Getting Into the Hobby

[mlw50]

Hello all, I've been checking out these forums for a while, and really enjoy reading everything that everyone has to contribute. I have had some herps before, but just leopard geckos, of which I have now. I've been drawn to chams because of how neat and unique they are, and am aware of some of the different care they require. If I get anything, I'm still 9 months from getting it, MINIMUM, because I want to finish up this school year and wait until I have different living accomidations. With that being said panthers and veileds seem to be the best for beginners. I love the coloring on the panthers and all but I'm worried about the size of the cage required. Being a college student, it would be very difficult, but not impossible, to move all of it back and forth for thanksgiving break, summer, and winter recess. For this reason I'm drawn to the pygmies, namely the Brevs. However, if there is anything similiar in care(can easily be housed in a glass exoterra) and is alright for a beginner cham-owner, I would also consider that. I would just like the advice of some owners themselves. Thanks ahead of time guys!

 

[Vegas Chad]

The ol dilemma of what chameleon to get first... If space is an issue than a pygmy might be right up your alley however where you live may make that a challenge. You may want to also consider a smaller true chameleon type like a carpet chameleon.

 

[mlw50]

Just to clarify, why would where I live be an issue for pygmies? Also, would a carpet chameleon(furcifer lateralis correct?),or any other small true chameleon, be able to live in something such as an exo-terra and be good for a beginner?

 

[pssh]

Pygmies require low temps and high humidity. Some areas get too warm for them.

High humidity and low temp smaller species can be housed is glass enclosures. The difference is that they can handle slightly higher temps than most Pygmy chameleons

 

[OldSkoolxReasons]

Along with a bunch of the panthers I keep I also keep a little breeding colony of brevs. My house temp is usually in the mid to low seventies and gets around 67 at night. I just mist them alot and feed them baby silkworms/baby hornworms/mantis nymphs as treats and discoid nymphs as their staple. They have a 40watt house bulb at the very top of their 40 gallon enclosure above a plant if they wish to bask. They bask every morning for about 15 mins then they want food. They are just so fascinating to watch. Good luck with whatever you choose.




Justin

 

[jessica]

Hello and welcome!

Like Vegas Chad mentioned, a carpet Chameleon is smaller and some I've seen some pack some really cool marks and colors!

 

[mlw50]

Ya, i was considering furcifer lat lat, but have so far been able to come across a wealth of information about their husbandry. Ontop of that, I understand they are relatively difficult to come by.

 

[hallenhe]

Welcome! Yeah, just to elaborate on the pygmies, if you're going to keep them (same goes for many of the montane species), you need to have air conditioning in place if the ambient temperatures are going to get much into the eighties. Almost everyone in southern states has air conditining, so that isn't so much of an issue; more temperate climates, like Pennsylvania or Michigan, may only have a few hot days a year and not everybody has air conditioning. (If you do have it, you should be fine with them.)
For a panther or veiled (or pygmies, or carpets), see what you have around your college in the way of vets or pet stores that would board, or local pet sitters you would trust. I've regularly left my chameleons in the care of a succession of Michigan State students when I've left town for a week or two, and there's been no problems; many pet stores and vets will board as well. I would be worried transporting a chameleon through wintery weather for Thanksgiving or Christmas, especially Thanksgiving since it's such a short period.

 

[Carlton]

Most cham species won't like changes and moving around. Also, you'd have to be very quick to detect any changes in their setup temp and humidity ranges each time you move them. The pygmies might be easier to house physically, but they are also sensitive to humidity (too high or too low can be a problem in a tank) so upsetting their climate again and again might be difficult. The chams I've had did best when they acclimated to one place and kept stable.

Carpets will be harder to find cb or even captive hatched, and I would not suggest starting off with any wc chams. If you had a stable friend or caretaker who could come to YOU and care for your cham while you were gone that might be better, or set up a duplicate cage at their house with all the lighting etc. so the cham would end up with two familiar territories.

 

[mlw50]

Just to clarify, I live about a half hour from my school, so it would just be a matter of packing everything into my car and driving home. I was worried about was upsetting them during moving, but then I thought about how they are shipped overnight, and wasn't sure if an hour or two would have ill effects while transporting them from school to back home.

On another note, does anyone have any carpet chameleon care-sheets?

 

[Vegas Chad]

Care allA Carpet.
http://chameleonnews.com/?page=article&id=47