Couple of Q's bout Jackson's...
- Thread starter jfulcher
- Start date
ReptileLove18
Established Member
welcome to the forum! you've come to the right place for lots of info and great people!
im not sure about how old they live to be or how old those ones are as im not a jackson expert but i do have this to offer! this blog has great feeder ideas and about how much they can make up of a chams diet and be healthy! https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/74-feeders.html
and this one is a caresheet for jacksons http://www.skypoint.com/members/mikefry/jacksons.pdf
im not sure about how old they live to be or how old those ones are as im not a jackson expert but i do have this to offer! this blog has great feeder ideas and about how much they can make up of a chams diet and be healthy! https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/74-feeders.html
and this one is a caresheet for jacksons http://www.skypoint.com/members/mikefry/jacksons.pdf
Nrupaw
Established Member
Its usually hard to gauge the exact age of a Chameleon. But going off the pictures, i want to say, yours could be around the 5-7 months old. If you bought your Chams from a breeder vs. Petco/Petsmart, you can always ask them the age. They keep proper records
Many great jackson's caresheets on the forum. but to just answer your questions...
Feeding - Variety is key. I feedback my Jacksons Crickets, Dubia Roaches, Discoid Roaches, Silkworms, and Hornworms. Waxworms on occasion as treats (High in fat content).
I have been advised to avoid mealworms. Although they are easily available, they apparently aren't great for a Chams digestive system.
I am lucky in the sense that I have a specialty reptile store in town that carries all the feeders, so i just make 1 trip every 2 weeks and pick up feeders. See if you have a store like that close to home
Life Expectancy - Again, not an exact figure but a well cared for Chameleon can live for anything between 4-7 years. At 1 year old, they are referred to as mature.
Here are some of the links I bookmarked when i first got my Chameleon
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/hoj/634-montane-chameleon-care-info.html
www.chameleonforums.com/jackson-chameleon-279/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/montane-care-sheet-critique-plz-79628/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/keeping-jackson-s-outside-86324/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/frequently-asked-questions-71620/#post668825
https://www.chameleonforums.com/silkworms-101-a-7906/
One piece of advise i would give is to find a local vet that specializes in Chams
http://www.arav.org/find-a-vet-temporary/
A quick check up of new Chams doesn't hurt. But in incase of a medical emergency its good to have a vet that knows your Chams history
Finally, are both your Chameleons in the same cage?? If so, you might want to separate them. Chameleons are solitary and territorial. The reason your second one (Female?) is black because is she stressed out by the other one. Stress can kill a Chameleon pretty quick. My advice, either get a second setup going ASAP, or return one form where you bought
Good Luck!
Many great jackson's caresheets on the forum. but to just answer your questions...
Feeding - Variety is key. I feedback my Jacksons Crickets, Dubia Roaches, Discoid Roaches, Silkworms, and Hornworms. Waxworms on occasion as treats (High in fat content).
I have been advised to avoid mealworms. Although they are easily available, they apparently aren't great for a Chams digestive system.
I am lucky in the sense that I have a specialty reptile store in town that carries all the feeders, so i just make 1 trip every 2 weeks and pick up feeders. See if you have a store like that close to home
Life Expectancy - Again, not an exact figure but a well cared for Chameleon can live for anything between 4-7 years. At 1 year old, they are referred to as mature.
Here are some of the links I bookmarked when i first got my Chameleon
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/hoj/634-montane-chameleon-care-info.html
www.chameleonforums.com/jackson-chameleon-279/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/montane-care-sheet-critique-plz-79628/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/keeping-jackson-s-outside-86324/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/frequently-asked-questions-71620/#post668825
https://www.chameleonforums.com/silkworms-101-a-7906/
One piece of advise i would give is to find a local vet that specializes in Chams
http://www.arav.org/find-a-vet-temporary/
A quick check up of new Chams doesn't hurt. But in incase of a medical emergency its good to have a vet that knows your Chams history
Finally, are both your Chameleons in the same cage?? If so, you might want to separate them. Chameleons are solitary and territorial. The reason your second one (Female?) is black because is she stressed out by the other one. Stress can kill a Chameleon pretty quick. My advice, either get a second setup going ASAP, or return one form where you bought
Good Luck!
Lovereps
Avid Member
If they're really 6" snout to vent, they are adults or very close to it.
As Nrupaw said, they should each have their own cage.
Here is another excellent caresheet which was recently posted by the forum administrators:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/jacksons/
They thrive with more humidity and water and about 1/2 the supplements of Veiled or Panther chams.
It can't be overemphasized that a varied diet with less supplementation than most other commonly kept species is necessary to keep them healthy.
They are often shy and require spacious cages.
In addition to crickets, silkworms, dubias, hornworms, etc. they will most likely love Blue Bottle flies and, if you can find a source of captive raised land snails or raise some of your own (never use water snails, they're often loaded with parasites)--they will probably love those, too.
Recently I ordered BB spikes and BB pupae from here:
http://www.mantisplace.com/
This place has a variety of feeders:
http://www.mulberryfarms.com/
As Nrupaw said, they should each have their own cage.
Here is another excellent caresheet which was recently posted by the forum administrators:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/jacksons/
They thrive with more humidity and water and about 1/2 the supplements of Veiled or Panther chams.
It can't be overemphasized that a varied diet with less supplementation than most other commonly kept species is necessary to keep them healthy.
They are often shy and require spacious cages.
In addition to crickets, silkworms, dubias, hornworms, etc. they will most likely love Blue Bottle flies and, if you can find a source of captive raised land snails or raise some of your own (never use water snails, they're often loaded with parasites)--they will probably love those, too.
Recently I ordered BB spikes and BB pupae from here:
http://www.mantisplace.com/
This place has a variety of feeders:
http://www.mulberryfarms.com/
Lovereps
Avid Member
That caresheet does have one very bad piece of advice--he recommends multivitamins 2-3 times per week--way too much for a Jackson's.
ReptileLove18
Established Member
noted! thanks for the info lovereps i wont recommend that one again!!
