Hello, i need chameleon assistance :]

JuAPple

JuAPple

New Member
Hi im new to this forum, and to the world of chameleons. let me explain what happened. today i went to petco to buy some dog food for my Siberian husky. when i passed by the chameleons it hit me like a big yellow school bus! they caught my eye! i dont know why this time they did if they have always been there and i always passed by them. well i am thinking of buying a chameleon, but i know very little about them. i know that when they turn black is because they are either very mad or stressed. i know that they are relaxed when they are green or yellow. i also know that they do not like being handled by humans because they get stressed. what i do not know is what types of insects it is ok for them to eat, or if they need real branches and or if artificial plants are ok. to many questions to ask. i was wondering if you guys can give me the main things for Noob like me that must know before buying this pet :] are they a costy pet to have? do their urine smell, how often must i clean their area?
please help :]

(by the way i will be keeping the chameleon indoors not out doors, so my sibe. (the dog) cannot bother it in any way):D
 
JuAPple said:
what i do not know is what types of insects it is ok for them to eat, or if they need real branches and or if artificial plants are ok. to many questions to ask. i was wondering if you guys can give me the main things for Noob like me that must know before buying this pet :] are they a costy pet to have? do their urine smell, how often must i clean their area?
please help :]
Click to expand...

Chameleons eat many bugs (crickets, roaches, silkworms, butterworms, pheonix worms, superworms, pinky mice, wax worms, anoles, the list is pretty long). Real plants are suggested, not fake ones. They are a costly pet and a big responsibility; definitely a challenge if this is your first reptile. The best thing you can do is spend loads of time researching (especially looking around on the forum), also time is on your side when it comes to making your first purchase (don't rush into it). Bottom line= chameleons are awesome, but require quite a lot of care.
 
Hi,

Welcome to the world of chameleon ownership! ^^ The basic question that needs to be answered is, what kind of chameleon are you interested in getting? It's really a vital question in recieving the correct care info. Panther chameleons(Furcifer pardalis)Veiled chameleons(Chamaeleo calyptratus), and jackson's chameleons(Chameleo jacksoni) aka three-horned chameleon, tend to be the most recommended beginner chameleons, but as on most things opinions differ so make sure to find what your interested and focus on that (you can broaden your cham horizons at any time :)). Different chameleons have different needs, thats not to say that they aren't similar, but the rules of upkeep and care differ for most species. Personally I feel they are a very rewarding pet when taken care of correctly. They are costly but there are ways to create a budget for yourself, alot of people here come up with some really creative ideas (for things such as cages, drainage systems, etc) that tend to be on a more affordable side (also think about maybe breeding your own feeders). This doesn't mean that you should be cheap with your cham its only to show that its not impossible to set up a budget for yourself and that it possible to keep from spending excessive amounts of money. (I find it really helps a ton to put some money aside for all pets, almost like a piggy bank,;)) It helps ensure your pet wont go hungry or sick, as least thats my view of it. But like any other animal prepare yourself before purchasing, running on impulse without doing your homework first is not a a good idea at all, it puts the life of your animal at risk. But seeing as you've taken this initiative brings you a step closer to proper chameleon ownership.:D One thing you should also know is that what might work for one owner might not work for you, so always try different methods for things until you find one that suits you.;) Chameleon ownership is not for everyone so research, research, research before coming to a decision. (I find, and many would agree, that not all pet shops are a suitable place of purchase, you might want to look into buying from a reputable breeder for your first cham)

(Edited)
 
Hi thanks for the info you guys:]
im sorry i did not mention the type of chameleon i want, but from doing all the research i just did i thinl the best one for me would be the Veiled, just because they are easier to take care of than the other two (panther, or the jackson's) and since i live in ca. it gets pretty hot so i read that they preffer heat. dont worry though the chameleon will be kept in doors so it wont get too intense, inside the house it is kept at a cool 75, outside however it gets as hot as 105!

