Helmeted chameleon

Marlet_the_destroyer

Marlet_the_destroyer

Member
So I am planning on buying a helmeted chameleon off of LLLreptiles online and I was curious if they are any different than veiled chameleons? Do they require anything else or is the care generally the same? Is there anything I should know?
 
Marlet_the_destroyer said:
So I am planning on buying a helmeted chameleon off of LLLreptiles online and I was curious if they are any different than veiled chameleons? Do they require anything else or is the care generally the same? Is there anything I should know?
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Extremely different from velieds, not even in the same league.

Is this your first chameleon? Thats not really a starter chameleon species.

Thats going to be a Wild Caught Adult Chameleon, acclimation is going to be a hard factor. The guy is going to have parasites, prety much without a doubt, so a vet visit is in your immediate future.

As far as Care tips,

@JacksJill and @bobcochran will be of more help there.
 
cyberlocc said:
Extremely different from velieds, not even in the same league.

Is this your first chameleon? Thats not really a starter chameleon species.

Thats going to be a Wild Caught Adult Chameleon, acclimation is going to be a hard factor. The guy is going to have parasites, prety much without a doubt, so a vet visit is in your immediate future.

As far as Care tips,

@JacksJill and @bobcochran will be of more help there.
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It is going to be a juvenile most likely
 
Marlet_the_destroyer said:
It is going to be a juvenile most likely
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It is a WC adult, where did you see Juvi? LLLs helmeted are WC adults.

It could end up being a Juvi, but I wouldn't bet on that, nor could they tell you that reliably with a WC animal, unless it was very small, even then could be adult. Their listed size, is adult size I am fairly sure, thats not Juvi size.

Average male, Trioceros hoehnelii is 7-10 inches, females are smaller, they are not sexing, 6-8 inches they advertise is Adult Fully grown WC animals, Male and Females, mixed thus the 6-8 inch average.

https://www.adcham.com/html/taxonomy/species/chhoehnelii.html
 
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The thing about these little dudes is that they need a pretty good temp drop. I'm talking like going from 85°F(day) to 45°F(night), its quite a big drop. If you can't simulate that or if the place you live in isn't like that then I wouldn't recommend getting em.

Heres something to give you a bit of info https://web.archive.org/web/20060310190949/www.adcham.com/html/taxonomy/species/chhoehnelii.html

Also since you are getting WC do know that you have the chance to be given a gravid female. So just keep that in mind as well.
 
Vert340 said:
Heres something to give you a bit of info https://web.archive.org/web/20060310190949/www.adcham.com/html/taxonomy/species/chhoehnelii.html
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Why the "wayback Machine" version? Does it differ from the live version I linked?


@Brodybreaux25
Well you will be hard pressed to find Trioceros hoehnelii outside of that, ATM I think.




I think Bob Breeds them, maybe he will have some clutches soon? A non WC would likely be a better option OP.

Vert also made a good point about temps, as does the link about humidity, I feel like a Glass Vivarium is going to be a must for this species.
 
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cyberlocc said:
Why the "wayback Machine" version? Does it differ from the live version I linked?




Well you will be hard pressed to find Trioceros hoehnelii outside of that, ATM I think.

I think Bob Breeds them, maybe he will have some clutches soon? A non WC would likely be a better option OP.
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No doubt, but that doesn’t change a thing as far as their reputation.
 
cyberlocc said:
Why the "wayback Machine" version? Does it differ from the live version I linked?


@Brodybreaux25
Well you will be hard pressed to find Trioceros hoehnelii outside of that, ATM I think.




I think Bob Breeds them, maybe he will have some clutches soon? A non WC would likely be a better option OP.

Vert also made a good point about temps, as does the link about humidity, I feel like a Glass Vivarium is going to be a must for this species.
Click to expand...
@Mawtyplant
 
cyberlocc said:
Why the "wayback Machine" version? Does it differ from the live version I linked?


@Brodybreaux25
Well you will be hard pressed to find Trioceros hoehnelii outside of that, ATM I think.




I think Bob Breeds them, maybe he will have some clutches soon? A non WC would likely be a better option OP.

Vert also made a good point about temps, as does the link about humidity, I feel like a Glass Vivarium is going to be a must for this species.
Click to expand...
You know what i find dope with this speacies? Half glass half screen!! (Haha ok im using this for all my mountain but this fully planted with fan fog and bioactive is not only gorgeous but its awesome to keep perfect humidity and help with the cooling (fog+fan help to drop little) (see picure bottom is exoterra 18x18x36 and top is reptibreeze at horizontals position linked with magnet strip;)
7BE5CE88-0E80-4DA0-88DC-0A925D384558.jpeg
 
Mawtyplant said:
You know what i find dope with this speacies? Half glass half screen!! (Haha ok im using this for all my mountain but this fully planted with fan fog and bioactive is not only gorgeous but its awesome to keep perfect humidity and help with the cooling (fog+fan help to drop little) (see picure bottom is exoterra 18x18x36 and top is reptibreeze at horizontals position linked with magnet strip;) View attachment 258982
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Why not just use a exoterra 36x18x36?

