Panther Chameleon - Furcifer pardalis
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Panther
Chameleon - Furcifer pardalis
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Lizard Care Sheets]
General Information
Distribution - Madagascar and surrounding islands.
Habitat — The Panther Chameleon inhabits the warm and humid zones along the coastline of the island as well as some of the interior areas. The main habitat being heavily forested areas.
Adult Size — A male panther can grow to over a foot in length with females reach 2/3rds of the male’s length.
Temperament — Panther chameleons are fairly mild tempered animals although as with most other chameleons they are not good for handling. They seem to get so stressed by handling that it considerably shortens their life span.
Longevity — Chameleons have a fairly short life span compared to other reptiles, and life expectancy of males is about 5 years with females averaging 3 years.
Captive Care
Rating: 3 — Be wary of wild caught specimens - this species is difficult to breed and eggs are difficult to hatch; therefore, many wild caught animals are still being imported. Domestically bred Panther Chameleons make good pets for those who are committed to providing the ideal home for this sometimes problematic species.
Diet: Hatchlings and Juveniles - crickets, meal worms, wax worms, and other insects; Adults - crickets, meal worms, wax worms, and the occasional pink mouse. The food has to be dusted with Calcium and multi-vitamin supplement on at least a weekly basis.
Temperature: Up to 28oC (82oF) daytime temperature, down to 15oC (65 F) at night, although room temperature 20oC (around 74 F) at night is adequate.
Space: Adult, male, panther chameleons can be comfortably housed in enclosures of 60 cm x 60 cm although this is a bare minimum size. Most chameleons do considerably better in full screened enclosures than glass tanks.
Breeding: Panther Chameleons are not as often bred in captivity as the Veiled Chameleon. As most chameleons are solitary animals, female and male should not be housed in the same enclosure or be allowed to even see each other. Females can in some cases be housed together. This species can produce up to 4 clutches of eggs per year consisting of 15-35 eggs. Incubation usually takes 8-9 months at temperatures of 17oC - 20oC (68-74 F). When introducing the female to the male’s enclosure, he will more than likely run for her and grasp her violently. The process of copulation may take from minutes up to more than an hour. Soon after copulation the female will deposit her eggs in suitable substrate (Moist sand, sphagnum, vermiculite, perlite). They can then be removed and incubated.
Special Requirements: As mentioned earlier, this is a species that does not take well to handling as it will shorten the life span considerably. Another problem is the fact that most chameleons do not recognize standing water; thus daily misting or a drip water system is required for proper hydration as chameleons dehydrate quickly without it.
Sources (Suggested Reading):
Martin, James. 1992. Masters of Disguise (A Natural History of Chameleons). Facts On File, Inc., New York. Pp. 176
Davison, L.J. 1997. Chameleons: Their Care and Breeding. Hancock House Publishers Ltd., Surrey, British Columbia. P.p. 112.
de Vosjoli, Philip and Gary Ferguson. 1995. Care and Breeding of Chameleons. Advanced Vivarium Systems, Lakeside, California. Pp. 128.