chameleons while I'm on vacation...

[frankgtrs]

hello again

I'm considering getting a chameleon in the next few months and I't is possible that I will go on vacation next year maybe for around 2 weeks and almost certainly will go a few times in the next 7 years...

I figured I could leave a drip system with plenty of water and have a buddy come in and mist once or twice but for my friend to come every day seems unrealistic do you think this will be too much of an issue for the chameleon

also what should i do about food ? maybe leave a few mealworms in a plate and have my friend give him some crickets ?

what have you guys done when you have to go away for a few days /few weeks ?

thank you

 

[Vegun]

maybe a common toad from a northern climate would be a better pet for you as they can be put in the freezer to hibernate while you're on vacation

 

[Kmw]

This is why you need to do thorough research before getting ANY animal.


I think it seems "unrealistic" to leave a chameleon unattended for weeks at a time while you go away.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

To say you can never leave your house because of your chameleon is unrealistic. Lots of us go on vacations with chameleons at home. Sometimes even large collections of them. You'll need to find someone reliable to come in at least every other day to feed, water, mist, etc. Just like if you were leaving a dog or cat, you'll need a petsitter. It would be best to have an automated mister or humidifier for hydration and humidity while you're gone unless someone can come check on them everyday. Mealworms are not very good feeders, and won't last more than a day or two at most before they're gone, so you won't be able to just stock up and leave em. Since someone will have to come at least every other day anyway for drinking/misting have them feed them their normal meal of crickets then. You won't have a drip system or drainage system large enough for 2 weeks (probably not more than a day or two) without having someone come over.

 

[pssh]

I would invest in a misting system and put your lights on a timer. Then the petsitter would only have to come over every 2-3 days for healthy adult chameleons.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Light timers! Also an excellent investment, even when you're not going on vacation. I never have to worry about being home at the right time to turn on/off lights. I get the ones used for Christmas lights that cost like $4.

 

[jannb]

I have allot of pets and we travel often. I have had the same pet/house sitter for over three years. All you need to do it train a friend or neighbor to care for your pets while you travel.

 

[Wykd]

like everyone said already, automate what you can, and ask someone reliable to do the feeding tasks.

You can even make that feeding part eaiser on them by using little deli cups with holes in the lid put food/water gel in each and put the # of crickets or feeder you use in each for every other day to feed on.

Then put a note with instructions to dust the feeder then give 1 cup per feeding day.

The more you automate and outline the happier everyone will be in the end.

 

[romulan]

Worst case scenario, you might be able to find a fellow forum member in your area to take in your chameleon ($10-15/day sounds reasonable). This seems like a good, trustworthy community!

 

[myma81]

like everyone said already, automate what you can, and ask someone reliable to do the feeding tasks.

You can even make that feeding part eaiser on them by using little deli cups with holes in the lid put food/water gel in each and put the # of crickets or feeder you use in each for every other day to feed on.

Then put a note with instructions to dust the feeder then give 1 cup per feeding day.

The more you automate and outline the happier everyone will be in the end.

For those of us non americans can you explain what a deli cup is?? I'm also going away, in Sept for a long weekend and that tip sounds useful.

 

[Kmw]

For those of us non americans can you explain what a deli cup is?? I'm also going away, in Sept for a long weekend and that tip sounds useful.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=deli...ZBo6Q8wT9x636Cg&ved=0CGMQsAQ&biw=1920&bih=955

 

[Wykd]

For those of us non americans can you explain what a deli cup is?? I'm also going away, in Sept for a long weekend and that tip sounds useful.

A deli cup... hmm mulberry farms sale the type of cups I am talking about in either 16 or 24 oz.

http://www.mulberryfarms.com/Silkworms/Miscellaneous/24-oz-Cup-Only-p206.html

 

[ibdragons]

maybe a common toad from a northern climate would be a better pet for you as they can be put in the freezer to hibernate while you're on vacation

As they say on Facebook I like this

 

[stepho]

If you dust every day through out the year, how bad would it be to not dust for 2 weeks?

If you had all the food organized, seems it would be easier on the sitter if they didn't have to dust. And I would be worried about them over dusting, or using the wrong dust etc.

 

[Elizadolots]

If you dust every day through out the year, how bad would it be to not dust for 2 weeks?

If you had all the food organized, seems it would be easier on the sitter if they didn't have to dust. And I would be worried about them over dusting, or using the wrong dust etc.

I agree. No need to make it hard on the helpers. It's not going to harm the animal to go without the supplement for a couple of feedings. I'd just make it as easy as possible and figure it's like sending your kids to Grandma's while you go to Europe: they probably didn't eat what you would have fed them, but they are alive and unharmed when you get home, so that's a win.

 

[nikotheveiled]

Much easier way to feed that also allows vacation

I never have to worry about feeding anymore, got a real simple system my chameleon really likes.

In the base of his cage next to his potted plant (he likes bird of paradise or canna), I have a small plastic cricket cage (Komodo Kricket Keeper) with no lid, I put superworms and crickets once a week and the way I have it set up he enjoys hunting his own food.

In the base of the cricket cage I keep some of the bran (not all of it) that comes in the container of superworms mixed with cricket crack and some calcium (about 1" deep). It is important to take some egg crates and push them gently into the top of the bran, the worms are attracted to the egg crates so that helps make sure they stay at the top where the chameleon can get them. Thats it. Other than that I just put in some flukers cricket cubes and/or fruits/vegetables for moisture, some fruits like grapes can provide moisture to the worms for quite a while. I change out the base every week to make sure that none of the superworms have the chance to mature into beetles, but you could easily do this every 2 weeks without problem.

With this setup and an automatic mister you could go on vacation though I have always had a petsitter just in case. It is much easier to get a petsitter as they dont have to do anything other than check in.