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ow to Care for a Pet Chameleon
Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
Article Rating: (10 Ratings)
Chameleons make fascinating and amusing pet reptiles, with their ability to change colors, their long tongues, opposable toes and eyes that roll independently. If you're thinking of a chameleon as a pet, you must know they take a great deal of time and expertise to care for properly. If a chameleon's housing, feeding and health aren't kept to good standards, he won't survive.
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Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Instructions
Things You'll Need:
Mesh cage
Live plants
Thermostat
Heating lamps
Fluorescent lights
Water misting bottle
Drip system
Live feeder insects
Baby cereal
Fish flakes
Fresh vegetables and fruit
Calcium Powder
Multivitamins
Step
1
Buy a mesh cage, at least two feet wide, two feet long and three feet tall. Chameleons need air circulation and room to climb. Place the cage in a quiet area of your home to reduce his stress.
Step
2
Purchase a variety of live plants for your cage. Chameleons are arboreal and thrive in captivity if given natural habitat conditions. Climbing pathos vines and a Ficus tree provide an ideal habitat, but ask your pet shop for other recommendations.
Step
3
Keep his cage between 60 to 78 degrees F,(SIXTY SEEMS A BIT LOWER FOR A DAILY AVERAGE TEMP TO ME) with a routine temperature variation. Provide cooler, shaded areas along with areas for him to bask in the light and heat. They tolerate higher temperatures but not for long periods of time. Place a thermometer in his cage to gauge temperatures.
Step
4
Make sure her cage has proper lighting. Chameleons do best in natural sunlight. In the absence of sunlight, purchase a fluorescent light and heating lamp. They need the UV radiation of sunlight or fluorescent light for their calcium metabolism.(GOOD INFO BUT THEY DO NOT SPECIFY YOU NEED A FLORESCENT UVB BULB, I'M GUESSING THE AVERAGE PERSON WOULD GET A REGULAR FLORESCENT SOFT WHITE TUBE BULB AFTER READING THIS)
Step
5
Provide a drip or misting system for your Chameleon's drinking water needs, as they don't drink from a bowl. Mist plants a few times daily. Your chameleon drinks the droplets off the leaves.
Step
6
Feed your chameleon live feeder insects found at pet stores such as crickets, mealworms, waxworms, flies, moths, grasshoppers and a pinky mouse one a week. Know how much to feed her by observing her eating habits.
(I"M PRETTY SURE A PINKY MOUSE ONCE A WEEK WILL GIVE YOU A FAT CHAMELEON, IDK HOW MUCH PROTEIN A PINKY CONTAINS BUT I'M SURE IT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE RISK OF GOUT AS WELL. PLUS MEALWORMS ARE NOT VERY GOOD AS AN EVERY DAY FEEDER BECAUSE OF IMPACTION RISK. AND WAXWORMS ARE JUST LITTLE WIGGLING FAT BLOBS, NOT A GOOD EVERYDAY FEEDER)
Step
7
Gutload his feeder insects to provide more nutrients. This means feeding the crickets, mealworms or other insects baby cereal, fish flakes and veggies about 24 hours before your chameleon's feeding time.
Tips & Warnings
Choose a common variety of captive bred chameleon, such as the veiled chameleon. They are less expensive and easier to care for.
Provide calcium powder daily and multivitamins twice a week; otherwise, your chameleon develops serious nutritional deficiencies.(YOUR CHAMELEON COULD DEVELOP EDEMA AND KIDNEY/LIVER PROBLEMS FROM MULTIVITAMIN OVER-SUPPLEMENTATION, MY GUESS WOULD BE THAT THE EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF VIT. A WOULB BE THE CULPRIT. PLUS THEY DON"T MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT CALCIUM POWDER WITH D3 OR AVOIDING CALCIUM POWDER WITH PHOSPHORUS)
Look for signs of illness such as a loss of appetite, sunken eyes, difficulty climbing or supporting its weight.
Avoid glass aquariums for chameleons. They don't provide enough air circulation.
Don't house two male chameleons in the same cage because they tend to fight.
Never feed your chameleon insects, which are too large, because they cause gagging and pose a choking hazard.(GOOD BUT THEY DON"T SAY HOW BIG TOO BIG IS)
If your chameleon appears thin with a traceable line along its backbone and tail seek help from an experienced reptile vet.
Ads by Google
Gorgeous Chameleon Cages
Unique attractive custom enclosures Request a free color catalog today!
www.cagesbydesign.com
Looking for a bar feeder?
12' magazine to 4.3", Patented Zero Changeover. Free Gift for response
www.TopBarFeed.com
Buy Live Chameleons Here
America's Largest Variety of Captive Bred and Hatched Species
www.flchams.com
Chameleon Forums
Let's talk chameleons! Learn and share knowledge.
www.ChameleonForums.com
One of our super cool site sponsor and this site were advertised there so I thought that was cool too
I think I am going to become and E-HOW member and correct this info, just for the sake of the newer keepers who aren't fortunate enough to find this amazing site. If there is anything else you think I should add post it on here. Thanks.