Does the glass bottom help? I feel like that defeats the purpose of using glass.
 
cyberlocc said:
Why not just use a exoterra 36x18x36?

Does the glass bottom help? I feel like that defeats the purpose of using glass.
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Thats the whole point! ;) it help keep perfect humidity and to keep plants alives, also give me opportunity to put clean up crew (isopods, springtails earthworm etc) and it can also help to keep the night drop inside the terrarium so all the glass advantages! but the top is an all screen one so all the advantages of the screen :) i notice a real improvement in my chameleons and im now converting all my enclosure :)
 
Mawtyplant said:
Thats the whole point! ;) it help keep perfect humidity and to keep plants alives, also give me opportunity to put clean up crew (isopods, springtails earthworm etc) and it can also help to keep the night drop inside the terrarium so all the glass advantages! but the top is an all screen one so all the advantages of the screen :) i notice a real improvement in my chameleons and im now converting all my enclosure :)
Click to expand...

But what are "all the screen advantages" that are gained by doing this?

A better gradient? What's the humidity in the screen portion?

Or rather, and maybe and, what in your opinion is the advantages of screen at all?


Also why the high cost of the Exoterra in this case, as a 40 gallon breeder is about the same size (36x18x16) would work inch shorter, and much much cheaper.
 
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T. hoehnelii are a great species to work with. I don't find them to be difficult to keep. Actually tough little buggers provided one meets a few specific requirements. 85F. is too high for daytime 70-80F. is much better. Not saying they can't survive 85, but why test the limits? Night temps between 45 and low 50s are best. Higher night temps are tolerated but seem to effect reproduction negatively. These temperatures vary a bit for different geographic morphs. Nairobi area temps are warmer, Nyahururu area cooler. As with the higher temp extremes, hoehnelii can also tolerate temps down to freezing
I don't normally keep mine out at night when frost is predicted, but when the weather forecast is wrong they've been out down to 30F.. They don't fall off the branch, curl up, close their eyes, and act dead like my quads do. They act fairly normal, if a bit slower. I have witnessed them eating below 40.
Humidty. Not as much as some other montanes, hoehnelii live higher than most other montanes, certainly up to 12,000 feet asl. Are the imports from this elevation? No, the imports we're seeing the last few years are coming from the 6-8,000 ft. asl. It's somewhat drier at these elevations during the day. Nighttime fog is prevalent. This species doesn't have the humidity and water requirements of quadricornis. I keep mine in screen cages out doors all year except for the occasional frosts at night.
Hoehnelii are heavy baskers but not at higher temps. They also need shaded areas. I believe they bask so much to satisfy their uv requirements. The uvi is much higher at the elevations they inhabit, I live at sea level.
These guys eat a lot for a smaller species, although they don't tend to overeat like panthers or veils when given the chance. They prefer varied smaller food prey.
These are my personal experiences and observations. Hope this helps.

Yes, I'm expecting some babies in a month or so. But don't count your chickens blah, blah, blah...
 
cyberlocc said:
But what are "all the screen advantages" that are gained by doing this?

haha mostly airflow! im not the one who really believe in the "he will see his reflexion and die of stress" I find for mountain they like a good airflow, sometime fresh breeze to the night from the windows its also visually ok too because no calcium acumulate on my top screen :P I like screen and I like glass but mixing both work better for me

A better gradient? What's the humidity in the screen portion? Gradient in way that in top its not super humid, 40-55% basically almost same in my room. At the bottom its more humid and it get dry slower so if our want to drink 20 minute after the misting well.. its available!

Or rather, and maybe and, what in your opinion is the advantages of screen at all?

I like screen but.. its hard to have different parameter than the room where it is and its hard to get something really nice visually. Advantage for me is definitely the air Flow too me air flow is probably the only difference between screen and glass.. Are you a glass or screen believer? :P


Also why the high cost of the Exoterra in this case, as a 40 gallon breeder is about the same size (36x18x16) would work inch shorter, and much much cheaper.

Because I got the glass terrarium for something like 100$ because the top was screwed and.. I got my reptibreeze for 15$ (both Canadian $ ;) ) so I didn't care to cut and kill some part for experiments :P Is the 40 gallons have an air flow trap at the bottom?
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Fair enough, :).

I am All Glass, or "enclosed" rather myself.

On your future revisions, If you don't mind not having the door access, 40 gallon breeders can be had at Petco sale for 40 dollars (they have dollar per gallon sales quite often).

No a 40 gallon breeder doesn't have the air vents, however putting the screen on top as you have, makes those vents do basically nothing. The glass cages are designed for the chimney effect. However, a solid side screen, or a top half screen, or screen cages in general negate this effect.

I want to do some comparison testing, however in a room with no air movement (no AC, or Fans, Ect) a glass vivarium, likely has more airflow than screen TBH. They are designed as they are, to simulate airflow, where a screen cage is at the mercy of room air flow.

I posted a picture diagram (loose, made in paint) illustrating this the other day. I'm on break for a minute, from fixing a water leak in my bathroom, but will find it and post it up in a bit.
 
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