How do you see the french herp hobby ?
- Thread starter Nicolas
- Start date
D
DavidBuchan
Guest
Hi Nicholas, welcome to the forum 
. I know nothing about the French herp hobby at all. I actually know very little about the 'big picture' of the English hobby.
I have seen lots of local pet shops, some ok, some good, some better. In general the last 15 years has seen big improvements in availability of information and availability of lizards.
I know that there are some awful things that happen in every country regarding animal welfare. There are also patches of excellence in every country.
I assume that in general the state of the French hobby is similar to that of the English, and American, and Canadian
. I know nothing about the French herp hobby at all. I actually know very little about the 'big picture' of the English hobby.I have seen lots of local pet shops, some ok, some good, some better. In general the last 15 years has seen big improvements in availability of information and availability of lizards.
I know that there are some awful things that happen in every country regarding animal welfare. There are also patches of excellence in every country.
I assume that in general the state of the French hobby is similar to that of the English, and American, and Canadian
Nicolas
New Member
Thank for welcome
A bit of both maybe ?
I notice there are somes differences into the french, english, german about chams keeping.
For example, in France, we have mostly homemade ventilated terrariums, with reals plants, a lot of lianas.
Germans have glass terrariums, reals plants.
You, English, you have, i feel, a lot of flexariums, with artificials plants and not much lianas.
In France, we don't recommand glass terrarium because the ventilation is insufficient and we doesn't like terrariums with artificials plants and with not enough lianas.
We think that nothing beats natural
What do you think about this ?
I also whant to know, what kind of spots do you use ?
In France, we like Powersun, Solar raptor and Vitalux combined with an HQI.
The improvements in availability of lizards result of breeding progress or import ?
A bit of both maybe ?
I'm agree but, what do you think about the french parameters of maintenance ?
I notice there are somes differences into the french, english, german about chams keeping.
For example, in France, we have mostly homemade ventilated terrariums, with reals plants, a lot of lianas.
Germans have glass terrariums, reals plants.
You, English, you have, i feel, a lot of flexariums, with artificials plants and not much lianas.
In France, we don't recommand glass terrarium because the ventilation is insufficient and we doesn't like terrariums with artificials plants and with not enough lianas.
We think that nothing beats natural
What do you think about this ?
I also whant to know, what kind of spots do you use ?
In France, we like Powersun, Solar raptor and Vitalux combined with an HQI.
D
DavidBuchan
Guest
Thank for welcome
The improvements in availability of lizards result of breeding progress or import?
A bit of both maybe ?
A bit of both I expect, mostly captive breeding. Certainly captive breeding of Veiled Chams has made them more available. Rarer species I have no idea.
Personally I have a homemade converted wardrobe to keep each cham in. I am different to most in England
It has different live plants but I'm not a gardener and they die a lot (schefflera are easy for vivariums and chams like them lots). I like soil and plants and I believe that nothing beats natural. A free range is too much space and elbow grease for me though I use a reptisun 5.0 and a standard incandescent basking bulb. Outside time as much as I can in the short English summertime. https://www.chameleonforums.com/mem...ms-couple-wardrarium-pics-picture16813-a.html I didn't like the flexarium. I had one once for a short time, now I've cut it up for the screen half of the front of Jasmines enclosure.
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Olimpia
Biologist & Ecologist
I grew up in Spain and spent quite a bit of time in France and other European countries and never realized there was as big a reptile market as there actually is. We still don't see too many Spanish keepers on here, so perhaps due to how dry it is in Spain people just find it too hard to keep them properly? That I don't know, but I definitely am the only person amongst my friends in Europe that keeps reptiles.
And I don't know anything about French keepers, to be honest. The only person I know who grew up in France and kept geckos is my current boyfriend, but he also says that it wasn't common for him to find anyone else with reptiles, or much less chameleons. I think mine are the first he's ever really experienced.
