anther Chameleon (Females)
Scientific Name: Furcifer pardalis
Common Name: Panther Chameleon (Female)
Species Overview
Size: Adult females typically reach 10 to 14 inches (25 to 36 cm) in total length.
Appearance: Female Panther Chameleons display softer, more muted colours compared to males, usually presenting tones of peach, tan, cream, brown, and soft green. When receptive, females may brighten to shades of pink, peach, or yellow. When gravid or unreceptive, they shift to darker patterns with contrasting highlights such as deep orange, purplish tones, or dark banding. Their casque is lower than that of males, and they have a slimmer overall build. Females from unspecified or unidentified locales do not display locale-specific colour signatures and can vary widely in appearance depending on genetic lineage.
Distribution: Originates from various regions across Madagascar. Since these females are not tied to a specific locale, their ancestry may trace back to multiple Panther Chameleon populations.
Habitat: Panther Chameleons inhabit tropical forests, dense vegetation corridors, and humid coastal environments. They rely on lower to mid-level canopy zones where vegetation offers shade, shelter, and pathways for climbing.
Behaviour: Females are solitary and territorial, interacting with males only during receptive periods. Their colour changes communicate reproductive status, stress, or defensive posturing. They traverse branches with slow, rhythmic movements and hunt visually, capturing prey with precise tongue projection.
Captive Care
Enclosure: Provide a vertically oriented enclosure at least 36 × 18 × 36 inches (90 × 45 × 90 cm) for one adult, with a larger 48 × 24 × 48 inches (120 × 60 × 120 cm) enclosure strongly recommended for improved airflow, stability, and climbing space. Use screen or hybrid enclosures with strong ventilation. Furnish the habitat with dense live plants, sturdy branches, cork pieces, and multiple secure horizontal perches set through the mid and upper levels to create a layered environment that promotes hiding, exploration, and natural movement.
Temperature and Humidity:
Basking area: 85 to 90°F (29 to 32°C)
Ambient daytime: 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C)
Night temperatures: 65 to 72°F (18 to 22°C)
Humidity: 50 to 70%, with misting cycles that allow humidity to rise and fall naturally throughout the day.
Lighting: Provide bright full-spectrum lighting, including a T5 HO UVB fixture in the 5 to 6% range. Plant lighting supports live vegetation and helps maintain environmental complexity.
Diet: Offer a varied insect diet such as crickets, roaches, silkworms, hornworms, black soldier fly larvae, and occasional mealworms or superworms. Gut-load all feeders and supplement with calcium frequently and multivitamins weekly.
Behaviour in Captivity: Female Panther Chameleons tend to be shy and stress-prone if handled frequently, thriving best in a lush, display-style enclosure with strong visual barriers. When secure, they exhibit natural hunting behaviours and healthy colour shifts that reflect their comfort and reproductive cycles.
Special Considerations:
• Always provide a lay bin for adult females, even if they are not bred, as they may produce infertile clutches.
• Maintain strong foliage density for visual security.
• Limit handling as females tend to stress easily.
• Monitor weight and appetite carefully during reproductive cycles.
Taxonomy Note
The Panther Chameleon belongs to the family Chamaeleonidae. Females without specified locales may exhibit mixed traits inherited from multiple regional bloodlines, resulting in varied but naturally occurring colouration.
Genetics Note
Unspecified or unidentified Panther Chameleon females are not tied to a particular locale. Their genetics often reflect mixed lineage, leading to diverse colour tones and patterns that cannot be reliably associated with Ambilobe, Ambanja, Nosy Be, Sambava, or other known locales. Offspring from such females will not produce locale-pure young unless paired with a confirmed locale male and even then may not meet expectations for pure locality traits.