well when i asked if they are costy i did not mean the chameleon itself. i know the chameleon is costy. what i meant was is the food pricey? i have had a reptile pet before but it was a turtle it was way easier to take care of, and the food was pretty cheap. i know that the chameleon are ussually fed those crickets sold at many pet stores. just wondering if that is the only insect i can feed it, most of those insects listed i cannot find around the house. what i do see a lot of are butter flies, moths, flies (of course) and a lot of those water bugs that look like roaches! most other insects i do not find. in rare ocassions i do tend to find some mantist. another thing was the plants/branches i am allowed to put in there. i have a lime tree, and a peach tree are those fine? if not then i can go to the park and get some other branches. are artificial plants not suggested or are they an ok thing to have but not really recomended...? i have some artificial vines that i would like to put in the cage but if it is not ok then i will not..:] about the bugs (crickets) am i supose to let them out loose or do i have to put them in some kind of cage...? lastly what are some supplies i need (THAT I REALLY NEED) for a chameleon, when i say really need, i mean as in a water dropplet thing, some bugs (crickets) and other things like that.. i do not wnt to buy things i dont need quite yet :]
 
I would recommend picking a male first so you don't have to deal with reproduction.

You need an appropriate cage...and if you start off with a baby, its advised that you have a smaller cage to start off with.
You need a long linear fluorescent tube UVB light (no glass or plastic between it and the chameleon...compacts and spirals are not recommended) and an incandescent household bulb in a hood, branches (real are better IMHO), greenery (real, non-toxic, well washed...both sides of the leaves), a phos.-free calcium powder, a vitamin/mineral powder, a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder, a water spray bottle to mist them with, a container with a small hole in the bottom for a dripper (you can use a more elaborate one if you want too)....and of course insects, gutload/food for the insects. You need things to clean the cage with (utensils, something to kill the germs without killing the chameleon) Anyone...what did I miss??

You will need a chameleon first aid kit...q-tips, antibiotic creams, betadine, K-Y jelly, needleless syringes, etc.

No substrate is recommended...females that lay eggs need an opaque container of washed playsand in their cages once they are sexually mature in case they lay eggs (some species can lay eggs without being mated).

You can pick up the feces/urates every day or two and clean the cage out more thoroughly less often. You will learn how often is best as you go along.

You need to learn about supplementation, gutloading/feeding insects, bone health, what to watch for re: determining if your chameleon is well or not. Appropriate temperatures are important, amount to feed them is also important....there are so many things to learn!

Still want a chameleon??

Here are some sites with good information to start you off with learning about chameleons so you don't have to search the net so much and then wonder what is true/good and what is not...
http://adcham.com/
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://web.archive.org/web/20060502...als.com/vet/index.php?show=8.Gout.Basics.html
http://chameleonnews.com/
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/
 
WOW thanks! very informative links. i am considering in getting a male. i was wondering if the lights were a must have? another thing about the lights is if they must be on all day (24hrs) or just when it gets dark?

Ryan: thanks that blog really helped too!

what should i look for on a chameleon when i first go out and pick it? so far i know it should be active, and it should be the color green, or yellow. is there anything else i should know?

about the water drippings. how do i know if he is drinking? and is there a special place i should place it? (the water)
 
JuAPple said:
WOW thanks! very informative links. i am considering in getting a male. i was wondering if the lights were a must have? another thing about the lights is if they must be on all day (24hrs) or just when it gets dark?

Ryan: thanks that blog really helped too!

what should i look for on a chameleon when i first go out and pick it? so far i know it should be active, and it should be the color green, or yellow. is there anything else i should know?

about the water drippings. how do i know if he is drinking? and is there a special place i should place it? (the water)
Click to expand...


Where are you located?