Now, personally, I've never used fake plants in an enclosure, with the exception of maybe a little orchid flower. But even my new hatchlings are in a real ficus and not fake branches and plants. I think that definitely comes from living in Europe, because I'm also the ONLY person in my entire apartment complex with flowers and plants on their balcony - it seems as if people here just don't like gardening as much as they do back home. I use the commercially available screen cages because I find them affordable and convenient, especially since I move them outside for natural sunshine during spring and summer sometimes. But I prefer homemade, nice, wooden enclosures but I just don't have the right tools and if I try the result is anything but nice, so I have to stick to using screen for the time being.
And I don't know anything about French keepers, to be honest. The only person I know who grew up in France and kept geckos is my current boyfriend, but he also says that it wasn't common for him to find anyone else with reptiles, or much less chameleons. I think mine are the first he's ever really experienced.
Now, personally, I've never used fake plants in an enclosure, with the exception of maybe a little orchid flower. But even my new hatchlings are in a real ficus and not fake branches and plants. I think that definitely comes from living in Europe, because I'm also the ONLY person in my entire apartment complex with flowers and plants on their balcony - it seems as if people here just don't like gardening as much as they do back home. I use the commercially available screen cages because I find them affordable and convenient, especially since I move them outside for natural sunshine during spring and summer sometimes. But I prefer homemade, nice, wooden enclosures but I just don't have the right tools and if I try the result is anything but nice, so I have to stick to using screen for the time being.
Action Jackson
Chameleon Enthusiast
Hi and Welcome.
I would really like to be able to read the chameleon forums in other country's and see how other are keeping their chameleons. Unfortunately I can't read the languages and have not even been able to log in. I would love see pictures and read how they are keeping their Chameleons, we need more of them to post on these forums. I know some keepers in Germany, Denmark,the Netherlands and Belguim seem to be way ahead of use in keeping and breeding Chameleons. They also have access to species we don't see here.
It seems keepers in the US don't like to think outside the box as much.
I don't understand why people use fake plants. With the right lighting live plants should not be a problem. The cages Niels Pendersen has posted pictures ofare amazing. I wish more foreign keepers would post pictures and info on their set ups.
Do you have any pictures of how the French are keeping Chameleons?
I would really like to be able to read the chameleon forums in other country's and see how other are keeping their chameleons. Unfortunately I can't read the languages and have not even been able to log in.
I would love see pictures and read how they are keeping their Chameleons, we need more of them to post on these forums. I know some keepers in Germany, Denmark,the Netherlands and Belguim seem to be way ahead of use in keeping and breeding Chameleons. They also have access to species we don't see here. It seems keepers in the US don't like to think outside the box as much.
I don't understand why people use fake plants. With the right lighting live plants should not be a problem. The cages Niels Pendersen has posted pictures ofare amazing. I wish more foreign keepers would post pictures and info on their set ups.
Do you have any pictures of how the French are keeping Chameleons?
mcleodschams
Established Member
lmao i was wondering what lianas were too lol
SarahcoadunatioZac
New Member
I 100% prefer natural, but keeping them a live is the problem. Right now my hibiscus seems to be dieing under a plant light as we speak I eventually want passion vine and honey suckle but I fear more then one will get out of control.
What vines do you use? Special lighting?
I eventually want passion vine and honey suckle but I fear more then one will get out of control.What vines do you use? Special lighting?
Lathelia
Established Member
I can say a few words how things look in Poland, if that's any help
In general, chameleons are not popular here, maybe exept veileds. I've seen very few panthers and pygmy chameleons. The "better" ones are imported from Czech and Germany, where I believe, keeping reptiles is more common (even though Poland has 4 times more people than Czech).
When it comes to housing chameleons (veileds):
"We" mostly use terrariums (both sides part mesh, top mesh) with substrate at the bottom, dimensions 40''x40''x40''.
I would say the overall knowlege of chameleon keeping is poor.
In general, chameleons are not popular here, maybe exept veileds. I've seen very few panthers and pygmy chameleons. The "better" ones are imported from Czech and Germany, where I believe, keeping reptiles is more common (even though Poland has 4 times more people than Czech).
