Future cham owner...maybe

[jmikel]

Hello everyone. I currently do not own a chameleon but I have been researching them for a few months now and have absolutely fell in love! I plan to start preparing for my first cham soon and I have found all the info I need except for one thing I'm worried about:

I have a lake house a few hours away from my home and during the summer I go to the lake just about every weekend. I am usually away from home about 48 hours. Is this too long for a chameleon to go without care? (I'll probably get a panther).

I plan on having the lights on a timer and it seems like an automatic mister will be necessary as well. But is this enough? I am experienced with a wide variety of animals and I really want a chameleon but not at the cost of it's overall health.

Thank you in advance.

 

[ReptileLove18]

welcome to the forum!!
most owners keep their chams on a feeding schedule of feeding them every other day. so if you feed it the day you left, were gone the next day, the day after that(the normal feeding day) and were back the next day and fed it, that would be just fine. as long as your lights were automated, you had an automated mister and a drip system set up so that it would have lots of chances to drink it would be just fine for that amount of time you would need a drainage system so that water wouldnt collect at the bottom of the cage while you were gone. in my opinion with all that your chammy friend would be just dandy while you were out on the lake!
what are the ambient temps like at night during the summer there?

 

[jmikel]

Thank you for the reply! I was hoping this wouldn't be too big of an issue. The temp drops to about 65-70 at night in the summers. However, my house stays at 72 all day and night. I understand chams prefer a temperature drop at night...is 72 low enough?

 

[ReptileLove18]

i would let it get down to 70 at night if you can if you cant thats fine, as the heat lamp will raise the temps up during the day. do you have other pets that will be left there during the weekend?

 

[jmikel]

I could easily let the temp get down to 70 at night. Thanks! I have a dog, tarantulas and fb toads. The dog is the only one that seems to enjoy the lake though

 

[ReptileLove18]

kay awesome! its good to have a temperature drop at night, its good for their metabolism. ill see if i can find the recommended amount of recommended temp drop. and as long as it doesnt get below 50 degrees at night you dont have to use a heat source at night .
the reason i asked about other animals is if you are going to be leaving other pets there when you go for the weekend, it would be best to make sure they cant get into the room with your chameleon. i doubt your dog would mess with your cham but cats are notorious for deciciding they want to sit on top of the chams cage and stressing it out!

 

[jmikel]

I'll definitely keep it above 50 and I'll do my best to provide an adequate temp drop at night. I'm sure a cat would be a pain! I do not see those two ever living in harmony (then again, I have neither so I wouldn't know).

Another question...The cham will be in my room where I sleep. Do you think the TV being on at night will bother him? I wouldn't keep it on all night, but I usually watch TV until midnight or so. Thanks!

 

[ReptileLove18]

What i would do is when you went to turn the cham's lights off tuck a sheet around the enclosure so that it blocked the majority of the light from the tv, but didnt completely surround the enclosure so there was still plently of airflow. then in the morning when you went to turn the lights on, take the sheet off
your welcome!! keep us updated on if you do get a cham and what kind you get, we would love to be a part of watching it grow up and if you ever need help or have any questions, just start a thread or feel free to message me if you like

 

[jmikel]

That's a good idea. I thought about a cover but, like you said, I still want to provide proper airflow. I will definitely keep everyone updated as I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions once I finally get him. Is there a time of year when baby panthers are more abundant or harder to find? I'll definitely be purchasing through a breeder and as much as want one now, I'll be traveling all of April and must wait until May for my new little guy. Also, is it common practice to reserve babies? Or are they just sold once they are old enough to ship?

 

[crocky]

IMO the feeding schedule would depend on how young the Cham is when you get it. If it is a baby, more frequent feedings are necessary. It is not until they are adult / male that I would start to drop down to feeding every other day. Of course if it is a female then the feeding schedule would be a little different and there is info on that in some blogs folks have written.

I may be a bit obsessive but I could not imagine leaving my guy at 5 months with out food for two days (I am sure he would probably make out fine but I would hate to do it). Is there anyone near by that could drop some feeders in the cage for you while you are away?
Also sometimes younger chams will go on a food strike without eating for days so with that said you would likely be fine but if there was a way around it (and you had a young Cham) I would go with a neighbor or friend helping out a couple of days.

If you get an adult then you would certainly be ok to not feed everyday.
Just my two cents FWIW

 

[jmikel]

Thank you for the advice. I'm sure friends/family can watch over him most of the time but I just can't bank on that every time. And Saturdays would really be his only day without food. I'll continue to do more research but I want to be absolutely sure skipping food one day a week will not damage his long-term health. I'll consider purchasing an adult, but I would much rather raise one from a baby.

 

[ReptileLove18]

one day a week will not harm him. it would be best if it was only one day that he went without food, but he would survive just fine without food for two days. they have to have water at all times but he can survive without food. it is easier to let them go without food for a day or two when they are adolescents as compared to babies but it will not hurt him!

 

[camimom]

One day a week wont cause any problems.

I have 33 veiled hatchlings right now, and they have missed a meal a couple times, due to my fruit fly cultures needing to replentish and my pinheads as well.

As long as its not a regular thing (i.e. several meals a week) then your cham would be just fine.

Just means you have to provide lots of food the next day.

If you have a timer and a mistking system, you should be just fine.

 

[jmikel]

Sounds great. I'll get a mistking because from what I read on here, they are the way to go. Thank you all for the initial advice. This seems to be a great community here and I am happy to now be a part of it. We'll see if this addiction ya'll speak of actually holds true My friends are already annoyed I talk about chameleons so much. I can't wait for the day when he actually arrives!

Btw, my name is Mike I'm 25 and from Oklahoma. Boomer Sooner

 

[little leaf]

first - WELCME !!
I like to see when ppl do research BEFORE they get a cham ( I was the extreme - I waited at least 17 yrs- 16 to long
I know there are ppl who travel w/ their chams - they have 2 cages- one for home, one for away- I think alot of this depends on how stressed your cham would be about it - but I also bet, once you get him, you will not want to leave him either maybe someone who travels w/ their cham can offer some advice
you will just love having a chammy

 

[little leaf]

" My friends are already annoyed I talk about chameleons so much. I can't wait for the day when he actually arrives!"

you can talk ALL you want here- about ANYTHING - you will find this forum is here to help, and EVERYONE is so great

 

[ReptileLove18]

Sounds great. I'll get a mistking because from what I read on here, they are the way to go. Thank you all for the initial advice. This seems to be a great community here and I am happy to now be a part of it. We'll see if this addiction ya'll speak of actually holds true My friends are already annoyed I talk about chameleons so much. I can't wait for the day when he actually arrives!

Btw, my name is Mike I'm 25 and from Oklahoma. Boomer Sooner

We're happy to have you Mike! the day he arrives you shall fall in love and see what we mean about the "addiction" haha. And as little leaf said, you can talk about anything on here, we are all here to be as helpful as possible, learn as much as we can, and get some new friends!!