dog breeder kooking to get into the hobby, quick couple questions...

[legends born]

Hello to you all, name is mario and I'm from upstate ny, my daughter said she wanted a lizard and being I'm a dog breeder I don't believe in buying pups from pet stores so I looked online to find some private breeders. And to my suprise I find these panther chameleon's that hand me mind blown, very exotic looking creatures... So to the point, I'm in the process of ordering a few cages and wanted to know who are the top breeders of panther chameleon's here in the states? Also what to look for when picking a newborn, are there first picks and last picks? Or do you not know until they reach a certain age?? And info good or bad I would really appreciate. Thank you in advance...

 

[legends born]

Also is the panther chameleon a ok reptile to start with as a beginner? Or not a good idea?

 

[maxttu]

Hello to you all, name is mario and I'm from upstate ny, my daughter said she wanted a lizard and being I'm a dog breeder I don't believe in buying pups from pet stores so I looked online to find some private breeders. And to my suprise I find these panther chameleon's that hand me mind blown, very exotic looking creatures... So to the point, I'm in the process of ordering a few cages and wanted to know who are the top breeders of panther chameleon's here in the states? Also what to look for when picking a newborn, are there first picks and last picks? Or do you not know until they reach a certain age?? And info good or bad I would really appreciate. Thank you in advance...

Mario, 1st of all, welcome to the community! 2nd, take a look at the top right hand corner of the page. Check out our sponsors. 3rd, check out our classified section! Some of the best breeders are right here, under your nose! Good luck and keep us posted!!

Edit* just saw your 2nd question: Veileds and Panthers are generally considered the most tolerant of chameleons. Do your due diligence and ask lots of questions! We'll steer you in the right directions!

 

[okiroo]

Panthers are a hardyer chameleon but as reptiles go chameleons arnt usually a good start. they're expensive in care and vet bills, if you plan on getting some i'd ask in the main forum what you need for them. Breeding is also another ball game. Theres diffrent locals you can breed in panthers. Most people dont wont crosses. If you do cross then make shure you list them as a cross and what the cross is (ie 50% nosey 50% faly). If your looking for a easyer pet that you can hold more often there are bearded dragons and lepord geckos. Chameleons as a rule get stressed easy and dont like being held(some are OK with it) a care sheet from someone on here would be you first place to start.

 

[cricketkilla]

Hello to you all, name is mario and I'm from upstate ny, my daughter said she wanted a lizard and being I'm a dog breeder I don't believe in buying pups from pet stores so I looked online to find some private breeders. And to my suprise I find these panther chameleon's that hand me mind blown, very exotic looking creatures... So to the point, I'm in the process of ordering a few cages and wanted to know who are the top breeders of panther chameleon's here in the states? Also what to look for when picking a newborn, are there first picks and last picks? Or do you not know until they reach a certain age?? And info good or bad I would really appreciate. Thank you in advance...

If you go to the screameleons website, screameleons.com, they have a five day email based learning course that gives a basic outline of husbandry requirements, nutrition, and how to choose the right chameleon! If you go to the site sponsors page of the forum, all of the breeders on there are very reputable and produce beautiful healthy chameleons. There's no way to determine how a baby's coloration will end up, their colors will evolve as they develop up until around a 1 1/2 yrs old. What you look for is the bloodline of the Sire(father) and the Dame(mother). Make sure to take your time and have your cage and everything set up and test everything out, check temperatures, misting system, drainage, humidity, UVB levels, etc...

If you don't find a chameleon you like on those sites or need help getting the set up perfect, you can shoot me a PM and I'd be happy to get you into contact with a great private breeder and to help you with your cage set up as well!

 

[cricketkilla]

Also is the panther chameleon a ok reptile to start with as a beginner? Or not a good idea?

If you do a little research and study some care sheets, they can be. They are a lot of work at times, but they are extremely rewarding companions.

 

[pssh]

Panthers are a good first chameleon as long as you do your research. Babies pretty much all look the same, but males (sometimes females too) with more colors tend to cost more. The locales also make a difference in price. Generally, a baby 3+ months are good to start sith but an older 5-6 month old is even better. Plus they have more colors at that age. Basically, with panthers it is all about color and sometimes size as babies.

 

[legends born]

thanks for your input everyone!! so ive been looking in to herioc chams and kammer... i like the look on there stock...im super excited!! wish i knew about this art years ago... lol

 

[ChameleonMom]

I always love to hear that new people are interested in my hobby but I am always a bit frightened that newbies to the chameleon world are not arming themselves with the proper research and information. Yes please!! Become a chameleon parent. Raising, loving and caring for a chameleon is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done...but PLEASE! Do your research and then when you think you are ready and still want one...do MORE research so you truly understand the huge undertaking you are about to embark on. These lovely creatures are not a 2 - 3 month pet used to amuse a child who 'happens to think they're cute'! Chameleons require ALOT of care, love, money, interest and dedication and most importantly, they deserve our respect. Also, consider that chameleon's are not really good pets for small children unless that child is aware of the high maintenance involved in raising one and is old enough to take on their care and upbringing.

Sorry to be harsh, but I love these little creatures and it pains me when people have good intentions but lack the knowledge or dedication in keeping them.

Having said that, I am climbing off my soapbox now! Good luck if you decide to go forward with becoming a Chameleon parent.