Back in the Club!!

[bigian]

After 4 years of not keeping any Chameleons I'll officially be a new Chameleon owner tomorrow! Around 10 years ago I kept 5 different species in my back yard but when I moved I sold my guys. 4 years ago I tried to get back in with a pair of Panthers but I found that I just didn't have the time. These days I work from home selling Saltwater corals online and with a huge empty spot in my garage just staring at me, I decided since I'm always in the garage taking care of the tanks I'd toss in a Chameleon in the mix.

After looking around I decided to order a male from Bruce at Chameleon Paradise Candy Cane Ambilobe...

Combining my personality and the hobby of keeping Chams, that one Male soon turned into a Male and 2 Females

I also ordered a couple females from Jim @ Chameleon Company

One from Bonaroo

And one from his Red w/ Purple bar Hypo

I've spent the last few weeks getting my cages and supplies together and tomorrow is the big day where I get to pick the 3 up @ Fedex in the morning(I coordinated the shipments to both come on the same day)

Here's a pic of my cages...

I do have a few questions- what should my lighting schedule be for the basking bulbs and the 5.0 UVB bulbs? They'll be outside in the sunlight but for those days that I don't have time to bring them out I'd like to know what kind of schedule to have them on.

I ordered 3 75 watt basking bulbs but one arrived broken in the box. How different is a household 75w bulb compared to a 'basking' one?

Thanks!!

 

[pbveiled]

The lighting schedule should be 12 on and 12 off.

For basking just use a regular house bulb. The wattage would depend on the basking temp you want and the ambient temp of the room they are in. For me, a 40 watt regular bulb gives me the proper temps.

 

[Ace]

Welcome back to hobby


damn....im thinking of getting a female too from hypo....in already talked to jim ,good guy, just gotta decide

you got some great genetics

personlly on the lighting it doesnt really matter what heat bulb you use, as long as its not red or blue or black,, just use normal colored "white' heat light


they are left on approx 12 hours on and 12 hours off....or imo you can just baes the lighting by the seasons and day by day of daylight to nightfall hours

mine was from 6-7am to about 6-7pm at night it varies by season to me

but i been leaving my chams outside for the most part

 

[Helios]

@big hey what plants do you have in those cages?

 

[chameleoman]

do u have saltwater tanks? in the background it looks like you got some filters and a tank in the background

 

[bigian]

@big hey what plants do you have in those cages?

Weeping Fig and Hawaiian Umbrella

do u have saltwater tanks? in the background it looks like you got some filters and a tank in the background

I do, I have a 100 gallon display tank and a 300 gallon system for my website where I sell coral...

 

[imcurt]

I use household 60 watt basking bulbs. reptisun 5.0 set to 12 0n and 12 off.Its a good idea to have a lazer thermonitor to check there skin temp when there basking.Since you have 3 cages all set up(so far) you should look into a mistking starter set. there easy to expand. And with those bloodlines babys will be comming.welcome back.Do you have a website for your corals?Im a reef keeper my self.

 

[bigian]

Thanks for the suggestion, Curt. My next project is to build a light hood to hang from the ceiling so I don't have to take the lights off the cages when I put them outside then back on when I bring them in. When I do that I'll incorporate a Mist King into it

I figured there might be a few reef keepers here, the site is

www.reefodyssey.com

unfortunately the server seems to be down right now, hopefully it's fixed by morning

Check out this awesome red carpet anemone I got today

 

[bigian]

They're Here!!

Here's Monty

Millie (from Hypo)

And I haven't come up with a name for this little girl...

I'm SO STOKED!! Time to start planning the light hood to hang from the ceiling

 

[Damus]

Congrats! looks like you have great setups and are more than ready to take care of those 3. Mustve been a dent in the bank account buying 3 panthers at once lol. And i agree with what someone said about the mistking, would be a great investment.

 

[jessica]

Welcome back to the hobby!

You came back with a bang! Thats an amazing trio you have

 

[carol5208]

welcome back! Your cages look well set up! Just curious, do you have any kind of dividers between them? I don't have multiple chams but I know they do get upset and stressed when they see each other at times. I know there are chameleons who get along with others too from what I have seen on here. I guess just see how it goes and take it from there! Congrats on the trio!!!!

 

[suzi]

Welcome back to the hobby, I love Candy cane

 

[bigian]

How would you compare your experience with the vendor used for the purchase of your male vs. Chameleon Company where you got your females? How much did each cost and how all are they? I am considering purchasing for the first time and these are the two vendors I am considering.

Bruce @ Chameleon Paradise is a very helpful guy with lots of knowledge and the male he sent is beautiful and a very nice size. You can't go wrong either way I guess but when I saw Candy Cane I knew I wanted a male from him. Although the Chams that Jim sent are nice sized as well.

Welcome back to the hobby!

You came back with a bang! Thats an amazing trio you have

Thanks!!

you cant go wrong with jim from cham co, great chams for a decent price

I"m very happy with the service that Jim provided and he was down to talk Chams for sure!

welcome back! Your cages look well set up! Just curious, do you have any kind of dividers between them? I don't have multiple chams but I know they do get upset and stressed when they see each other at times. I know there are chameleons who get along with others too from what I have seen on here. I guess just see how it goes and take it from there! Congrats on the trio!!!!

I don't have any dividers but they're pretty much only in the garage while they sleep, otherwise they're out in the sun and I space the cages around a foot apart. So far they're all doing great and eating free range crix and silkworms from my hand

Dubia will be here next week

 

[robmd1]

WB to the addicting hobby, love reef stuff too.. you picked out some sweet chams congrats..

 

[bigian]

now I"m on the hunt for someone to trade me a Faly or 2 for some Corals

 

[bigian]

Here's a pic of Monty sleeping...

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Neat arrangement. I keep aquariums and chameleons to it is good to see another on these forums that is working with both. I currently have got an aquarium room and a greenhouse for my aquarium fish and chameleons. I have got a 360 gallon South American tank highlighted with a 24 inch Black Arowana and a 75 gallon with a school of Payara. One the chameleon side in the greenhouse I'm working with Madagascar chameleons.

 

[PrettyInInk87]

Congratulations! They are very cute!

 

[bigian]

Monty during the day...

and at night...