Hi

[Karenxx67]

Hi i am new here. I have been doing lots of research over the last couple of weeks as im hoping to get a panther chameleon. Im a little nervous as ive never owned a reptile before but its always been something that has interested me.
There seems to be so much to learn an take on board but i am willing to learn. I have a cage arriving next week which i shall spend time customising and getting accustomed with.
Reading through this forum tonight ive read a few alarming threads ie eye infections an tongues being ripped out!
My big question is are chameleons really difficult to care for? Obviously people need to have some basic knowledge but is a chameleon likely to get sick quickly? Or once you have the correct set up are they easy to take care of?
Thank you all in advance xx

 

[Theveiled]

Welcome to the forums! Panther and veiled chameleons are the best chameleons to start with. You definitely need to do research and this is the best place! If chameleons are not properly cared for they do get sick. Just know that they are not cheap and require some time. They are worth it 100% though!

 

[Theveiled]

Chameleons are also great at hiding illness so sometimes when you see it, it can be too late

 

[Remkon]

If you have a good schedule you can keep to (feeding, supplementing, spraying) it's not to hard as long as everything goes well.
Just make sure you stick with the caresheet (on this site) and read in on what supplements and lamps are best.
Ask for help whenever you suspect trouble or aren't sure on something and if something goes bad you need to be prepared and willing to take it to a specialized vet.

The ripped out tongue is a freak accident so I wouldn't worry about that to much. They can however injure their tongue.
The eyes are a weak spot too... A lot of injuries there are caused by lack of misting and humidity. The cham will need misting to clean his eyes and will likely not start doing so the moment you start spraying so he will needs to be sprayed several minutes at a time.

Again read the caresheet, stick by it, read how others do it and learn from that. Ask if you are not sure!

I'm still fairly new to chams but I learn so much from being on this site daily. This truly is the place to be for chameleon enthousiasts!

 

[Karenxx67]

Thanks guys. Uts the lighting heating misting an humidity that worries me the most

 

[Karenxx67]

Im also not sure what to do about drainage as misting 4 times a day makes the cage quite wet i would imagine.

 

[bobcochran]

You can put a tray under the cage to catch excess water. The cage will be warm enough to dry out between waterings if set up properly with your lighting.
One of the most important criteria for new chameleon owners (after reading as much as possible) is getting a healthy chameleon to start with! Starting with a healthy animal makes everything so much easier.
The lighting and humidity/temperature should all be figured out and adjusted BEFORE you get your chameleon.

 

[Karenxx67]

Thank you for the replys.
Its the lighting heating misting an humidity that worries me most.
I also need to decide what to do about drainage as misting 4 times a day creates quite a bit of water i imagine.

 

[Karenxx67]

Sorry posted that twice. I have found 2 breeders close to me whos babies have only just been born which gives me a good 12 weeks to figure things out properly. Hopefully.

 

[Karenxx67]

Not sure what kind of bottom my cage has. Im trying to post a pic but wont post for some reason. Do most cages have solid bottoms? If so how does the water run out?