Any advantage buying an adult or younger Chameleon

[ralphwiens]

What are the pro's and con's of buying an adult chameleon over a young chameleon. Thanks

 

[NHenn]

I personally like having a young one and being able to watch them grow. Especially with Panthers as they will change in coloration so much that first year of their lives. If you get one that is already older you miss all that.

An older chameleon might be able to deal with stress and adapt to change easier but that is going to vary between individual chameleons so as long as you are providing the proper care there shouldn't be any reason a younger chameleon wouldn't be just as healthy and happy.

Younger are usually cheaper lol!

 

[nightanole]

Pro's:
No growth problems
Stable with no major parasites, if any
you know the adult attitude
might already be cup/dropper trained


Con's:
might not be tame or handled at all
might get stressed while switching to a new owner (babies seem to bounce back better)
might not ever be cup/dropper trainable, it that is your goal
short life. They pretty much look like 2 years old till death. Without records you might have a 5-6 year old adult.

 

[TreeTopChameleons]

I think its a personal preference. If you are confident in your husbandry skills, raising a baby up to an adult is a very rewarding experience. If you are a little unsure of yourself, purchasing an adult might be a better choice, as they are a little more hardy and can handle a little more inexperience than a hatchling. Another perk of buying an adult is that if you plan on breeding, by buying an adult you cut out a year or more of waiting time. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[ralphwiens]

I'm already raising my first panther who is 4 1/2 months old now. But I have the addiction and am looking to get another, thats why I was questioning about the age. Thanks for the responses.

 

[azgnoinc]

For me it's all about getting to know their personality, and when you buy an older/adult chameleon you don't really get that chance, not to mention all of the wonderful color changes that Panther's go through from baby to adult.
Younger doesn't always mean cheaper, but it does mean that you will get the chance to learn all of the likes & dislikes of that individual chameleon.