Tiny panther

[Nosybe]

I have a 3.5 month old male ambilobe that seems to be way smaller than he should be. He is just over 4 inches total length. I got him from Chameleon Nation a month ago and he doesn't seem to have grown much. He has completed one shed since I've had him. I free range his food in his screen enclosure but I always watch to make sure he eats and their are always food items available near the lights. I also give him roaches, and butterworms. I have been handling him twice a week to get him used to me, and he is coming along nicely. He has the proper UV lights and heat. He is very healthy, active and alert, but I just don't know why he is so small.

Is it because I free range his food? I like the more natural way of hunting instead of a cup. Do I need to cup feed?

 

[jannb]

How many feeders will your panther eat a day? Look healthy in the pic. I think panthers grow kinda slow anyway.

 

[Nosybe]

He eats about 5-7 1/4 inch crix a day.

 

[jannb]

You don't have to cup feed but do not leave uneaten crickets in the cage with your cham over night beacuse they can eat on your cham. I keep veileds but to me your cham kinda looks female.....but by no means I'm I an expert on that.

 

[Nosybe]

I have no doubt that he is a male. You can see clearly in person the bulge. Am I worrying about nothing with his size?

 

[jannb]

I think he is fine. My daughter raises panthers and most of them are about his size at 3 months.

 

[Nosybe]

Thank you. I have heard is it healthier for them too grow slow too.

 

[renzo0684]

I am so jealouse!!!! I have to wait for christmas to get mine. He looks like he is 3 months. Chameleon Care Taker does not sell their chams until they are about 3-4 months and in the pictures they have they seem about the same size here is a link. http://www.chameleoncaretaker.com/availablechameleons.html...

 

[Warrix642]

Looks very female to me also. You can feed a few more crickets a day and a variety will put some size on him/her fast!

 

[Nosybe]

No, I have a male and a female. This one is for sure a male.

 

[hallenhe]

My panther was ~3 months when I got him and less than 2 inches snout to vent, so would have been about the same size as yours at the same age. He grew up normal and healthy. Tiny otherwise healthy panthers do exist (do a search on "Smidg" for one owned by Forum member Laurie), but yours sounds about the right size for his age.

 

[Psi]

One of my Nosey Be Females I got about 2 months ago (who's now around 5 months) is just slightly bigger then yours.
She's growing slowly but is fine.

 

[laurie]

I have a 3 month old male panther and weighted him yesterday, he currently weights 11 grams. How does that compare to your beautiful boy?

 

[Dez]

Baby panthers go thro a growth spurt between 3.5 and 4.5 month old.. I swear they seem to double size overnight

*also, I think is a baby boy*

 

[Nosybe]

Baby panthers go thro a growth spurt between 3.5 and 4.5 month old.. I swear they seem to double size overnight

*also, I think is a baby boy*

Thanks, that is good to know.

I keep telling everyone it is a boy! He is quite colorful compared to my female of the same age and the hemipenal bulge is quite obvious in person

 

[ChrisnLisa]

Dez is right with the growth spurt. We have some babies about 3 months right now. They hatched at 6 months and were TINY!! Some look only a few weeks old, while others are 4 times the size. They all eventually catch up...some just slower than others.

 

[Nicodemayo]

He looks fine and healthy to me. Doesn't help that some of these "3 month olds" on these forums, I feel, are improperly represented age wise. So its hard to compare them correctly. Just keeping feeding him and provide him what he needs. He'll hit a growth spirt eventually where he'll grow like mad. Good luck and have fun.

 

[Fidel]

Doesn't help that some of these "3 month olds" on these forums, I feel, are improperly represented age wise. So its hard to compare them correctly.

I second that. Noseybe, your right about him being male by the way.

 

[sandrachameleon]

he looks healthy to me. I wouldnt be concerned. They dont all grow like weeds, and I think it better to grow at steady moderate rate than super fast anyhow. So long as he is growing dont worry. Have you weighed him?