I got my panther this morning from ups. She is only a little older than 2 months. When I first took her out she looked great. Then I left for an hour came back and it looked like she had an underbite which she didn't before. Also she was black. I thought this was because she was trying to absorb more heat so I turned up her heat lamp and it seemed like she started to lighten back up but then I noticed she was trying to eat the fake plants so I put lettuce throughout her cage. My veiled did the same thing when I first got her and she figured it out. This one is a little younger and didn't quite figure it out yet. Now she is towards the back of her cage away from her basking spot and isn't as dark but is still pretty dark and facing the bottom of her cage but isn't at the bottom. Can anyone help figure this out
Need panther help
- Thread starter Reno3558
- Start date
Her jaw seems better which really confuses me. I misted her twice so far and I have a live plant and back drop on the side to try and help hold humidity. It's hard with a screen cage. But I was also thinking she just might be freaked out only being 2 months old and taking a plane ride from Florida to pennsylvania and then a truck ride with the delivery man and now in a big enclosure. Thanks for the suggestions
It's the large screen cage but I don't have the box so I don't know the exact dimensions but I raised the floor about 3 feet in case she were to fall it wouldn't cause serious harm because they do fall from time to time. I think she just needs to unwind. I'm doing everything I can to make sure it's perfect. My veiled loves her setup she never wants to come out
Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
They don't usually fall, usually that shows your cage is improperly set up or that your chameleon has issues. I would just wonder if her cage was too large and freaks her out in general because she felt too exposed. But raising it as much as you did sounds fine for her age.
My veiled has never fallen but I've read if they get really tired from moving too much If they're really active but I've never seen it. And when she doesn't want bothered she moves real quick and she's never fell but I still don't want to take that chance. I was afraid the cage I have might be too big but I think she'll get used to it in a few days
What is the temperature in the basking area? Do you have a UVB light on the cage?
If she's nibbling at the artificial plants then I would get rid of the ASAP...and make sure any real ones are nontoxic. Generally panther chameleons don't eat vegetation but they are known tomchew on branches.
Can you post another photo of the chameleon closer up.
Do you know about supplementing? Feeding/gutloading insects?
If she's nibbling at the artificial plants then I would get rid of the ASAP...and make sure any real ones are nontoxic. Generally panther chameleons don't eat vegetation but they are known tomchew on branches.
Can you post another photo of the chameleon closer up.
Do you know about supplementing? Feeding/gutloading insects?
My veiled is just really skiddish like most other veileds you can't let them go forever? I handle her twice a week at most You have to let them know your in charge or they'll just gain a bad temperament and hiss at you anytime you try and handle them. And yes I know how to feed my chamelon but today is my panthers first day and when I get a new Chameleon I don't feed them the first day and let them get used to their new surroundings. And my panthers basking is at 93 and yes there is a uvb on her. My veiled is healthy she's not the one I'm worried about
Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
That is far too high for a baby panther should be more around 84. And did you try hand feeding first? It sounds like you are just going to make her temperament worse because you will lose her trust completely. There is no such thing as letting a chameleon know you are I charge.... there is no social structure with chameleons. They have no sort of social contact with each other. All you are doing is making her terrified.
If you show you are scared of them they will remember what they did to scare you away and will do it everytime because very few veiled chameleons especially female veileds ever wants to be handled. And 85 is where I had it when I first put her in there and she went to the basking spot and turned black like she was trying to absorb more heat. I plan on tweaking it back down to 82
RedMountainHome
Established Member
I'm no expert, but from what I've seen Andee is one of the most knowledgeable people on this site when it comes to cham health. I'd politely suggest listening to whatever advice you get from that corner 
I've a healthy male panther chameleon, and everyone knows they're friendly as puppy dogs, right? Well, from day one Toby has been a big fat jerk who wanted nothing to do with me It took me about a year to build up enough trust to occasionally be able to get him out of his cage with my bare hands, and in his best of moods he simply ignores me. All this is to say, I agree with what Andee said! Most chameleons just don't want to be handled and we would do best to respect their nature.
I've a healthy male panther chameleon, and everyone knows they're friendly as puppy dogs, right? Well, from day one Toby has been a big fat jerk who wanted nothing to do with me
It took me about a year to build up enough trust to occasionally be able to get him out of his cage with my bare hands, and in his best of moods he simply ignores me. All this is to say, I agree with what Andee said! Most chameleons just don't want to be handled and we would do best to respect their nature.
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
Just read through this and wanted to say I agree with andee. Chameleons are not going to react well to being forced into handling, that's not how they operate. I'd go as far as saying, they never even like you. my panthers will climb all over me and are friendly(except my youngest, he's a killer), but they do it in a way that seems like they're using me as an instrument to get somewhere rather than because they like me. I think they only see us as moving and living extensions of their territory, but of course I can't know this for certain. They aren't tegus/monitors and don't have the ability to form social connections, they never needed to so they didn't evolve that way. That said, nothing wrong with slowly working your way into handling and handfeeding. Slow, calm, and on their terms. Has worked well for me and many others so far! Goodluck!
Yes I understand I'm the one that said they never like being handled but when you need to do something to their cage and they never want to come out sometimes you need to just take them out whether they like it or not. Im aware how to be patient with chams to unhandle them. I did not ask for help on handling them. My panther comes up to me any time I open her cage. I was just expressing how my veiled never wants to come out. I'm just going to unwatch the thread because you guys are just annoying at this point and never really helped much in the first place.
