have 55 gallon fish tank i'd like to use to house a chameleon

pagepirate

New Member
i know they need ventilation, couldn't i just mount a small fan above tank?...i also currently own a bearded dragon that i'm thinking of returning to the store and getting a chameleon instead...leaning towards a veiled or panther.
opinions? i plan to purchase a waterfall to create running water....would like a lizard that i can handle on occasion.
 
i know they need ventilation, couldn't i just mount a small fan above tank?...i also currently own a bearded dragon that i'm thinking of returning to the store and getting a chameleon instead...leaning towards a veiled or panther.
opinions? i plan to purchase a waterfall to create running water....would like a lizard that i can handle on occasion.

I don't think a chameleon is for you then. You can handle some chameleons but not all like most animals. Also a 55 gallon fish tank is not what a chameleons need. They need more vertical space then they need horizontal and the glass is also not a good thing.
 
i know they need ventilation, couldn't i just mount a small fan above tank?...i also currently own a bearded dragon that i'm thinking of returning to the store and getting a chameleon instead...leaning towards a veiled or panther.
opinions? i plan to purchase a waterfall to create running water....would like a lizard that i can handle on occasion.

If you want to handle your pet I'd stick with the beardie. Most chams don't want to be handled. Even if they don't get aggressive with you they still don't like it. There are more mellow individuals however.

A 55 gal fish tank isn't a great situation for any chameleon because of the dimensions and orientation of the tank unless you stand the tank on one end so its taller than it is wide. They just don't offer very much room for live potted plants and are pretty restrictive for an arboreal species of that size.

Waterfalls in glass tanks would create a lot of issues for the chameleon and require a lot of daily cleaning and fussing for drainage. Doesn't sound like a good setup for any cham IMHO.

Before you try this I'd do some reading on this forum under basic cham husbandry and habitat setups. I think you'll see that you would be better off with a different approach from the start.
 
Fish tank is a bad idea. You really should read up more on Chameleons. They are a lot of work. You have to have a large enough cage. You put him.her in a fish tank and they will be miserable. You sound responsible enough to not want that.
 
hello,
I must agree with all of them,

Glass terrarium or fish tank is not good even with a fan which would alter the temperature and cause stress.
I've seen some glass enclosures in the UK, I guess due to the weather.

Running water is not ideal

1) Chams tend to defecate in water
2) Humidity would cause respiratory problems
3) Bacteria would grow and if they drink the water they could get an infection
4) Drowning possibility

Chams don't like being handled much
 
i know they need ventilation, couldn't i just mount a small fan above tank?...i also currently own a bearded dragon that i'm thinking of returning to the store and getting a chameleon instead...leaning towards a veiled or panther.
opinions? i plan to purchase a waterfall to create running water....would like a lizard that i can handle on occasion.

i would just like to add, it sounds like you need to do a little(alot) more research as well before you go about this as well. Being that your first 3 suggestions arent for chameleons, although my baby chameleon who is my first cham doesnt seem to like when i put him down, ill take that as a good start:)
 
While your original plan is a little flawed, please to not be discouraged from.getting a chameleon!

Please feel free to ask any questions about what is best for a chameleon! Don't be afraid of the search button.... There's tons of useful info on this forum!
 
Back
Top Bottom