and I was told they "did" fine. I have kept them together also (2'x4'x4') but I do not recommend it: Here are my observations:
My female seems to be dominant. She can easily drive the male off of a choice basking site with a head bob and some body rocking. I don't think either animal is stressed out, per say, but it is clear that the female rules the roost. This is opposite from other species that I have seen interact, but the same as my own household....I really feel for the little guy!
My feeling is that unless you have a very large, very well planted enclosure and lots of healthy feeder choices (mine go outside together in a large, well planted enclosure next week)., hoehnelii (like most all species) should be kept apart. Chameleons are territorial predators. They may come together at certain times of the year (like bears during a salmon run) and for breeding, but housing them together is a crap shoot at best. Just because they may not display overt signs of displeasure, doesn't mean they are not experiencing subtle forms of stress and behavioral inhibition. Experienced keepers have told me that chams are best kept so that they cannot even see each other from across a room. This makes a lot of sense to me....
My female seems to be dominant. She can easily drive the male off of a choice basking site with a head bob and some body rocking. I don't think either animal is stressed out, per say, but it is clear that the female rules the roost. This is opposite from other species that I have seen interact, but the same as my own household....I really feel for the little guy!
My feeling is that unless you have a very large, very well planted enclosure and lots of healthy feeder choices (mine go outside together in a large, well planted enclosure next week)., hoehnelii (like most all species) should be kept apart. Chameleons are territorial predators. They may come together at certain times of the year (like bears during a salmon run) and for breeding, but housing them together is a crap shoot at best. Just because they may not display overt signs of displeasure, doesn't mean they are not experiencing subtle forms of stress and behavioral inhibition. Experienced keepers have told me that chams are best kept so that they cannot even see each other from across a room. This makes a lot of sense to me....
