Chameleon "experts" (and to those looking for a first time chameleon)

My advice:
- Get the chameleon that speaks to you (as long as you can provide the right care).
- Don't cut corners.
- Be patient. Not only with your chameleon, but with other keepers as well.

Two thumbs up for this advice for new keepers!
 
That clip could have been better explained on the show. They caught a ton of backlash over it on fb and explained on fb what should have been discussed when that clip aired though I can't seem to find the post now. They said Dewey does have a full enclosure setup with mist king but was a little dehydrated. They stated that was a temp cage for the segment and that the "bubbler" was not going to be a permanent fixture of her cage, that they were only using it in the temp cage to help hydrate her.

I remember the thread where the reddit people came here to defend their shot glass watering :rolleyes:.

Did they say why they thought their chameleon was dehydrated? If they are providing a dripper a thirsty chameleon will drink the water it needs. Why in the world would a chameleon require an unnatural form of water if it was dehydrated? I can only guess this was just something put together to create air time. Viewing the video (and cringing when someone is called a "reptile expert" when they are spreading misinformation like this) I didn't catch why they thought the chameleon was dehydrated.
 
Hi there ! So yes, I was reading about that before that fountains are a NONO!! -- I know I am looking to get a little dripper and then also a misting system. So from your personal experience, is the Mist King the best or I also saw a monsoon. I am assuming these are on timers? And, I was also hoping to find a resource on the lighting that we can put them on timers as well?
The Mist King and Cli-mist are your best bets for misters. The Monsoon can work, but, unless they have changed their timers in the last year or two, I really didn't like how limiting their timer was. The Mist King and Cli-Mist timers will allow you multiple sessions over a 24 hour period that can be independently controlled for length.
 
Did they say why they thought their chameleon was dehydrated? If they are providing a dripper a thirsty chameleon will drink the water it needs. Why in the world would a chameleon require an unnatural form of water if it was dehydrated? I can only guess this was just something put together to create air time. Viewing the video (and cringing when someone is called a "reptile expert" when they are spreading misinformation like this) I didn't catch why they thought the chameleon was dehydrated.

I don't recall them explaining why they felt it was dehydrated on air or fb posts. When they aired the episode where "kevin" the bearded dragon went to the vet I caught what I needed from the show though lol. "Kevin" is female and the two people that went didn't know that. It's not overly hard to sex a beardie yet the two "experts" didn't know they had a female the whole time they've had it :rolleyes:.
 
It's junk. I've had two and both fell apart internally within a year of constant use. My Mist Kings under the same usage are now going on five years without any maintenance. Some expert you are! :ROFLMAO:

Ouch! That's harsh, man!! Just trying to be fair. It has been a while since I worked with them. Maybe they fixed some of their problems with their new mini-monsoon? I know...no excuses accepted.

Sigh...Well, as punishment for my bad advice I am on probation and all questions about chameleons popping soap bubbles must go to @OldChamKeeper
 
Ouch! That's harsh, man!! Just trying to be fair. It has been a while since I worked with them. Maybe they fixed some of their problems with their new mini-monsoon? I know...no excuses accepted.

Sigh...Well, as punishment for my bad advice I am on probation and all questions about chameleons popping soap bubbles must go to @OldChamKeeper
OH NO NO NO! Funny guys. I appreciate all the advice. I think the clear winner is the MIST KING which I will be purchasing, so ALL IS GOOD FOR EVERYONE! You are ALL winners in my book.
 
On the note of hydration -- I am going to change the subject matter a bit -- I was in PETCO last night for other reasons, when I happened to go look at the panther chams because I had been concerned about them over the last week because the have a lighting issue and the lights keep going off and on and they are NOT getting UVB or BASKING areas and the 2 chams (mind you that were in the same habitat, 1st nono) were so stressed out. So I had the man open that up and I saw the the little dripper was like not running and the plants were solid dry and he laughed and said --- Yeah, I keep moving it back over thereto drip off the plants and they keep knocking it off. So a little bit later, one of the chams actually went to the water bowl and must have took a drink so I am concerned they are not only stressed out, but dehydrated and their colors are showing it as well. So now that I know what to look for, I am seeing it and I was so angry because they are just not taking care of them and that breaks my heart. OKAY, feel better now, needed to vent that. I am sure you all feel the same I do about seeing he "lack of care".
 
Sigh...Well, as punishment for my bad advice I am on probation and all questions about chameleons popping soap bubbles must go to @OldChamKeeper

Oh HELL no! You're the lover of Panthers, Veiled , and Jacksons. YOU can keep saving the noobs one chameleon at a time. I'm just the destroyer of FaceBook experts and reddit wannabes while throwing flaming cowpies at them. I wouldn't even be bothering with forums and people if it wasn't for you reaching out years ago.