I would recommend that you buy a chameleon from an experienced breeder. Maybe even use one of the sponsors of this forum. I would stay away from pet stores. Here is a link
https://www.chameleonforums.com/index.php?page=sponsors

I would also like to mention that Panthers and Jacksons are not any harder to take care of. Its all about the information you gather before you get started. You are on the right track, with all the research you are doing. I believe that it is not hard to keep any chameleon if you do your research and get ready before you jump in.

Lights should be on to match the daylight cycle. You want to try and match the outdoor environment as much as possible.

The dripper should be dripping on a live plant in the enclosure. They see the drops and drink. You will also need to mist 3 or so times a day. The water from the mist triggers them to drink. You may or may not see them lick the water off the leaves.
 
Thanks ryan.

well i am located in California. i searched on teh newspaper and on the online newspaper but there just isn't a thing about chameleons. the only reptile i find are snakes, and turtles. the only place i can purchase a chameleon is from petco. like i said the last time i went (yesterday) i saw them they all seemed to be active and where all on the top of the cage upside down hanging lol. they were underneath the light. not sure if that is ok...


i have been reading about this calcium suppliment and how the crickets should be dusted. why must they be dusted?is that something i must do?

i could not find a list of the bugs they are allowed to eat, but i do know that if the bug is bigger than it's head it can choke. maybe you can help me out by telling me if these bugs are ok for them to eat:

Giant Water Bugs (they look like roaches only they are all brown.)
Those Rolly Pollies
Small Moths
Butterflies
grass hoppers

those are some of the bugs commonly found here where i live. one last thing, does the insect have to be a live in order for the chameleon to eat it? most grass hoppers i find in the yard are about as big as my pointer finguer, i was thinking maybe it can be cut in half...:[ (yes i know poor grass hopper)
 
Are you in So Cal ? Anywhere near OC or San Diego?

You will want to buy your feeders. They want to eat them live and you can buy them (crickets) at the correct size.

Crickets, Superworms, Silkworms , roaches.

All available online.

They need to be dusted to make up for the lack of calcium and other nutrients missing in the feeders. You will also have to feed the feeders. Called gutloading.
 
Well i do not know what OC sands for lol... but i am somewhat close to San Diego...5 hours away anyway im closer to Los Angeles if that helps? LA is only 1 hour away. what am i suppose to feed the cricketS? do they just eat the leaves from the plants? or do i have to buy them something?
 
JuAPple said:
Well i do not know what OC sands for lol... but i am somewhat close to San Diego...5 hours away anyway im closer to Los Angeles if that helps? LA is only 1 hour away. what am i suppose to feed the cricketS? do they just eat the leaves from the plants? or do i have to buy them something?
Click to expand...


Orange County, :D sorry .

The reason I ask is. this weekend in San Diego there is a Reptile Show. http://www.reptilesupershow.com/

Would be a great place to see some chameleons. I will be working with TikiTiki Reptiles at a booth. They will have a number of different chameleons. If you could make it down that way we would be happy to answer any questions. Sometimes it helps to be face to face. Its a bit of a drive but well worth it.

You would feed the crickets , veggies , fruit and a dry gutload you can buy at stores and online. The trick is to think if it as, everything the crickets eat the chameleon will eat.
 
Hello and welcome to the forum
You've got some good starting advise above and lots of research to do. :) Here's some more info for you....

Chameleon related websites:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/56-chameleon-related-websites.html
Housing:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/82-enclosures-housing.html
Water:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/92-hydration-importance.html
Lighting:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/68-lighting-links.html
What to feed to chameleons:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/74-feeders.html
What to feed the Feeders:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition.html
Supplements:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/65-supplements.html

and consider getting a couple books too: https://www.chameleonforums.com/bookstore/
 
wow! very good links!
so i talked to the petco lady and she said there were only 2 chameleons left. one is at pretty good size. i am guessing they sell their chameleons fast, because i just went yesterday and there were like 6 chameleons in the cage (i highly doubt they died since the chameleons were all pretty active). i asked her if she knew if they were males and she said she had no clue, but i can go in and ask a guy that works with the reptiles. the chameleons are 80 dollars, which is pretty pricey lol. she said that with about 100.00 dollars i can buy the chameleon and things i need for it....i dont think she knows i have nothing for the chameleon maybe she thought i was a breeder, or i already have some chameleons. so i asked her some other questions which she answered pretty well, most of the answers she gave me were the same you guys have been giving me or ive been reading online.

