Does anyone know where to buy parson's???

[Carlton]

I did not too long ago and I found them between $2500 - $3000 and all of them sold out anyway. This chameleon is incredibly hard to find and own. I am assuming it's everyone's dream to get a hold of one and breed them but indeed

one does not simply purchase a parson's chameleons

There are chams much harder to find than parsoni these days. Try one that has an even smaller quota such as F. antimena, willsii, bifidus, C. malthe, T. xenorhina. They'll make a parsonii seem common by comparison! Parsoni may not be everyone's dream species...including mine. Yes, they are large, impressive, beautiful, and rare but I happen to like others more.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

A member here on the forum has cbb parsons for sale. Contact Garrett

However despite that meme, I did. I bought mine from Garrett.

Look up posts made by me about my Parson and the habitat that was built for the Blue God. This is not an animal you just purchase and place in a DIY screen cage like a panther good sir.

 

[Action Jackson]

I have CBB Parsons that will be available in the near future. PM me for details

 

[JoeVet]

So what size cage does one of those monsters need? Just out of curiosity. They are out of my pay grade.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

So what size cage does one of those monsters need? Just out of curiosity. They are out of my pay grade.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/after-19-years-waiting-real-thread-140174/

This is at least my indoor take on the subject

 

[Montium]

So what size cage does one of those monsters need? Just out of curiosity. They are out of my pay grade.

As big as you can make it. My free range one has over 40 feet of enclosure and still roams it.

 

[jannb]

So what size cage does one of those monsters need? Just out of curiosity. They are out of my pay grade.

You can see my enclosures linked below. I have climate control rooms here in Florida. Now I just have Cooper and take him outside in the mornings for a few hours when the weather permits.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/introducing-padre-57098/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/heras-four-years-old-her-new-room-93779/

 

[MattsExotics]

I searched a lot and I can't find hardly any places that sell parsons. I am thinking about purchasing one within the next year or so...

Hey I am also looking for one too? Anyone know were I can find one? Also why are they so expensive?

 

[OldChamKeeper]

Also why are they so expensive?

They are quite rare. There was a 19 year period where none could be imported here.

They have an incredibly slow reproduction rate as well. So, that all said, if you truly want one you have a lot of homework to do. They are unlike any other cham I've ever kept tbh.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

There are plenty of imports around.
I don't mean any of what I'm about to say to be rude or make assumptions about your abilities as a keeper, but I am going to say what I think about the species.

Look at why you want parsons long and hard. It isn't a species that anyone should be keeping without an intention to breed them. They are not pets and that statement is perhaps most true for this species in that they really don't care for human interaction much.

They are also perhaps the most challenging species I've ever kept. Some will argue and say that there are harder species and that parsons are not so hard, but I can tell you that they require more water, more precise attention to detail, and a lot more time than the melleri I kept years ago and melleri have a horrible reputation for thriving in captivity.

My experiences were very different between Wild Caught animals and Captive Bred animals. The CB animals were trouble free, but my Wild Caught pair has been a real guessing game and there isn't a ready to follow plan of care, only anecdotes from keepers. Everything is tailored to the individual chameleon's needs and I can't just treat them as "parsons" and expect them to thrive. My male is still not stable, 8 months in my care, while the female is doing perfectly well.
Everything can be an issue to them. They decide how you will deliver enough water, what they are willing to eat and how it is to be presented to them, their caging, lighting and UVB exposure, and virtually every aspect that we have come to put into standard practice for other species.

I'm not saying that they are all this difficult. I'm saying that they require a lot more attention for what you will get out of them, than most other species. If big is your thing, ousteletti are much more amusing. Parsonii are essentially pet rocks that demand a lot and give very little.
I've had much more joy working with other species and I've had breeding successes with animals that few can keep alive, starting from the worst of the worst in terms of Wild Caught animals in poor condition.

My guess is that you have a lot of information to learn about parsons, before you acquire one as if you were "in the know", finding one wouldn't me a problem. There are lots of parsonii groups on facebook, a few experienced keepers here, and several famously inactive forums online. My advice is for you to visit these places, seek counsel from the keepers, and let them point you to your parsonii, when you have a thorough game plan in place, including a vet that is more experienced than just willing to see chameleons. Parsonii are amazing and iconic creatures, but they are not a project to undertake for a leisurely past time; they are all consuming and we need every available resource to establish strong populations in captive breeding programs.
Good luck.

 

[Carlton]

IMHO, decide what you want in a chameleon...traits, colors, attitude, complexity of care (if you enjoy challenging habitat setups and the technical stuff), how much space you have for a cage, and your local climate; especially factors that might make keeping some species a huge headache and a heartache. Chams don't adjust to your conditions....they expect that you adjust your conditions to them!
If you want the longest, Oustaleti would be the one.
If you like big rostral processes and horns, jackson's and the B. fischeri are great.
If you want the biggest, Melleri is the African species and Parsoni the Malagasy species. Remember, these will need huge enclosures or a room set aside for them.
If you want the rarest or most valuable, there are rarer species to choose from other than Parsoni.
If you want a high humidity cool montane species, T. deremensis, jacksoni, quadricornis would be it.
If you want a lowland warm/drier climate species, veiled, Oustaleti, verrucosus, and some of the African species might be better.
If you want a more social and responsive species, panthers may be best.
If you want to impress others by the desirability of the animal you own...well, can't help you there. Keeping a relatively unusual reptile may not impress many people regardless what species it is.
Get the idea? Parsoni may not fit the bill for many reasons.