Hi, I'm Danny. I'm new to these forums, but I'm not new to herps. I have or have had bearded dragons, leopard geckos, african fat-tail geckos, crested geckos, anoles, turtles, tortoises, tree frogs, uromastyx, flying geckos, pictus geckos, and others. I am not an irresponsible teenager wanting to buy a chameleon by impulse to show off to friends, just to get bored with it after a week.

I have been fascinated by chameleons since I saw one on tv when I was five. I never really thought I could handle one, but now that I am older and have experience with some easier kept herps, I decided to look into getting a panther chameleon. I have been researching them for about a week now, every night I read until my brain is about to implode. And now, I think I know the basics of keeping them.

My dad is building a cage that is 6 ft tall, 4 ft long, and 3 ft deep. It will be in our basement, so it will be out of the way of a lot of traffic in the house, but I will still be able to maintain its environmental needs. I plan to use some hibiscus, umbrella plants, and other non-toxic, pesticide-free tropical plants around my house. I'll probably spend a decent amount of money getting some nice pretty foliage to help the chameleon feel secure. I will only handle my chameleon when absolutely necessary. I breed crickets, mealworms, silkworms, and I am getting dubia roaches soon.

I think I have the care correct, but if I don't, or if I forgot anything, let me know.
The basking temperature should be 90-95 degrees. The hotter section of the cage should be 80-90. The cooler section should be 70-80. The nighttime temperature should not drop below 65 degrees. The humidity should be maintained at 60-80%. There should be dense foliage to keep the chameleon comfortable. There should be many branches to climb on in order to move around the tank naturally. The branches should be the right thickness for the chameleon's feet to grasp. There should be live non-toxic plants to raise humidity. They will also catch water droplets on their leaves to keep the chameleon hydrated, since they usually will not drink still water (like water in a bowl). They are animals that should be watched, not handled. Do not house chameleons together unless attempting to breed. Even then, do not leave them unattended, or overnight. Do not let them even see another chameleon in order to keep them as stress-free as possible. Do not keep crickets in the cage overnight, as they will attack your sleeping chameleon. UVB is necessary for panther chameleon's optimal health. If I get a baby chameleon I should keep it in a smaller cage to help it's hunting.

Let me know what you think, or if I missed anything/ got anything wrong in the care I have memorized. Also, should I use mesh or wiring for the sides of the cage? Can I use a water feature (waterfall or fountain), I love making natural water scenes in vivariums. Will a waterfall cause bacteria breeding and an unsafe environment? I will research more and more, since I do not plan to get my chameleon too soon.




Danny

for whatever reason it wouldn't let me edit the last post, so sorry for the double post >_<






See my responses is red, if you have any questions feel free to PM me, this is a great place to come for support for your future chameleon; there are TONS of people here with years of experience.



(it finally let me edit the other one, :sigh

Hi Danny,
welcome to the forum.
You have a good starter knowledge and I can see you are a very responsible pet owner.
Keep up with the research.
I love your attitude in preparing the best for your pet be4 actually purchasing it.
If you keep doing what you are doing right now and giving the best care for your future chameleon, you are going to have a very happy chameleon.

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CARE FOR VEILED AND PANTHER CHAMELEON AT:
http://chamworld.blogspot.com

Thanks for your quick replies. I'll make sure to use tube lighting, which is easy because that's what I have already. I have calcium with and without D3. I also have vionate and Osteo-form. What do you recommend?



Danny

reptiSUN 5.0 TUBE for UVB
and i use 3 types of supplements that I absolutely love:
1. Herptivite (Multivitamins w/ calcium)
2. Repcal w/ D3
3. Miner-All 0 (get the 0 one, not the Miner-All 1 cause that one contains D3. there is no reason you get another D3 supplement, since the repcal takes care of that).

__________________
CARE FOR VEILED AND PANTHER CHAMELEON AT:
http://chamworld.blogspot.com

Ok, thanks again! Anyone else have an opinion on anything in this thread?



Danny

Does anyone recommend an automatic mister?

good job! you did your starter homework thats for sure. i would pick up a timer for your lights..... i would also set the cage up, so its running for a couple days before you get your chamleleon. also how will you deal with the water dripping issue. Misters- ProMist 60 is a good one. i use it

oh yea!welcome to the forum

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Sunshine Chameleons
SunshineChameleons.com

No problem, my mom used to keep quite a few marine fish, so we have about 6 timers laying around. I talked to my mom and she said we could probably just follow the steps on a DIY misting system, since it works and ends up being about $70. lol The only problem is that once I actually get an animal, all the information I know about them and their care just drains out of my head. Oh well, it returns after awhile. I'll make sure to have the cage setup and ready, temps and all. Thanks again!





Danny

you know what they say, buy once buy right never buy again.

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Sunshine Chameleons
SunshineChameleons.com