?First chameleon. 6 month Male Panther.

[CarlLloydHimself]

Hi everyone! Looking for advice and what to expect bringing home a new juvenile. His home is all set up and I’ve been testing the levels all week.

 

[Teenage Herpetologist]

Hi, welcome to the forums!
Can you maybe give a pic of the terrarium? Also, chameleons are not like other lizards. It will take a bit for your chameleon to trust you and get used to you, so it should be only you handling him/her periodically for a week or two.

 

[Kamikaze Chameleon]

Can you be more specific on what you want advice on? And if you fill out the husbandry form we can better assist you ?

 

[CarlLloydHimself]

Hi, welcome to the forums!
Can you maybe give a pic of the terrarium? Also, chameleons are not like other lizards. It will take a bit for your chameleon to trust you and get used to you, so it should be only you handling him/her periodically for a week or two.

Yes! I am not home right now but here’s a picture from last week, I have since added some sandblasted grape vines and outdoor (non sap) branches to his enclosure. I’m prepared for the heavy boundaries, I just hope he will eat within a couple weeks ?

 

[Pearl Fields]

Hi, welcome to the forums!
Can you maybe give a pic of the terrarium? Also, chameleons are not like other lizards. It will take a bit for your chameleon to trust you and get used to you, so it should be only you handling him/her periodically for a week or two.

It will take time for them to trust you... if they ever do. they may not is the reality. mine i have handled twice in four months of keeping him, first was to take him home from the reptile store, second was recently when we moved to a new house. i have never handled him if not nessecary because he hates it, he will puff and hiss and stand up on his back legs. just saying, do not expect them to be friendly because some will never be.

 

[CarlLloydHimself]

Can you be more specific on what you want advice on? And if you fill out the husbandry form we can better assist you ?

Where can I find that?

 

[Kaizen]

Where can I find that?

Here you go:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

 

[Kaizen]

Further to my last,

Personally, I find that once they’re adults, and you start to put them on a 3/week diet, they lose their fear of people pretty quick. A hungry chameleon is not a shy chameleon. Obviously, when you’re feeding a juvenile, this is more challenging, but I keep a few chams, and as soon as you start limiting their food, they seem to lose their inhibitions.

also, chams aren’t really a hands-on pet.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Also, chameleons are not like other lizards. It will take a bit for your chameleon to trust you and get used to you, so it should be only you handling him/her periodically for a week or two.

How is that not like other lizards?

To most lizards, we're big scary predators, and they're close to the bottom of the food chain.

 

[CarlLloydHimself]

Here you go:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Updated Lloyd Husbandry

• Your Chameleon - 6 month old male Ambilobe Panther Chameleon, I bring him home today!
• Handling - I will only be handling him for cleaning his cage and transporting him outside in the summer.
• Feeding - Silk worm, Dubias, as staples, horn and super as treats. 3 dubia and 3 silks a morning. Fed once a morning every morning. Carrots, sweet potato, greens (not romaine or iceberg lettuce), mango, apple.
• Supplements - ReptiCal w/ and w/o D3, and Zoo Med ReptiVitamin with D3. 6 days w/o D3, 7th day I will switch every other week to Cal with D3 and Repti vitamin.
• Watering - I will mist twice a day for 3 minutes each, I don’t have him yet but I will be mindful of his hydration.
• Fecal Description - The breeder has tested for parasites, talking with the breeder his feces are heathy.
• History- reputable breeder who has had him since hatchling.

Cage Info:
• Cage Type - All screen with 3 sides wrapped with shower curtain. 24x24x48.
• Lighting - I have a Carolina hood with a t5 HO 10.0 UVB and I use a 75 watt incandescent home bulb for heat. Lights on at 8am and off at 8pm.
• Temperature - the lowest overnight temp is 55 degrees in my bedroom where he stays. I measure temperature with a temperature gun. Basking stays between 81 and 83 degrees. Ambient is 72.
• Humidity - My humidity stays between 62% and 73%. I use manual misting plus my live plants to maintain humidity. I measure with a digital hydrometer.
• Plants - I am using all live plants. A hanging Pothos, 3’ umbrella plant.
• Placement - In a bay window in my bedroom that gets a lot of natural light. Away from vents and fans. The cage sits 2 feet off the ground.
• Location - Southern Maryland