Veiled chameleon - life span

We are thinking about getting a veiled chameleon. I ready on one website that that only live up to 2 years in captivate.
I also read on the same website, the female veiled chameleons need a 6 inch deep pan of playsand or else she will get eggbound and die.
The veiled chameleon we seen is a female and very friendly. I read that veiled chameleons are shy and don't like interacting with their owners. Also, they don't like other pets to be in the same room with them.
Is this all true?
Thanks,
Cyndi

You should read this: http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

It will give you a lot of factual information. What you have now is mix of fact and truth. Properly cared for, a captive bred veiled can live substantially longer than 2 years. Females should have proper laying bins because they can bear eggs even if they have not been mated, but you can take action to reduce the frequency and size of egg clutches. Some are more accepting of human contact than others. Others pets can be a problem, but won't necessarily be a problem.

Just to add to that, you generally want to keep them in a low-traffic room to reduce stress. And every chameleon's personality is different; some like being handled and others don't

For your first chameleon a veiled would be your best bet,
make sure its a MALE.
You can do that by look at the back feet and they should have little "bumps" on them.
Only the males have bumps on the back, females do NOT.

Also amke sure its over 5 months old,
they're very fragile when they're young.

Veiled if taken good care of can live much long than 2 years in captivity
and it is best if you put them in a area where not alot of traffic is,
if you have birds that are cage you could possibly put them in the same room
but cover the side of your chameleons cage with a towel or blanket so he
can not see the birds.

And yes females need a laying bin in the cage with them at all times
so they can lay eggs EVEN IF NOT MATED they will lay eggs,
this is why its best for a beginner to start with a MALE

Veiled chameleons are just like anyother pet,
some tend to be "nicer" and more "tolerant" of they're keepers than others.
Just like cats for example,
some love to be pet and some will hiss at you if you even look at them funny

With that said Im glad your here and you came tot he right palce to get all your questions answered .
Make sure you do lots of research before purchasing your chameleon

Veiled females can live to be over 7 years of age and males even older...but you need to start off with a healthy one and have good husbandry to keep them alive that long.

I recommend keeping an opaque container at least 12"D x 12" x 8" about 3/4 full of washed playsand in any sexually mature egglaying female chameleon's cage so that she has some place to dig to show you that she's ready to lay eggs. Its important when a female is digging that she not see you watching her or she will likely abandon the hole...and if it happens too often she can become eggbound.

As for personality...it depends on the individual chameleon....some will tolerate handling and others will not.

Some pets may not be good for a chameleon to see...others may not bother it.

Chameleons need UVB, proper temperatures, gutloaded insects, water provided in an appropriate manner, and appropriate supplements.

Thanks for the great info. I work at PetSmart, we have a female on sale. She's very friendly. But I don't think we'd make a comfortable home for her.

The spot I was thinking of putting her at was a couple feet from my Greenwing Macaw's cage. I also have a Congo African Grey in the same room. I have a toy poodle and a standard poodle that hang out on the couch in the same room.

Thanks,
Cyndi

I think the other pets in the room is hit or miss depending on the chameleons personality. My cham isn't bothered unless another animal is put right up next to her cage and then she gets defensive. Other than that she doesnt care.

I have my chameleon in the same room as my cockatiel and it does not bother him one bit. Their cages face each other but are on opposite sides of the room. I have a panther chameleon, not a veiled. That is just my situation and as the other members have said, each one has its own unique personality and some will tolerate handling and stress more than others.

Some chameleons are okay with pets and traffic while others are not. I have a panther who seems to like my bird (my bird doesn't like him back though so they are never together.) He also likes/accepts my dog. He HATES my guinea pigs with a passion. He fires up and tries to get away at all costs!

My other panther does NOT like my dog, or bird, and doesn't care about my guinea pigs. My veiled doesn't like anyone or thing except my Sambava panther (the first one) but he thinks the panther is his girl. Needless to say, they don't get conjugal visits. LOL.

My veiled and second panther stay in my reptile/bug room and my other panther free ranges in the living room. Soooo, it just depends. It may be okay in a higher traffic room with other animals, or it may want a low traffic room but doesn't mind other pets occasionally, or she may just need a quite room with no other animals allowed in that room.

Veiled Life Span

I have knowledge (personal conversation) from a fellow breeder that had a veiled male last nearly 13 years. The last two years were rough as the animal had to be hand fed, it casque or veil had drooped over and had become nearly transparent and it wouldn't move. Obviously still alive but it's quality of life was low. Still, a LONG time for a veiled.

Veiled chameleon life span

My male Veiled Chameleon is at least 12 years old, maybe older. I found him crossing a street in early 2002 and he looked to be an adult then. He grew a little more to 17 inches from head to tip of tail. He is a tough guy.
I built him a 4 ft. high mesh cage with lots of climbing branches. I keep him outside on my deck almost all-year so he basks in natural sunlight. (I live in a warm climate)In the winter if it is below 50 degrees, I bring him inside. I feed him small crickets and small mealworms on a bed of lettuce. He loves lettuce! I sprinkle a calcium powder and a vitamin powder on the worms and lettuce. I give him filtered water in a drip system. I have not handled him much at all. I have wanted to, sure, but when I first got him I read that touching and handling would cause him stress and shorten his life so I decided not to and he has lived a very long time! He is very old man now. He hasn't been climbing for a couple of months...still eating.
When I need to bring him inside, I keep my cats away from his cage. I've been giving him water by hand from a dropper and he likes that. Karma is a great chameleon. My daughter and I really love to just watch him.

May18 said:

My male Veiled Chameleon is at least 12 years old, maybe older. I found him crossing a street in early 2002 and he looked to be an adult then. He grew a little more to 17 inches from head to tip of tail. He is a tough guy.
I built him a 4 ft. high mesh cage with lots of climbing branches. I keep him outside on my deck almost all-year so he basks in natural sunlight. (I live in a warm climate)In the winter if it is below 50 degrees, I bring him inside. I feed him small crickets and small mealworms on a bed of lettuce. He loves lettuce! I sprinkle a calcium powder and a vitamin powder on the worms and lettuce. I give him filtered water in a drip system. I have not handled him much at all. I have wanted to, sure, but when I first got him I read that touching and handling would cause him stress and shorten his life so I decided not to and he has lived a very long time! He is very old man now. He hasn't been climbing for a couple of months...still eating.
When I need to bring him inside, I keep my cats away from his cage. I've been giving him water by hand from a dropper and he likes that. Karma is a great chameleon. My daughter and I really love to just watch him.

Click to expand...

Wow 12 years! Congratulations on keeping him alive for 12 years. Do you have any photos of him?