Getting started

[Zilla005]

Okay, So i've been researching a bit on Veiled Chameleons. I want to get a baby one from jacks aquarium. they are 100 bucks there. I was wondering what all i need to get started, how much it might cost me and how to pick out a healthy chameleon. If someone could help out with that I would be very thankful.

 

[sharkey]

use this forum to do a search on 'supplies' - tons of information will be at your finger tips - plus you will be able to learn what NOT to buy/use. it is best to always check here before believing what most (not all) pet stores will tell you.

happy reading!

 

[stevereecy]

You can have a reputable breeder ship a nice one to your door for that money or comparable. So if you buy it locally, make sure its a good one. Otherwise...

 

[Julirs]

Here is a copy of a shopping cart from LLL reptile including shipping. With the addition of a standard household light bulb, a spray bottle, and a few live plants this is all you need. I agree with the above posters, unless you really know this Petstore and where they got their chameleons, you could get a nice one for less than $100 shipped.
Shopping cart-LLLreptile.com
Shopping cart has been updated.
Product Qty Total
Zoo Med 18" 5.0 UVB bulb
$13.99 each $13.99
16 x 16 x 30 inch Aluminum screen cage
$54.99 each
Cage Color: Silver
$54.99
20" fluorescent hood fixture
$26.99 each $26.99
Zoo Med Digital Thermometer with probe
$6.99 each $6.99
Regular Clip lamp
$5.99 each $5.99
Exo Terra Jungle Vine Medium
$7.99 each $7.99
RepCal ultra fine calcium with D3
$4.99 each $4.99
Rep Cal Calcium WITHOUT D3
$4.99 each $4.99
RepCal Herptivite supplement
$8.99 each $8.99
Checkout
Printable page for money order
Continue shopping
Subtotal $135.91
Tax TBD
Shipping $16.95
Total $152.86

 

[Brad Ramsey]

http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

Some things to look for:

Open eyes/very alert animal
clean pink mouth (inside)
good grip
Strong, straight limbs/ solid casque
Truncal lifting (can stand up straight/lift body off the ground)
well fed/well hydrated : does not look emaciated/ eyes are full and round (not sunken or dark)

Ask if the seller knows the hatch date.
Ask where the chameleon came from
Ask about a health guarantee/ Return policy

Make sure you are ready at home and have tested temps/ water drip systems/ misting systems/ lighting (uvb!!!)
Make sure you have food and supplements ready and that you have been feeding your feeders a nutritious gut load.

Good luck with your new animal!!

-Brad

 

[dodolah]

a 100 buck for a veiled chameleon's baby seems a bit steep.
Is that already including shipping and tax (if it is, then it's not so bad)? or are you going to go there to pick him up?

I always recommend people to prepare an enclosure before getting the chameleon and have a test round as if the chameleon is there for 2 or 3 days (with misting) to see if you need adjustment (such as higher/lower bulb wattage, more/less misting, and so on).
Congratulation! this is truly an exciting step for you.

 

[Zilla005]

Thank you very much for the informati on you provided me with. The pet store has several exotic animals and ive been told from others that they take good care of their animals. I will ask them about hatch dates and where they came from as soon as I get out there (probably tomorrow) Thanks again for the help.

 

[Zilla005]

I purchased a 18x18x26 cage. a hood lamp with 18" reptiglow 8.0 flourescent bulb, a night bulb and a 75w infrared heatglow bulb. The hood lamp has all three bulbs in it, the flourescent all the way across, the night bulb on one side and the heat bulb on the other. Also i got exo-tera jungle plant vines (one fine and one medium) a pothus plant, the big dripper for the drip system, "zilla" gut load cricket food- with D3, and two thermometers. im testing the temperatures now, the terrarium is currently at 81 degrees and the current basking spot is at 88 degrees, i think i may need to get a high wattage heat bulb, what do you think??? also is there anything else you would recommend? i have yet to purchase the cham.

 

[Zilla005]

ok update, i moved some vines around and got an area at 94-96 degrees for basking, the other areas of the terrarium are 81-83 degrees.