When it comes to housing chameleons (veileds):
"We" mostly use terrariums (both sides part mesh, top mesh) with substrate at the bottom, dimensions 40''x40''x40''.
I would say the overall knowlege of chameleon keeping is poor.
Nicolas
New Member
Oh i'm sorry, bad translation !
I meant creeper, branch...
@Action Jackson:
You can not log on foreign forums ?
I've not the copyright to share picts but you can see french terrarium on this forum: http://forum.tanalahy.com/terrarium-et-materiel-f4.html
It's surely the best French-speaking forum.
In France, except 3 species, all chameleons species are subject to a capacity certificate called CDC (Certificat de capacité).
The 3 species wich are not subject to the CDC are the Furcifer pardalis, the Chamaeleo calyptratus and the Trioceros jacksonii
So because of this CDC, the most commun species are the Panther and Veiled chams.
But there are people who have this CDC so we can see picts of others species on French forums.
What is the legislation about chams in your country ?
The most communs plants in french terrariums are the Ficus (benjamina, alii...), the Scindapseus aureus, Monstera deliciosa etc...
This plants are immortels...
I think if plants can not survives, the chams can not live properly...
For lighting, just our UV spots or HQI.
Thank you all for your answers.
Nicolas
New Member
I would like to know this, please
Nicolas
New Member
Nobody can answer me?
Olimpia
Biologist & Ecologist
I am not an expert in laws, but anything that is currently in the country we are allowed to breed and sell amongst each other with no paperwork. But animals that are imported in I believe need to have their CITES papers in order to make it. There's probably a lot more than this but I haven't needed to know more about liscences or legal documents so I don't. But I do know that the chameleons I have that came from Germany last spring came here with their CITES paperwork and that was it, I didn't need to apply to anything or for anything in order to receive them as pets. The person that orchistrated the import may have needed to, however.
Nicolas
New Member
Ok thank. So you haven't got a lot of restrictions.
In France, as i said earlier, only 3 species (Furcifer pardalis, Chamaeleo calyptatus and the Trioceros jacksonii) are allowed without the capacity certificate (CDC) and yet...beyond 25 adults specimens, we have to pass this certificate.
The others chams species are subject to the certificate from the fisrt specimen.
Quotas also change in fonction of the animal.
For example, if I'm not mistaken, we are allowed to have freely 3 Boa constrictor imperator. After, we must the CDC.
All the arachnid are subject yo the certificate from the first specimen like to venoms snake.
The certificate for venoms is very hard to get.
There are a certificate for:
-Breeding
-Public presentation
-Selling
So you, you can have venoms snakes freely ?
In France, as i said earlier, only 3 species (Furcifer pardalis, Chamaeleo calyptatus and the Trioceros jacksonii) are allowed without the capacity certificate (CDC) and yet...beyond 25 adults specimens, we have to pass this certificate.
The others chams species are subject to the certificate from the fisrt specimen.
Quotas also change in fonction of the animal.
For example, if I'm not mistaken, we are allowed to have freely 3 Boa constrictor imperator. After, we must the CDC.
All the arachnid are subject yo the certificate from the first specimen like to venoms snake.
The certificate for venoms is very hard to get.
There are a certificate for:
-Breeding
-Public presentation
-Selling
So you, you can have venoms snakes freely ?
pssh
Avid Member
Well it would differ from state to state, but I'm pretty sure (most) venomous snakes require permits and papers to own them. If someone knows more, please correct me!
For my chameleons, I personally use live plants and lots of vines/branches and screen cages (except for my pygmies.) I havent kept any species that are smaller and may do better with glass than screen though.
For my chameleons, I personally use live plants and lots of vines/branches and screen cages (except for my pygmies.) I havent kept any species that are smaller and may do better with glass than screen though.
D
DavidBuchan
Guest
Legislation for chams and for venomous snakes is very different.
I think there is no need for a licence for keeping any cham in the uk (importing is different of course).
You do need a licence for Crocodilians or for most venomous snakes though.
Some arachnids are not dangerous, some are........licence depends on how dangerous the animal is, not how may legs it has