do you guys think i should buy an aquarium for the chameleon or a terrarium...? i dont know what!

another thing is how can i tell if a chameleon is a male or female....? i know it is very hard to tell when they are young but the lady at petco said there was one that was big so i guess it is older...
 
JuAPple said:
do you guys think i should buy an aquarium for the chameleon or a terrarium...? i dont know what!
Click to expand...

Given where you live, I would think a screen cage would potentially be better than a glass enclosure. Did you read the information provided earlier re housing/enclosures?

Dont be in a rush to buy from the petstore. do your research first, be ready, THEN find the chameleon. usually much Better to buy from a breeder with a good reputation than some mystery chameleon from a petstore. Veiled chameleons are not hard to find. there is no rush.
 
i cannot find any veiled chameleons anywhere... i really do not think there are breeders here on my area. the most common breeders are for dogs of many breeds, and birds but no chameleons... i was thinking of purchasing this terenium what do you think? :

http://www.amazon.com/ZooMed-Zoo-Me...6?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1245803522&sr=1-6

does that have what i need? i do not want something to big nor too small, something just the right size and besides i am only thinking of having one chameleon for now and probably for a a long time too! the terrarium kit thing says there are spots for three bulbs two which can be those regular bulbs and one in the middle for a long cylinder bulb....

here is a picture of how it is set up:

http://www.tourterelledesbois.be/ecommerce/images/Natura2.jpg

i just hope those plants don't come with the kit because i plan on using other plants.
 
There ARE Breeders available to you. Just ask in the classifieds here.
Im pretty sure in your climate you dont want glass with little to no ventilation, and besides that is too small for an adult veiled. It would do for a young one though. Please take the time to read what has already been provided to you.
 
Pure...the K-Y jelly is for prolapses to keep the area moist until you can get the chameleon to the vets.

JuAPple said..."what should i look for on a chameleon when i first go out and pick it? so far i know it should be active, and it should be the color green, or yellow. is there anything else i should know?"...don't know about yellow...or green for that matter...depends on the species of chameleon. When buying one here are SOME of the things to look for...eyes open and clear/not encrusted/not swollen-looking not sunken in, straight arms/legs, tail rounded (not thin so you can see the bones), lifts its body off the branches when it moves, no swellings, scabs or redness to the lips, good body weight.

You said..."about the water drippings. how do i know if he is drinking? and is there a special place i should place it? (the water)"...the dripper should be placed so it drips onto the leaves of the plant. One way to tell if the chameleon is hydrated is to look at the urates (white part)...if its very yellow then the chameleon likely needs more hydration. My chameleons seem to be "trained" to go to drink when the water is dripping. (I do it the same time every day if possible.)

You said..."i have been reading about this calcium suppliment and how the crickets should be dusted. why must they be dusted?is that something i must do?"...most of the feeder insects have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorous, so to make it "right" its important to dust with a phos.-free calcium powder at most feedings....so yes, you need to do it.

WC insects...using insects from "the wild" can add variety to your chameleon's diet, but you need to make sure they are non-toxic and have not come from an area where insecticide could have been sprayed...and there is always the risk of passing parasites to your chameleon.
 
thanks kinyonga! :]

you stated to make sure the insects are not tovic, can you name one? i think most moths are poisonous but im not sure... there are a lot of small moths on our trees and bushes here in our yard maybe i can post a photo later to make sure it is an ok insect. i am thinking of feeding the chameleon crickets, and meal worms
 
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