Cost of keeping chameleon

[herriotfan]

How much a week would you say it costs to keep a panther chameleon?
Have you ever worked it out?

 

[facelesdoll]

6 a week if you know how to take care of crickets, mealworms breed wicked easily, cheap and self sustaining, etc. theres no perfect balance but.

 

[Gensen]

Expense...

The initial expense and set up are the biggest ones, I would say depending you could easily be anywhere from $400-$1,200 depending on certain choices you make and making sure you have all you need from the jump start to ensure proper care.

The maintanence is not too bad depending on what type of feeders you choose and how accessable they are to you meaning can you get them local or will you need to order online. I am lucky enough to have a local "cricket guy" and I get 1,000 crickets for $14 they last me about 2 weeks for 2 juvinile panther Chams. So for one I would say $7/wk as long as like someone else mentioned you can keep and maintain them yourself with proper care & gutloading. You can do some research online and check sites like MUlberry farms to get feeder pricing so you can have a better idea.

Supplements are an initial expense but as DUSTING" is done lightly the supplements last a very long time. Lighting should be replaced every 6 to 9 months (UVB)....

You will also want to be sure to have a "special fund" reserved and set up for Vet expenses... just incase as sometimes this is expensive and if caught off gaurd with zero saved you will find yourself in a pickle. So it is good to have about $400 back for that if possible.

Good luck to you.....

 

[Big Gulp]

I get 1,000 crickets for $14 they last me about 2 weeks for 2 juvinile panther Chams.

Where do you house 1,000 crickets?

 

[dabears51]

My initial expense was around $100 not including my veiled chameleon. A Ficus tree, Schleffera plant, calcium supplement and UVB flourescent bulb. For food, I breed my own Dubia roaches. All I spend a week so far is around $1 - $2 but that's just to feed my dubias.

 

[whyteshark]

After the initial set up costs, I tend to buy 40-50 crickets a week and 40-50 kingworms which comes to about $4.00-$6.00 or so. But this feeds both my chameleon and my gecko. I also treat them with Silkies every couple of weeks but they go for .50 -.70 cents each worm so I only treat them once and a while (plus the silkies die pretty quick too).

 

[Ace]

Where do you house 1,000 crickets?

When you own a pet like chameleons,

you also have to care for the feeder insects by gutloading them(feeding them healthy foods) that will overall end up in the chameleon and heshe will be well nurished .....u keep insects like crix in 10-15 gallon tanks or Huge plastic bins....

basically if you own chams, you will own other "temporary bug pets too"

 

[Gensen]

lol...

Where do you house 1,000 crickets?

I house them in a seperate glass aquarium just for that purpose... and actually 1,000 is not as many as you would think....

 

[nicholas]

I house them in a seperate glass aquarium just for that purpose... and actually 1,000 is not as many as you would think....

It isnt! I keep 1000 small crix in a ten gallon tank with egg carton for my tenuis, sternfeldi, acuminatus, etc and they are gone quite rapidly. I remember when I first bought a thousand crix i was quite overwhelmed only to find that i had to order again in a couple weeks.

 

[Texas Ranger]

A good way to cut cost is to Breed/feed dubias. WAY better than crickets

 

[nicholas]

A good way to cut cost is to Breed/feed dubias. WAY better than crickets

Ugh... I just cant bring myself to do the dubias yet. I will feed everything else and for the most part have but i cannot bring myself to keep roaches in my house.

 

[pssh]

Eh, I like to feed all of my dubia good foods, so the cost is about the same regardless of whether I use them that week or not.

I don't think I spend money every week. Maybe $6 every other week or so (not including electricity and what not.)

 

[sandrachameleon]

How much a week would you say it costs to keep a panther chameleon?
Have you ever worked it out?

Too many variables. Everyones costs will be different.

I build my cages, whereas others buy.
I breed multiple types of bugs, whereas others buy
I live in a cool climate and have to heat the room, in addition to having the basking area, whereas others live in warmer climates.

etc

 

[chameleon884]

cost me about 2-4 dollars a week.

 

[gaxmode]

I probably spent around 700 initially and upkeep is roughly 3 a week for fruits for my dubias that I breed, electricity has been pretty expensive though for cham and to heat dubias

 

[Big Gulp]

When you own a pet like chameleons,

you also have to care for the feeder insects by gutloading them(feeding them healthy foods) that will overall end up in the chameleon and heshe will be well nurished .....u keep insects like crix in 10-15 gallon tanks or Huge plastic bins....

basically if you own chams, you will own other "temporary bug pets too"

I have 2 emperor scorpions, so I usually have a dozen crickets on hand at a time...guess I'm getting a bigger cricket enclosure when I get my cham.

 

[Ace]

I have 2 emperor scorpions, so I usually have a dozen crickets on hand at a time...guess I'm getting a bigger cricket enclosure when I get my cham.

i guess so...i used to own a emperor scorpion, they are awsome, it lived for about 4 years

 

[Eltortu]

Everyone is forgetting vet bills when the time comes to go see one!

 

[Eltortu]

Hey Gensen, 1,000 crickets for two weeks and you have two chams?...are you sure of your math?

 

[Eltortu]

Sorry, I totally missed that...