female Jacksons "dancing"

javsto

New Member
I purchased a female jacksons cham this past november from LLLReptiles at a local reptile show. the vendor told me that she looked like she was of breeding age but not 100% sure of its age. When I got home I put her into her own cage but it was next to my male Jacksons cage and I noticed that once they were in direct line of sight of each other she started to do this wierd little side to side dance. He looked receptive and got as close to her cage as he could so after a little while I placed her into his cage and they got very close to each other. the male started to nod his head and walked under her on the jungle vine but thats as much physical contact that they have had. They shared the cage for a couple of days, both ate a fair amount of crickets and hornworms, they slept next to or very near to each other but she still does this little dance every day and he just walks around his cage either warming himself or drinking or eating but not making any moves towards her. Now both are in thier seperate cages since that time but they still get close to each other from time to time. any thoughts on this "dance"??
 
Maybe she was already expecting.
Typically the males are pretty much always in the mood.
The females on the other hand are the ones who will or won't be receptive.
Her side to side movement may have been her warning him to back-off.
What were her colors like?
Was she gaping or hissing?
Was she a solid light green or was she dark colored or speckled?
If you went out or to work, maybe they mated when you were not there.
His side to side head bob is his display indicating that he wants to mate with her.
I can't imagine that if he wanted to mate and she was signaling OK, that they would not have mated.

If she is gravid, she may not appreciate being visible to her amorous neighbor and it may be stressful for her.
Solution would be a partition of some sort--even just cheap opaque plastic sheeting, like the type Home Depot sells in rolls as dropcloth.

Perhaps after you add more info--and pics would be better still--it can be determined as to exactly what the behavior means.
 
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her colors appear normal for the most part. Some times she is full dark but at that point I seperate them into each other cages for several days. But most times she is a light green. Ive had her since last october and her size and shape has not changed, she never looked gravid for that entire time. Im not sure what the gestacion period is for a female jacksons cham but Ive noticed very little change in her appearance. Also she has never hissed or gapped when ever they have been in the same cage at any time. I got to take some pics later today when I get home. I will look into buying some sort of screen to place in between the cages later this week or maybe some cardboard box until then.
 
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