Justin
Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
Article Rating: (10 Ratings)
Chameleons make fascinating and amusing pet reptiles, with their ability to change colors, their long tongues, opposable toes and eyes that roll independently. If you're thinking of a chameleon as a pet, you must know they take a great deal of time and expertise to care for properly. If a chameleon's housing, feeding and health aren't kept to good standards, he won't survive.
Print Article
Add to Favorites
Flag Article
Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Instructions
Things You'll Need:
Mesh cage
Live plants
Thermostat
Heating lamps
Fluorescent lights
Water misting bottle
Drip system
Live feeder insects
Baby cereal
Fish flakes
Fresh vegetables and fruit
Calcium Powder
Multivitamins
Step
1
Buy a mesh cage, at least two feet wide, two feet long and three feet tall. Chameleons need air circulation and room to climb. Place the cage in a quiet area of your home to reduce his stress.
Step
2
Purchase a variety of live plants for your cage. Chameleons are arboreal and thrive in captivity if given natural habitat conditions. Climbing pathos vines and a Ficus tree provide an ideal habitat, but ask your pet shop for other recommendations.
Step
3
Keep his cage between 60 to 78 degrees F,(SIXTY SEEMS A BIT LOWER FOR A DAILY AVERAGE TEMP TO ME) with a routine temperature variation. Provide cooler, shaded areas along with areas for him to bask in the light and heat. They tolerate higher temperatures but not for long periods of time. Place a thermometer in his cage to gauge temperatures.
Step
4
Make sure her cage has proper lighting. Chameleons do best in natural sunlight. In the absence of sunlight, purchase a fluorescent light and heating lamp. They need the UV radiation of sunlight or fluorescent light for their calcium metabolism.(GOOD INFO BUT THEY DO NOT SPECIFY YOU NEED A FLORESCENT UVB BULB, I'M GUESSING THE AVERAGE PERSON WOULD GET A REGULAR FLORESCENT SOFT WHITE TUBE BULB AFTER READING THIS)
Step
5
Provide a drip or misting system for your Chameleon's drinking water needs, as they don't drink from a bowl. Mist plants a few times daily. Your chameleon drinks the droplets off the leaves.
Step
6
Feed your chameleon live feeder insects found at pet stores such as crickets, mealworms, waxworms, flies, moths, grasshoppers and a pinky mouse one a week. Know how much to feed her by observing her eating habits.
(I"M PRETTY SURE A PINKY MOUSE ONCE A WEEK WILL GIVE YOU A FAT CHAMELEON, IDK HOW MUCH PROTEIN A PINKY CONTAINS BUT I'M SURE IT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE RISK OF GOUT AS WELL. PLUS MEALWORMS ARE NOT VERY GOOD AS AN EVERY DAY FEEDER BECAUSE OF IMPACTION RISK. AND WAXWORMS ARE JUST LITTLE WIGGLING FAT BLOBS, NOT A GOOD EVERYDAY FEEDER)
Step
7
Gutload his feeder insects to provide more nutrients. This means feeding the crickets, mealworms or other insects baby cereal, fish flakes and veggies about 24 hours before your chameleon's feeding time.
Tips & Warnings
Choose a common variety of captive bred chameleon, such as the veiled chameleon. They are less expensive and easier to care for.
Provide calcium powder daily and multivitamins twice a week; otherwise, your chameleon develops serious nutritional deficiencies.(YOUR CHAMELEON COULD DEVELOP EDEMA AND KIDNEY/LIVER PROBLEMS FROM MULTIVITAMIN OVER-SUPPLEMENTATION, MY GUESS WOULD BE THAT THE EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF VIT. A WOULB BE THE CULPRIT. PLUS THEY DON"T MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT CALCIUM POWDER WITH D3 OR AVOIDING CALCIUM POWDER WITH PHOSPHORUS)
Look for signs of illness such as a loss of appetite, sunken eyes, difficulty climbing or supporting its weight.
Avoid glass aquariums for chameleons. They don't provide enough air circulation.
Don't house two male chameleons in the same cage because they tend to fight.
Never feed your chameleon insects, which are too large, because they cause gagging and pose a choking hazard.(GOOD BUT THEY DON"T SAY HOW BIG TOO BIG IS)
If your chameleon appears thin with a traceable line along its backbone and tail seek help from an experienced reptile vet.
Ads by Google
Gorgeous Chameleon Cages
Unique attractive custom enclosures Request a free color catalog today!
www.cagesbydesign.com
Looking for a bar feeder?
12' magazine to 4.3", Patented Zero Changeover. Free Gift for response
www.TopBarFeed.com
Buy Live Chameleons Here
America's Largest Variety of Captive Bred and Hatched Species
www.flchams.com
Chameleon Forums
Let's talk chameleons! Learn and share knowledge.
www.ChameleonForums.com
One of our super cool site sponsor and this site were advertised there so I thought that was cool too
I think I am going to become and E-HOW member and correct this info, just for the sake of the newer keepers who aren't fortunate enough to find this amazing site. If there is anything else you think I should add post it on here. Thanks.
Justin
