Male only shows most vibrant colors when handled?

[ItsSinJin]

My 4-5 month old male Ambilobe Carl shows basic colors of pale blue and green when in his enclosure, along with the typical darker coloration when he's basking.
But when I take him out to explore and let him crawl around me and the furniture, he colors right up! (I let him climb onto my hand before I take him out of course)
He doesn't puff up or look all mean when I handle him, he just does his thing and check stuff out. No dark colors or barring, just bright blue and green!

So since he shows no signs of agitation, aggression, or dark barring when handled, is he just relaxed/happy around me? Or am I interpreting this all wrong?

He's in a 2x2x4 breeze cage by the way.

I'll post some pictures to better explain what I'm talking about later.
Thanks!

 

[shawn_melanson]

Most chameleons brighten up and show more colors out of the cages then in them Atleast mine do it's not a huge difference but it is a difference

 

[ItsSinJin]

Most chameleons brighten up and show more colors out of the cages then in them Atleast mine do it's not a huge difference but it is a difference

Ah thanks for the quick reply! I'm new to chameleons so this was a very curious occurence to me!
I've read that it's okay to handle your chameleon until it starts show display signs of stress, if so how often should I handle this little guy?

 

[shawn_melanson]

Ah thanks for the quick reply! I'm new to chameleons so this was a very curious occurence to me!
I've read that it's okay to handle your chameleon until it starts show display signs of stress, if so how often should I handle this little guy?

Quite honestly it depends on your Cham like my nosey be females can be held forever and still show her "happy" colors. my male nosey be, when I try to pull him out he puffs up at me and is always trying to get away so I only hold him for a few minutes to get him acclimated to being held. I also have a 3 month old amilobe the I hold for 10 minutes a day who hisses and bites I'm trying to get him use to contact once I get him out he's pretty good. And I also have a ambanja male who I can basically hold for awhile and hell just chill out if he gets to restless I put him back. So basically get to know your Cham see how he\she acts towards you and base it off that!

 

[ItsSinJin]

Wow that's rad, how old are they?
Oh man this lil guy is so curious it's awesome.
Whenever he wants to investigate something or climb on top of something he just goes for it. If he needs some help he just reaches up to where he wants to go and I help him up there, if he's allowed of course
But his favorite place is on my blinds just chilling looking outside from the second floor. I swear he did it for 10 minutes the other day.
Just sitting there, daydreaming haha!
I guess you could say he's a... WILD THING!




Here's the best pic I have of of him prowling around showing off his greens and blues. And I just now noticed some purple on his casque WOW I thought panthers didn't have purple on them, unless it's extremely rare!?

I'll try to snap a pic when he's exploring and REALLY colored up, same goes for his future girlfriend!
Can't wait to see his mature colors though, he's totally gonna be a stud!

 

[shawn_melanson]

Wow that's rad, how old are they?
Oh man this lil guy is so curious it's awesome.
Whenever he wants to investigate something or climb on top of something he just goes for it. If he needs some help he just reaches up to where he wants to go and I help him up there, if he's allowed of course
But his favorite place is on my blinds just chilling looking outside from the second floor. I swear he did it for 10 minutes the other day.
Just sitting there, daydreaming haha!
I guess you could say he's a... WILD THING!




Here's the best pic I have of of him prowling around showing off his greens and blues. And I just now noticed some purple on his casque WOW I thought panthers didn't have purple on them, unless it's extremely rare!?

I'll try to snap a pic when he's exploring and REALLY colored up, same goes for his future girlfriend!
Can't wait to see his mature colors though, he's totally gonna be a stud!

There are some with purple my female shows me purple alot actually haha but Hulu have sweet little guy! I love all my chams but my nosy be female is 7-8 months my nosy be male is 10 months my ambanja male is 10 months and my amilobe male is 3ish months he just started to show a tiny but of color nothing crazy though

I have to do it one by one but ill Post pics of them this one is my ambanja male

 

[shawn_melanson]

Here's my ambilobe male

 

[shawn_melanson]

My nosy be male

 

[shawn_melanson]

And my nosy be female

 

[ChameleonsByVanGogh]

hes young buddy

its all good man he is still young and has not gotten all his colors anyway. seriously the vibrant colors you see on some of our chams did not come until after a year...yes they get some around 5-9 months but you dont see the full potential until much later and the full range of colors dont kick it until adulthood be patient and remember the vibrant color you see when he is handled is his stress colors
this was my buddy one day and this was him the next

 

[ChameleonsByVanGogh]

the next

charlie miss you buddy

 

[ItsSinJin]

Thanks for the info guys! Seeing the pics of yours makes me rethink the age of my lil guy.
He's approx 5 inches snout to vent and weighs 32g. Does that seem right for a 4-5 month old?

 

[fuzzhc]

Only time my guy isn't in black barring is when he is sleeping, mostly lol

 

[OwenPowell]

I have a 6 month old ambilobe male.

In his cage he keeps the earth tones on, his green background and dark blue stripes, unless he's hunting. Then I get to see what kind of colors he's going to have. He'll flare up in bright orange and blue and run after his prey.
While he's basking he's a dark brownish black with black stripes.
And when I take him out I've seen everything from sky blue stripes on a yellow body to dark orange with purple highlights.

His range of colors, even at this age, is absolutely astonishing. It makes me really anxious to see what he'll look like fully grown!

 

[Psychobunny]

My panther is sort of the same.
When he is inside the cage, he looks rather drab, but when I let him out, and he is stalking the free range, he fires up with color.

Even if I get him mad, like showing him my camera, he gapes at me, but if he is inside the cage, he does not color up.
Only when he is outside!

 

[OwenPowell]

Probably for the same reasons you'll find me in drabby clothes or PJs around the house, but going out requires I put on my finest duds

 

[Psychobunny]

LOL! exactly, good way to think of it