I grew very tired of the stupidity in this hobby, and humans in general.

So everybody, you all just keep those e-mails and questions coming to old Bill there. He loves you and wants only the best for your chameleons. Me... heheh hahaha... I'll just tell you to take your big boxmart purchased cheap chameleon and get off my lawn. If you bought a $19 veiled chameleon then you won't want to listen to me about $150 light systems, or $100 misting systems, or spending the bucks on buying real chameleon food from guys like Nick Barta, or the work involved in supplementing your animal's diet.. or that a chameleon really doesn't want to be handled. Since people don't listen, I don't care to talk much.

No, Bill is the guy who will try his very best to help you noobs despite me always tempting him to buy the cave next door and wall himself off from all the FaceBook idiots and other internet drama. Bill's a good guy and even designed one of the best chameleon cages available as a result.
 
Whoa....

I've been keeping chameleons now for just over forty frigging years. I can remember back when I had to ride a bike to the library to read a book about the climate of Madagascar just so I could start to understand the environmental needs of these animals. Or the times I would be lucky enough to actually get a letter in the mail from the San Diego zoo in response to me asking about feeder items or nutritional stuff. Then there was the moment I discovered that Vets really didn't know crap about lizards back in the 80's. It took a long time to learn about these tiny dragons. Learn what you ask? Why....everything you could try to.

What do they need to live long enough in captivity to actually call it successful care would be one way of summing it all up.

What species to start with? How do you acclimate a wild caught animal? Is a captive bred one worth the extra money? What equipment works? Who do you talk to for good information? The sheer amount of bad info out there is insane.

...... and with the advent of the internet came both the good and bad.

I have been able to locate and learn from some incredible hobbyists with the help of the internet. Even learn from and teach some folks. Made contact with people on different continents keeping these animals, or even living with them. Good stuff.

On the bad end of things, my goodness the crap I've heard about on facebook is a good example... all these people with six months of experience being called "experts". There are so many bogus experts now on the internet. I'm even watching the occasional bad info go out on this beloved site. Watching people reinvent the wheel instead of using the incredible resources this site offers in the form of care sheets, or even the list of well known sponsors and breeders. Very frustrating to an old keeper.

I came across this on youtube... easily the best damn beginner video ever about chameleons and which species is a good starter one for new hobbyists. Those of you reading this and looking for a new chameleon as a pet should watch this video. It was created by one of the real experts out on the internet.




Now Bill has been doing this hobby right for a long time. Years. Decades. So before you go taking any of the crud I see posted by a six month "expert" as truth think about how much money you can save by doing things right from the very beginning. I'd reach out to him for help over any of the six month "experts" I've been seeing pop up.

Not to mention its not good to inflate the ego of a six month "expert", they can lead a lot of people down the wrong path and cause a lot of harm to many chameleons. Just my .02

<Goes back to his cave>

Hey!!! I loved this video!!!
 
Whoa....

I've been keeping chameleons now for just over forty frigging years. I can remember back when I had to ride a bike to the library to read a book about the climate of Madagascar just so I could start to understand the environmental needs of these animals. Or the times I would be lucky enough to actually get a letter in the mail from the San Diego zoo in response to me asking about feeder items or nutritional stuff. Then there was the moment I discovered that Vets really didn't know crap about lizards back in the 80's. It took a long time to learn about these tiny dragons. Learn what you ask? Why....everything you could try to.

What do they need to live long enough in captivity to actually call it successful care would be one way of summing it all up.

What species to start with? How do you acclimate a wild caught animal? Is a captive bred one worth the extra money? What equipment works? Who do you talk to for good information? The sheer amount of bad info out there is insane.

...... and with the advent of the internet came both the good and bad.

I have been able to locate and learn from some incredible hobbyists with the help of the internet. Even learn from and teach some folks. Made contact with people on different continents keeping these animals, or even living with them. Good stuff.

On the bad end of things, my goodness the crap I've heard about on facebook is a good example... all these people with six months of experience being called "experts". There are so many bogus experts now on the internet. I'm even watching the occasional bad info go out on this beloved site. Watching people reinvent the wheel instead of using the incredible resources this site offers in the form of care sheets, or even the list of well known sponsors and breeders. Very frustrating to an old keeper.

I came across this on youtube... easily the best damn beginner video ever about chameleons and which species is a good starter one for new hobbyists. Those of you reading this and looking for a new chameleon as a pet should watch this video. It was created by one of the real experts out on the internet.




