Why Male Chameleons
- Thread starter Tabooza
- Start date
okiroo
Avid Member
So as I been talking to people on this wonderful forum everybody seems to be pointing me to a male and not a female any particular reason why, or are they just easier to take care of. Any info on this would help alot thx
-Tabooza
my first and second are females. 3rd and fourth is a male and a female(got at same time) get whatever sex you want but be warned females tend not to live as long, arnt as colorful, and can die from laying eggs witch they will lay even if not bred(unless a live bearing species, such as jacksons)
in my opinion females are just as if not more beautiful than males. they are also sweeter; however, their are pleanty of sweet males.
okiroo
Avid Member
my first was a veiled. next a hoe and than my pair of spectrums. my hoe is live bearing and my veiled is gravid with her first clutch.
camimom
New Member
I did the same as Okiroo, cept mine are males.
I have a 10 months old male veiled and a 6 month old male hoehnelli.
As okiroo said, the egg laying, shorter life, duller colors is why many people get males not females.
But female jacksons and hoehnellis are live bearers and therefore we wont have the egg issues with them.
Females require egg laying bins 24/7, must be watched for egg signs, and if they dont lay, they have to go to the vet for either shots of oxytocin to encourage egg laying, or if the female is egg bound, to have surgery to remove them.
However, many people have very nice females, can have pretty colors, and when taken care of properly, they wont have egg issues.
I have a 10 months old male veiled and a 6 month old male hoehnelli.
As okiroo said, the egg laying, shorter life, duller colors is why many people get males not females.
But female jacksons and hoehnellis are live bearers and therefore we wont have the egg issues with them.
Females require egg laying bins 24/7, must be watched for egg signs, and if they dont lay, they have to go to the vet for either shots of oxytocin to encourage egg laying, or if the female is egg bound, to have surgery to remove them.
However, many people have very nice females, can have pretty colors, and when taken care of properly, they wont have egg issues.
okiroo
Avid Member
nono! i ment is not was. lol. shes perfectly fine and gravid with her first clutch. id be heart broken if something happend to her but im thinking her little healthy self will be fine. shes got a perfect laying bin w8ing for her.
Olimpia
Biologist & Ecologist
With the two most common first chameleon choices, females are less flashy in their colors, smaller, and come with added care to consider. And these are all things that first-time owners may not be interested in.
Females will lay infertile eggs periodically, so in order to try to keep this from happening (or at least reducing the number of eggs per batch) you'd have to keep her no warmer than 80-82*F and feed her a lot less once she turns about 5 months old. If she does lay she'll need a laying bin, which has to be 12" deep by at least 7-8" wide full of moist sand/soil so that she may dig a tunnel and lay them. Occasionally one will have complications laying or refuse to lay in the spot provided and need emergency medical attention. So most of the time new-time owners don't want to risk all of this as their first experience.
As far as panthers go, I have both a male and a female, both as pets, and I find her extremely pretty in her own right. She's not bright blue, but she can be bright peach, pink, orange, and have purple spots. And my female veiled was extremely pretty, and had quite the character. I preferred her to the males any day, quite honestly!
So it's up to you, it sounds kinda scary to own a female but they are quite a joy as well.
Females will lay infertile eggs periodically, so in order to try to keep this from happening (or at least reducing the number of eggs per batch) you'd have to keep her no warmer than 80-82*F and feed her a lot less once she turns about 5 months old. If she does lay she'll need a laying bin, which has to be 12" deep by at least 7-8" wide full of moist sand/soil so that she may dig a tunnel and lay them. Occasionally one will have complications laying or refuse to lay in the spot provided and need emergency medical attention. So most of the time new-time owners don't want to risk all of this as their first experience.
As far as panthers go, I have both a male and a female, both as pets, and I find her extremely pretty in her own right. She's not bright blue, but she can be bright peach, pink, orange, and have purple spots. And my female veiled was extremely pretty, and had quite the character. I preferred her to the males any day, quite honestly!
So it's up to you, it sounds kinda scary to own a female but they are quite a joy as well.
Olimpia
Biologist & Ecologist
With females I recommend weighing them every week, at least, and write it down. Obviously your female will be growing, but if you notice that she suddenly gains 20g in a couple weeks where before she was gaining a couple grams a week, then you know something may be up. Considering that her food intake has stayed more of less the same.
Sometimes their colors will change as well. My panther female shows more black, and my veiled did as well, but only if she was upset (she'd turn completely black except for blue and yellow spots).
You'll notice that they'll get much rounder. Some get bigger than others but you will probably notice their waists getting a little more rotund!
When they're finally ready to lay they may refuse food and get antsy, restless, and pace the bottom of the cage. If they have the laying bin available they may start digging in it, testing it to see if they like it. They may dig a couple test tunnels before they settle down and finish one. When they do start laying, it's best to give them as much privacy as possible - don't let them see you watching. It may take them a full night or two to do it (they like laying in the evening, possibly through the night).
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