Cham on Craigslist!!

[RSGriff]

Someone either help me save, or please save this cham!
craigslist entry:
"I have a 5 month year old baby chameleon. Its a female. These pets need alot of caring so if you dont have alot of free time you shouldn't be interested. Thats why im trying to get rid of her. I just bought her on my birthday in November. I have the chameleon, 10 gallon tank, a little log thing to go under, a miniature tree, and a water bowl. For everything i paid a little over $250. Im trying to get $150 or best offer."


http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/pet/1165985203.html


I was doing my rounds on craigslist looking for possible items for my cages when I came across this poor soul. Im thinking about trying to help since I could drive the 2.5 hrs to pick it up, but there is no way I am paying more than $20 for a cham kept in these conditions and I have no use for the aquarium that she is kept in. Could someone help me phrase an email that explains why I wont pay much in a polite way.

 

[tv321406]

refer him to this website or the raising kitty website.

 

[RSGriff]

How does this sound?

Hello,
I am interested in your female chameleon. It looks to be a veiled from the picture but I cannot tell. If it is, the conditions it is living in may not be correct for its local. You may want to check out chameleonforums.com for some tips on caring for them such as watering systems, proper lighting and cage types and decor. Because of these conditions, especially using a water bowl instead of a mist or drip system (and I don't see a proper UVB bulb being used), I'm worried there may be some health issues which would reduce the amount I am willing to pay. I would like to help you by taking the chameleon off your hands, but like I said I would not be willing to pay much for the animal. My offer is $20 and I could pick up.
-Ryan

 

[coolmoon]

Very nice. To the point and polite.

 

[Syn]

I really think these threads should be kept off ChameleonForums, it causes too much debate etc.
I think what should be done is a reference to this site, a nice email, and not much more...
Most people are just too stubborn, especially if they are going to sell them anyways, they obviously want them gone!

Just my two cents.

Syn

 

[codiwatkins]

I sent an email saying about the same thing you did and recieved an insulting email in return about how they knew what they where doing or the cham wouldnt still be alive and how no where in the add did it say they where in need of correcting the way they cared for them cham. Kinda hurt my feelins and the person refused to sell me the poor cham without the poor caging included.....

Maybe....you might have better luck than I did.

 

[Rocky]

I really think these threads should be kept off ChameleonForums, it causes too much debate etc.
I think what should be done is a reference to this site, a nice email, and not much more...
Most people are just too stubborn, especially if they are going to sell them anyways, they obviously want them gone!

Just my two cents.

Syn

what on here doesn't start a debate >.< there is at least one debate started every day. and everyone's guilty for starting at least one...

 

[RSGriff]

I sent an email saying about the same thing you did and recieved an insulting email in return about how they knew what they where doing or the cham wouldnt still be alive and how no where in the add did it say they where in need of correcting the way they cared for them cham. Kinda hurt my feelins and the person refused to sell me the poor cham without the poor caging included.....

Maybe....you might have better luck than I did.

I have not received one back yet... but we will see

 

[warpdrive]

here are my thoughts on this....

DON'T DO IT, DO NOT BUY THIS CHAMELEON!!!!!

first off, this chameleon can not be 5 months old...
he has owned it for around 6 months. since Nov he has had it.
then, it had to be about 3 months old before a breeder would sell it to a petstore.
that makes it about 9 months old.

then, for at least 5 or 6 months it has not had a UVB bulb.
I smell MBD starting now or in the near future...unless he's been dusting with D3 almost every day.
...and let's face it. with a glass tank, no UVB bulb, moss type substrate, "a little log thing to go under", a fake plant (not even big enough), AND A WATER BOWL (sigh)...the chances are he has been using an "all-in-one" vitamin dust like you would find at a local petstore.
(at least in my local petco and petland, all they have is something like "T-REX" vitamin dust w/D3 in it, and that is it. nothing else. although they also have reptivite w/D3 as well.)

lastly, just look at the size of that poor female...it's smaller then my 3 month old male panther. AND IT'S ABOUT 9 MONTHS OLD!!!!!

why, why, why, would anyone want to buy such a chamelen that clearly has no potential to last more then 1 vet visit?
this poor chameleon will clearly die soon regardless that anyone here would do their best to make it happy, and try real hard to bring it back to health.


I'm in no way saying that your heart is not in the right place.
but I am saying that we should not think that it will have any chance at life.
sorry if this offends anyone here.
I'm just saying that we can not save the world...or this chameleon.

just my thoughts,
Harry

 

[RSGriff]

Your right, It may die, but it doesn't look like its dieing quite yet. I think it has the potential to be saved and thats why Im looking to get it. The only reason I am even offering a little money is so that they hopefully dont hesitate to hand it over.