First Time Owner

[Mobster1983]

I live in Hawaii and found this guy wandering in the parking lot outside my office (I work at a Golf Course). I have always wanted a Jackson so I picked him up and brought him home. I got a "reptile" cage from Petco, along with a couple fake plants. When I got home, I set up the cage and put him inside.

From my research I believe it to be a T. j. jacksonii Boulanger 1896 : Jackson's chameleon. Can anyone confirm? I also believe it is a male due to the very distinct horns. Is there a way to tell the age? He looks to me like a fully grown adult.

After the first day, the cage seems to be sitting at a low 80 degrees. Is this too hot for a Jackson? He is moving around decently and eating very well (I think he ate about 10 crickets in the last 24 hours). I only have one thermometer and it is the one that came in the cage, so i haven't been able to check the whole area. I have been using a water bottle with holes poked in the lid to mist about 3-4 times the first day. Humidity is sitting right around 50%.

I attached a picture of the cage. Right now I only have a couple plants in there and two short Hibiscous I cut yesterday. I discovered my plants are infested with bugs so I couldn't put more in right away. I have a vine I will try to put in tomorrow which should give much more coverage and area to move around.

I have been reading through these forums and the FAQ, but would appreciate any advice. Hoping to be able to make a good home for this guy.

 

[Mobster1983]

He has also been doing some weird "dance" on the ground every so often. Is this common?

 

[SolidSnake1]

First welcome to the forum, I don't know much about Jacksons but what a great find ! And good for you on adopting him...wtg

 

[christineacero]

Hi Mobster, and welcome to the forums! I wish we had wild chams up north where I'm from- lucky you!!

From your posted photos I'd like to give you some advice. Petco sold you an aquarium, not a reptile tank, which is not good for any cham after a few months of age. They do not provide adequate airflow and can cause a host of different medical problems with your new cham. Invest in either a screen cage or a glass exo terra tall tank. Chams prefer vertical height rather than horizontal. Screen cages are best, and I'd go with a minimum size of 18x18x36" for this guy. Living in Hawaii, you'd be best to get a fully screened in cage and you could keep him outside with regular mistings. This way, you wouldn't need a uvb bulb and wouldn't have to worry about proper humidity.

Also, chams do better with nothing on the bottom of their enclosure. That carpet stuff is a breeding ground for bacteria and it's next to impossible to properly clean it. Many forum members use paper towel or nothing at all. My enclosures have nothing on the bottom.

What is your supplement schedule like? Jacksons can overdose on supplements so you'd be best to use calcium WITHOUT d3 2 or 3 times weekly, and calcium WITH d3 as well as a multivitamin once a month on alternating weeks. If you choose to get a screen cage and keep him outside, you won't need to use calcium WITH d3 as he will be able to manufacture it with the sun.

Check out this caresheet on Jacksons chameleons, this should answer a few of your questions:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/jacksons/

Hope this helps!

 

[junglefries]

Today I will leave the husbandry and moral critiques out of my posting. I am just happy to see that the species is thriving there in Hawaii. It so stressed me to read about a whole locale starting from just 32 (36 depending on sources) individuals. The jacksons are just so docile and delicate that they need every chance for long term survival. Even if they had to be unwillingly populated into a new area. I am yet to read anything about them causing harm to their new enviroment. Good for them. At this point in our existence on earth, almost everything alive needs a spare location. We humans are well on our way to killing off a lot of living things, and eventually probably ourselves.

 

[Psychobunny]

If that's a aquarium you have him in, you need to take him out and into a screen cage.
They need room and plenty of ventilation, so a Reptibreeze 18 x 18 x 36'' would work well until he gets bigger.
What UVB are you using?
Don't trust what they tell you at Petco

 

[Bush baby]

Aquariums are not good for Chams at all. At least 3 sides need to be screen, for air circulation.

Good that he ate so much though. Being given food, as opposed to having to hunt food down, was probably a treat for him as they can go days without coming across a meal in the wild.

It may be just me, but i've always found it cruel keeping a wild caught chameleon (or any other animal for that matter) in captivity. They are already accustom to roaming around in such freedom that putting them in an enclosure is the equivalent of a prison cell for them. If anything, get a very young cham, or one that has been captive bred.

 

[Psychobunny]

Yeah, I hate to see animals caged up.
That's why I have such an elaborate free range, complete with lights for them to explore.

It kills me to see them scratching at their cages because they want out!!

They are either outside, or on the free range all weekend, or whenever I am home to supervise.

Sméagol is my only cham I can trust to be out and on the free range when I am not home.

My other guyz always find a way to the floor, and once there, they can get into all kinds of trouble!!

 

[SolidSnake1]

Yeah, I hate to see animals caged up.
That's why I have such an elaborate free range, complete with lights for them to explore.

It kills me to see them scratching at their cages because they want out!!

They are either outside, or on the free range all weekend, or whenever I am home to supervise.

Sméagol is my only cham I can trust to be out and on the free range when I am not home.

My other guyz always find a way to the floor, and once there, they can get into all kinds of trouble!!

Id love to free range Polly but I have a kitty that would have her for lunch

 

[christineacero]

Id love to free range Polly but I have a kitty that would have her for lunch

Same here, big 70 lb brown dog too!

 

[carol5208]

Personally, I would let him go and be free. That is what he is used to. If you want one, go buy one that is captive bred. I hate seeing wild animals caged. And yes, I cage and also free range my chameleons, but they are born in captivity and do not know anything different than being in cages or a controlled area since birth.

 

[Mobster1983]

Thank you all for the advice and tips. After reading thru this forum and the posts, I realized that I do not have to space to really give him what he needs. I set Loki free today in the same area he found him. He looks really happy with far more trees around than he can ever explore.