I don't have a cham yet, but will be (hopefully) getting one in December. I am in college in a city that's about 1.5 hours away from home. I make a visit home about once every 3 weeks on weekends, and go home for breaks (summer, thanksgiving, christmas, spring break, etc.). I realize the ideal situation would be to wait until I am out of college, but I am simply in love with these animals and cannot wait 4+ years. Does anyone have similar situations or have any recommendations? My only idea is to have an enclosure in each city with lighting, branches, and vines, but transport the live plants each time I go from one city to another. Any ideas or advice would be wonderful!
Any owners live in two areas and relocate often?
- Thread starter KRuehle
- Start date
Remkon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Not being 'able' to wait 4+ years is a selfish reason to get one anyways and not in the best interest of the animal.
Since love means sacrifice and you say you're in love with these animals I'd strongly advise you to bring the sacrifice and wait. No advise given by anybody will be as good as that.
Moving your chameleon always brings lots of stress, be it from the traveling itself or having to get to used to new surroundings time and time again. Stress will lower the chameleons resistance and make it more susceptible to disease. (Even if you'd move the whole enclosure or decorate two to be identical the surroundings of your chameleon do not end at the screen of his cage.)
This is just the unavoidable stress of travel, not to mention anything else that could go wrong when moving your chameleon.
Here's a thought! Assuming you're new to reptiles altogether...
Get a species of lizard that's less sensitive to stress, get some experience with the basics of reptile husbandry and after 4+ years when you can offer a stable home get a chameleon.
Since love means sacrifice and you say you're in love with these animals I'd strongly advise you to bring the sacrifice and wait. No advise given by anybody will be as good as that.
Moving your chameleon always brings lots of stress, be it from the traveling itself or having to get to used to new surroundings time and time again. Stress will lower the chameleons resistance and make it more susceptible to disease. (Even if you'd move the whole enclosure or decorate two to be identical the surroundings of your chameleon do not end at the screen of his cage.)
This is just the unavoidable stress of travel, not to mention anything else that could go wrong when moving your chameleon.
Here's a thought! Assuming you're new to reptiles altogether...
Get a species of lizard that's less sensitive to stress, get some experience with the basics of reptile husbandry and after 4+ years when you can offer a stable home get a chameleon.
Thank you for opening my eyes to the stress my chameleon would be under from moving back and forth constantly. I did not consider this and I realize it would probably be best to wait. Thank you.
kelly_girl199
Avid Member
From personal experience, wait. I am working on my masters and have one more year to go. Fortunately for me I have someone who babysits when I go home. But she is experienced with reptiles and personally owns a Chameleon. It's expensive, and can be stressful when you first start out. My Beardie does GREAT for traveling. Doesn't seem to affect her whatsoever. Buddy it highly stresses out with travel and doesn't wnat to eat much for the next few days. If you are traveling and staying for a good period of time it would probabably be ok. But at least wait until you are close to finish to do a chameleon. It's way way way too much stress on you just as much for the pet. And chances are if you are in college you are short on funds. I luckily got into a program where I work for the college part time, still get a small paycheck every month and get free schooling. So I am able to keep
Money stashed away for emergency vetting(which has come up with both reptiles) Luna had worms and Chamelon I thought was developing RI but was not. And I also do fecals every so often. You need some sort of misting system. It will cost you a minimum of 500$ to get started. Even if you found everything used, you will still pay hundreds between the animal and set up. It's ALOT of work. For me it's et worth it. But it gets expensive quick.
Money stashed away for emergency vetting(which has come up with both reptiles) Luna had worms and Chamelon I thought was developing RI but was not. And I also do fecals every so often. You need some sort of misting system. It will cost you a minimum of 500$ to get started. Even if you found everything used, you will still pay hundreds between the animal and set up. It's ALOT of work. For me it's et worth it. But it gets expensive quick.