Now Bill has been doing this hobby right for a long time. Years. Decades. So before you go taking any of the crud I see posted by a six month "expert" as truth think about how much money you can save by doing things right from the very beginning. I'd reach out to him for help over any of the six month "experts" I've been seeing pop up.

Not to mention its not good to inflate the ego of a six month "expert", they can lead a lot of people down the wrong path and cause a lot of harm to many chameleons. Just my .02

<Goes back to his cave>

I do need help with humidity. For night time with the humidity rise. how do we do that???
 
Oh HELL no! You're the lover of Panthers, Veiled , and Jacksons. YOU can keep saving the noobs one chameleon at a time. I'm just the destroyer of FaceBook experts and reddit wannabes while throwing flaming cowpies at them. I wouldn't even be bothering with forums and people if it wasn't for you reaching out years ago.

I grew very tired of the stupidity in this hobby, and humans in general.

So everybody, you all just keep those e-mails and questions coming to old Bill there. He loves you and wants only the best for your chameleons. Me... heheh hahaha... I'll just tell you to take your big boxmart purchased cheap chameleon and get off my lawn. If you bought a $19 veiled chameleon then you won't want to listen to me about $150 light systems, or $100 misting systems, or spending the bucks on buying real chameleon food from guys like Nick Barta, or the work involved in supplementing your animal's diet.. or that a chameleon really doesn't want to be handled. Since people don't listen, I don't care to talk much.

No, Bill is the guy who will try his very best to help you noobs despite me always tempting him to buy the cave next door and wall himself off from all the FaceBook idiots and other internet drama. Bill's a good guy and even designed one of the best chameleon cages available as a result.

One day I'm gonna get out the jack hammer to pick your brain on parsons :eek:.
 
I do need help with humidity. For night time with the humidity rise. how do we do that???
You can do it with a combination of foggers and/or misters. Just have a ultrasonic humidifier or humidifier (ultrasonic is good because it is more directional and that works well with the typical cage, but it doesn't have to be ultrasonic) start for a couple hours early in the morning (2AM - 6AM) and then have the misters go off before the lights come on to lay down a layer of dew. The chameleon wakes up and drinks as it would naturally and then you can let the cage dry out during the day.
(Here is a detailed description of setting up a 24 hour hydration strategy Naturalistic Hydration Podcast Episode )
 
I wouldn't even be bothering with forums and people if it wasn't for you reaching out years ago.
Wait a minute...are you saying this is MY fault?

I grew very tired of the stupidity in this hobby, and humans in general.
This is why I am organizing a campaign for every one here to send you Valentine's Day cards with little chameleons and hearts all over!
 
Wait a minute...are you saying this is MY fault?


This is why I am organizing a campaign for every one here to send you Valentine's Day cards with little chameleons and hearts all over!

:ROFLMAO:

You can do it with a combination of foggers and/or misters. Just have a ultrasonic humidifier or humidifier (ultrasonic is good because it is more directional and that works well with the typical cage, but it doesn't have to be ultrasonic) start for a couple hours early in the morning (2AM - 6AM) and then have the misters go off before the lights come on to lay down a layer of dew. The chameleon wakes up and drinks as it would naturally and then you can let the cage dry out during the day.
(Here is a detailed description of setting up a 24 hour hydration strategy Naturalistic Hydration Podcast Episode )


I'm glad you brought this up. I'm still amazed at how many are not willing to try this method. I tried it out after your podcast and Petr's post on it came out with one of my wc male panthers. His results with it were enough for me to decide to do it on all of my screen enclosures.
 
Learn to read these forums young man. There is just a huge sticky on the general forums for guys like you regarding that very subject. Take your jackhammer and get off my lawn

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/the-parson-chameleon-care-and-needs-simplified.160444/

I said one day not right now. I have read through that sticky a couple of times over the last year though. Frankly, I'm hoping @Extensionofgreen will resurface before I'm ready for one as he was always one of my favorite peoeple to chat with/ read here. It would be nice to see what, if any, changes he had to make in his routine after moving here to Fl. I've talked with Matt about how he keeps his parsons too while trying to talk my wife into letting me have half of our back room for one.
 
I said one day not right now. I have read through that sticky a couple of times over the last year though. Frankly, I'm hoping @Extensionofgreen will resurface before I'm ready for one as he was always one of my favorite peoeple to chat with/ read here. It would be nice to see what, if any, changes he had to make in his routine after moving here to Fl. I've talked with Matt about how he keeps his parsons too while trying to talk my wife into letting me have half of our back room for one.
You are so dedicated to do things right! You do a lot of research and apply what you learn! You ask for advice, listen to it and apply it! I am very proud of you! Keep up the good work!
 
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