Melleri Chameleon looking for a mate...

[AsiaKauffman]

I am a first time Melleri Momma and I am trying to find information on breeding Melleri chameleons and how to sex them? (Finding information/captive breeding them difficult, but willing to learn and devote time to mastering it.)

I have a Melleri chameleon (2 years 4 months old estimate, had for 1.8 years) who I think is a boy. I have never had a melleri, and I love him so much!

I haven't seen a hemipenis/seminal plug or eggs. Should I be seeing something by now???

He has only seen my boy panther chameleon, (Doubting that would jump start his libido.) Neither my panther or melleri are aggressive towards one another.

I saw FLChameleons have had them for sale before and mentioned sexing is difficult.

I will be attending the San Diego Reptile show this summer and would love to buy my melleri a mate!

Any suggestions on bringing him to the show to see how he reacts to other melleri chameleons?

Any information from all you Melleri owners will help!! Thank you !!!

 

[warpdrive]

some great info here at this site...
http://www.melleridiscovery.com/

Harry

 

[AsiaKauffman]

side view

 

[AsiaKauffman]

 

[AsiaKauffman]

I read in one of the threads on here about the male showing black spots on the underside of the occipital flaps?

 

[laurie]

I hate to be the one to tell you, but you can't sex a melleri by looking. One of the guys in OC has has melleri for years and has several. if anyone can explain he is the person. Send a pm to summoner 12 (kevin) he can talk to you about the problems sexing but you can only sex a meller's surgically, which is risky.

 

[AsiaKauffman]

I hate to be the one to tell you, but you can't sex a melleri by looking. One of the guys in OC has has melleri for years and has several. if anyone can explain he is the person. Send a pm to summoner 12 (kevin) he can talk to you about the problems sexing but you can only sex a meller's surgically, which is risky.

Thank you!

 

[Lloyd Heilbrunn]

I hate to be the one to tell you, but you can't sex a melleri by looking. One of the guys in OC has has melleri for years and has several. if anyone can explain he is the person. Send a pm to summoner 12 (kevin) he can talk to you about the problems sexing but you can only sex a meller's surgically, which is risky.

ONLY surgically? Would not xray or ultrasound work too? And much less risky....

 

[laurie]

ONLY surgically? Would not xray or ultrasound work too? And much less risky....

This is what I have heard the meller keeper's say, only surgically. We could check with fluxlizard, & summnor12 and get a positive answer. Maybe they will answer this post. There are a number of others who can answer so let's see who comes on the thread.

 

[fluxlizard]

Best advice I have is to sex with body shape and behavior.

Body shape- viewed from above, most female chameleons of any species have the classic "pear shape" thing going on- abdomen wider than chest. Males tend to be less "curvy" and more straight edged viewed from above. Mellers are the same but maybe more subtle about it.

Of course this may not work with underweight recent imports. Or if you get a slender female. Or if she decides to stretch out when moving or whatever. Still, it's a pretty good way if you have seen a lot of adult female chameleons of other species.

Behavior- visually isolate and then show to another melleri after a few weeks and watch their reactions. Classic reactions should occur- nodding and lobe flapping for males, rocking and maybe gaping for females.

Of course this will not work if you only have a single individual and you will be left wondering if you end up with 2 females or a female and a passive male and they just kind of eyeball each other without much reaction. This works best if you several individuals and plenty of time (months) to keep showing the passive animals to individuals of known sex (males) who are good at responding, which usually invokes some reaction or other in the more passive individual (sometimes only turning dark and shrinking, which isn't very helpful, but at least you can try again at some point in the future and get a different reaction).

 

[Jimturner]

I would add that my mellers keep me guessing... I THINK that I have them sorted but still no definite answers. lol I'll have to wait for sperm-plugs, eggs or breeding to know for certain. Cheers!

 

[fluxlizard]

Oh yeah- definitely.
If you want a sure-sexed chameleon that you can just get a pair from a dealer pick another species.

 

[AsiaKauffman]

Best advice I have is to sex with body shape and behavior.

Body shape- viewed from above, most female chameleons of any species have the classic "pear shape" thing going on- abdomen wider than chest. Males tend to be less "curvy" and more straight edged viewed from above. Mellers are the same but maybe more subtle about it.

Of course this may not work with underweight recent imports. Or if you get a slender female. Or if she decides to stretch out when moving or whatever. Still, it's a pretty good way if you have seen a lot of adult female chameleons of other species.

Behavior- visually isolate and then show to another melleri after a few weeks and watch their reactions. Classic reactions should occur- nodding and lobe flapping for males, rocking and maybe gaping for females.

Of course this will not work if you only have a single individual and you will be left wondering if you end up with 2 females or a female and a passive male and they just kind of eyeball each other without much reaction. This works best if you several individuals and plenty of time (months) to keep showing the passive animals to individuals of known sex (males) who are good at responding, which usually invokes some reaction or other in the more passive individual (sometimes only turning dark and shrinking, which isn't very helpful, but at least you can try again at some point in the future and get a different reaction).

Thank you for your insight! I also went on melleridiscovery.com and found a ton of information to help too. I may have my melleri xrayed to see what sex he is to know for sure then see about talking to breeders about a mate. I saw FLChams have had melleri chameleons before. Any information on if they are a good place to buy chameleons? Thank you again to everyone for helping my dream of becoming a better chameleon keeper true!

 

[AsiaKauffman]

I would add that my mellers keep me guessing... I THINK that I have them sorted but still no definite answers. lol I'll have to wait for sperm-plugs, eggs or breeding to know for certain. Cheers!

Since my Mueller is around 2 to 2.4 years old, I'm sure within the next year I should see eggs or seminal plugs, for sure. I spoke to my vet and he mentioned a x-ray wouldn't work, but an endoscopy would, but for surgery, i'd rather wait for eggs or a seminal plug to show before cutting him open just to easy my mind.

 

[chams1]

This is what I have heard the meller keeper's say, only surgically. We could check with fluxlizard, & summnor12 and get a positive answer. Maybe they will answer this post. There are a number of others who can answer so let's see who comes on the thread.

Thanks, Laurie. Ignore me. I see how you are.

 

[laurie]

Thanks, Laurie. Ignore me. I see how you are.

I am not ignoring you. I am trying to keep everyone away from you just in case you have some c/b babies. I could never forget you. The very idea.

How are the melleri eggs coming along.

 

[peacenlove]

i have a female meller looking for a mate to shes about 2-4 years old

 

[Miss Machine]

Hmm I have Melleri-male, approx. 2,5 to 3 years old. When he was defecating, i saw him sticking his two hemipenes out. So ofcourse, for me that was proof my animal is a male...

but.... I NEVER see any spermplugs.. ??

 

[chamconnect]

Hate to be the one to tell you but she may be a female. Beautiful blue green morph by the way. She looks very similar to my female. Your best bet is taking her to a very good herp vet and he/she will tell you within minutes. You can look up how to surgically sex many reptiles on line or I am sure on youtube but for her health taking her to the vet would be the best idea. A good herp vet shouldn't charge much for the visit at all eithr.