 

[Zilla005]

alright so ive been testing temperatures allllll night. i turned on my fan in my room (i cant sleep without a fan) and the cage temp went down to 80 (with the lights still on) and the basking area seems to range from 90-101 is this ok? im assuming if its too hot he will just go a little further down the vine.

 

[Julirs]

It is a screen cage-right?
You won't need any night heat unless your house is below 60 degrees. I don't prefer the hood that you are getting due to the fact that sometimes you really need to play with the heat lamp to get the temps right, and you can't in that kind of hood.
How old is the chameleon you are getting? A 2-3 month old chameleon will be OK in that size cage for a few months, than at 4-6 months you will need a bigger cage. My Veiled moved into his "big boy" 24X24X48 at 4.5 months.
Depending on age of chameleon (and size-they grow at different rates) your temps will need to be adjusted. A 2-3 month old would need basking temps from 80-85, and say a 6 month old low 90's. Ambient temps usually are in the 70's.
Did you get supplements? You really need all 3 as are in my list above.

 

[Zilla005]

this is how my set up looks as of now. i need to get some plant life towards the top, but im sure the pothus will grow up that way. im sort of new to this, so let me know what you think. i still need to set up my drip system, but other than that i think its good to go

 

[Julirs]

It will work just fine, raise some of the fake vines closer to the top for basking-they feel safer in the leaves there. Standard household bulbs work great-they recognize the "white" light as basking heat.
How old is the cham you are getting-like I said be careful with temps.

 

[Zilla005]

2-3 months its about the size of my pinky finger, perhaps a little bigger. its very active, good color, eyes arent sunken in, its a male, strong grip and can hold himself up just fine. He seems very healthy and well taken care of thus far. i still need to grab some suppliments, but i was going to get those when i picked him up. I have the gut loaders for the crickets, and calcium dusting.

 

[Julirs]

Again-get those temps down. I learned the hard way on this. Babies will cook themselves to death-they are bad thermoregulators.

 

[Zilla005]

alright will do, ill raise the hood up a bit to see how that changes the temp. hottest area now is 101, thats at the very top of the cage right under the basking light. say move the hood up about 3-4 inches?

 

[Julirs]

You see, that is the problem with those hoods. You will need the UVB within so many inches of his basking spot, and you will need to adjust the basking lamps. Can you take the hood back and trade it for a hood that only holds the flourescent tube and then get a clamp lamp for the basking bulb?

 

[Brad Ramsey]

alright so ive been testing temperatures allllll night. i turned on my fan in my room (i cant sleep without a fan) and the cage temp went down to 80 (with the lights still on) and the basking area seems to range from 90-101 is this ok? im assuming if its too hot he will just go a little further down the vine.

Young chameleons are very bad at thermoregulation ... so that assumption is bad.
I would not have a basking spot hotter than 85 degrees f. for a young animal.
The night time lamp in not recommended. Night time temps should go down to 60-65.
Live plants are a must for maintaining humidity and creating a safe and comfortable environment.
Again:http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

-Brad

 

[Brad Ramsey]

You see, that is the problem with those hoods. You will need the UVB within so many inches of his basking spot, and you will need to adjust the basking lamps. Can you take the hood back and trade it for a hood that only holds the flourescent tube and then get a clamp lamp for the basking bulb?

I agree with this suggestion.

-Brad

 

[dodolah]

Zilla, thank you for buying the enclosure and have a test run be4 you purchase the chameleon. I'm glad that you took the suggestion.

i agree with Julirs. get a clamp lamp for basking bulb.
so you can put the heat lamp higher.
or you can try lower wattage bulb. I used 75 watt and has never had any problem during winter. summer, however, i have to change to lower wattage (to 50 watt).

i suggest you buy another plants, that a bit higher. Having 2 plants or more is a good idea, IMHO. Veiled is notorious in eating plants. My Hibiscus is one of the victim .

Sometimes, it's a good idea to let the plants take a "break" from being eaten.
If you have more than 1 plants, you can just substitute the other plants.
Try hibiscus, you'll love it (and your chameleon will too )