best starter chameleon???????

OO7GreatDane

New Member
I am new to chameleons. I have had leopard geckos for over a year now and want to get into chameleons. I am a reptile lover. so I am looking for some help as to which kind I should get. One that is a little more forgiving to error...........lol. so any info or ideas would be appreciated. thanks
 
I am new to chameleons. I have had leopard geckos for over a year now and want to get into chameleons. I am a reptile lover. so I am looking for some help as to which kind I should get. One that is a little more forgiving to error...........lol. so any info or ideas would be appreciated. thanks

well your speaking in ultra generalistics here, but it comes down to size, if you can handle a 2x2x4 cage then most start with a panther or veiled , and GENERALLY speaking of those 2, panthers are slightly easier in that they usually aren't has territorial / aggressive as adults, but again this is very very generalized. Each chameleon like every other reptile had different personality s, so you may get the nastiest panther in the world, or the nicest veiled in the world. But generally speaking, panthers are a little more "calm" in that respect than veileds. Other than that, their daily care requirements are about the same, and veileds can get slightly larger.

If you cant or don't have space for a 2x2x4 cage (recommended min for an adult panther or veiled ) then you would have to look at smaller chameleons such as pygmy or Jackson chameleon
 
I would not start with a pygmy at all.

They are not forgiving to mistakes and unless you're careful with who you buy from, they can be wild caught, which opens the door to a host of problems.

Panthers and Veileds are the best starter options, but if you want a smaller Cham, Jacksons are good as well. They are usually very tame, and don't need a 2x2x4 cage like panthers and Veileds. Though they do require some studying as their water, food, and supplementation is different than panthers and veileds.
 
As said panthers and veileds are good species to start with as long as you get a well started captive bred baby or sub adult. I personally feel that veileds are more forgiving of mistakes with humidity and temperatures compared to panthers. I myself have had about just the same amount of hissy panthers as veileds. If you understand they are not a pet to be handled all the time this shouldnt be a problem.

Also as said these two species require quite large cages but even smaller species such as the jacksons could easily live in these size cages as they do use the space given to them.
 
thanks. by best starter chameleon I just mean on that's more hearty.......... that isn't extremely fragile. I have read up on care for them. I was looking for personal opinions. and is better to get a male over a female. I just want to get one first and see how it goes before I go and get bigger into them...............
 
Yes males are certainly better for a first chameleon so you do not have to deal with egg laying even if not mated. Males also have the more vibrant colours.
 
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