How many chameleons do you have?

[NikkiA]

I currently have a female panther. I find myself wanting two more chameleons, a male panther and a veiled. I find keeping chameleons relaxing, it's my escape to the tropics. I have found myself heading over to her enclosure multiple times a day to observe and appreciate my chameleon.

For those of you who are seasoned keepers, I have a few questions, if you are willing to answer. How many chameleons do you have? How many different species do you keep? Has chameleon keeping ever started to feel like a chore instead of a hobby?

Thank you in advance to anyone who decides to answer and give some insight into their chameleon keeping.

 

[Chams=Gods]

I think having more then one is fine as long as you have the husbandry down. although if you want to go on a trip then that may be a problem. Honestly I wouldn't trust my local vet with my dog and certainly not with my chams. I Have two and it is still fun and feels like a hobby.

 

[PabloTheCham]

I think having more then one is fine as long as you have the husbandry down. although if you want to go on a trip then tat may be a problem. Honestly I wouldn't trust my local vet with my dog and certainly not with my cham. I Have two and it is still fun and feels like a hobby.

I have one male veiled chameleon.

 

[Chams=Gods]

I have one male veiled chameleon.

I have veileds too. (2)

 

[Kaizen]

I have 27 at the moment. Veileds, panthers, jacksonii jacksonii and jacksonii xantholophus. Of course it becomes a lot of work, and sometimes even tedious, but for me, it’s all worth it.

 

[NikkiA]

I think having more then one is fine as long as you have the husbandry down. although if you want to go on a trip then that may be a problem. Honestly I wouldn't trust my local vet with my dog and certainly not with my chams. I Have two and it is still fun and feels like a hobby.

I agree with all of that completely. I am very lucky that my mom comes over to pet sit when we go on vacation. I have kids, so we don't travel terribly often because we normally are involved in many activities. My mom stays here to be with the plants and animals. She is the best pet sitter that I could ask for, she is meticulous because she would never want anything to happen to our pets on her watch.

 

[AnamCara]

I have two female panther chameleons.

I found that having one chameleon with a fully automated system made having a second one easy. I just extended all the systems. I also really enjoyed taking everything I learned from making the first enclosure to make the second.

That being said-one thing I foolishly didn't consider was water and food. I do not breed feeders so I have doubled the amount I pay in feeders. And doubled the water I use. Other than cleaning and feeding the increase in feeders it does not feel like a chore. I get great enjoyment from my girls. While I do want a male panther, I will not be adding a third cham into my house any time soon.

 

[NikkiA]

I have 27 at the moment. Veileds, panthers, jacksonii jacksonii and jacksonii xantholophus. Of course it becomes a lot of work, and sometimes even tedious, but for me, it’s all worth it.

Wow! Do you have pictures of your chameleon area/room that you would be willing to share? I have a mental picture of how beautiful and exotic a space like that would look.

 

[Beman]

So I have been in the hobby since October of 2018. I have 1 male Veiled and he is in a fully automated DS Enclosure. I do not breed my feeders as 1 cham really does not eat much.

I think it is easy to get bitten by the cham bug. 1 turns into 2 rather quickly.

I recommend buying additional Chams only from breeders that run fecal tests on their babies prior to rehoming them. If you are unable to get a fecal on a cham your getting before you get it then make sure you have a quarantine area away from your current chameleon. Do not mix anything used for the new cham with the current cham or cross contamination can happen. You want to get a fecal on the new cham to ensure that there is not a parasite issue. While most parasites are easy to get rid of there are some that are not and are highly contagious to other chams.

 

[NikkiA]

So I have been in the hobby since October of 2018. I have 1 male Veiled and he is in a fully automated DS Enclosure. I do not breed my feeders as 1 cham really does not eat much.

I think it is easy to get bitten by the cham bug. 1 turns into 2 rather quickly.

I recommend buying additional Chams only from breeders that run fecal tests on their babies prior to rehoming them. If you are unable to get a fecal on a cham your getting before you get it then make sure you have a quarantine area away from your current chameleon. Do not mix anything used for the new cham with the current cham or cross contamination can happen. You want to get a fecal on the new cham to ensure that there is not a parasite issue. While most parasites are easy to get rid of there are some that are not and are highly contagious to other chams.

That is fabulous advice, thank you! I grow orchids and the same concept applies to them, quarantine new arrivals and sanitizing everything meticulously is important for all new arrival!

Definitely, things like coccidia are definitely not fun and very stressful!!!

 

[Chams=Gods]

That is fabulous advice. I grow orchids and the same concept applies to them, quarantine new arrivals and sanitizing everything meticulously is important for all new arrival!

WOW orchids are beautiful! that must be lots of fun. I just grow tulips.

 

[Beman]

That is fabulous advice, thank you! I grow orchids and the same concept applies to them, quarantine new arrivals and sanitizing everything meticulously is important for all new arrival!

Definitely, things like coccidia are definitely not fun and very stressful!!!

Yes, I have had to deal with coccidia and lost... One of the worst experiences I have ever been through. So I am all about getting fecals done

 

[NikkiA]

WOW orchids are beautiful! that must be lots of fun. I just grow tulips.

I have been growing for over 12 years, so my taste is now for the rare, which is also the expensive! ? It is fun, but I now have young kids, so it's a bit difficult to devote as much time to my plants. I have over 100 and live in Michigan, which isn't the ideal climate.

There is nothing wrong with tulips!! They are beautiful and low maintenance!!

 

[NikkiA]

Yes, I have had to deal with coccidia and lost... One of the worst experiences I have ever been through. So I am all about getting fecals done

I'm sorry you had that experience! I think that it is great that you have turned a horrible experience around to educate others.

 

[Beman]

I'm sorry you had that experience! I think that it is great that you have turned a horrible experience around to educate others.

Thank you. It impacted me greatly and is why I have not gotten another since... But I think what you are experiencing of wanting more is very very normal lol. I would say the key is having everything automated. as @AnamCara said it is much easier to tie in more chams to an already set up system. Once you have the flow and husbandry down then having 2 is not much different then 1.

 

[Chams=Gods]

I'm sorry you had that experience! I think that it is great that you have turned a horrible experience around to educate others.

Yes thank you Beman. You are known and loved throughout this forum. You have helped people time and time again with all the information that you give.

 

[Beman]

Yes thank you Beman. You are known and loved throughout these forums. You have helped people time and time again with all the information that you give.

Thank you. That is very kind of you. I became very focused on Newbie education. When I first got into this hobby it was very overwhelming and it is something I like to try to ease for others. Most of us regulars really take our contribution to your success seriously. It is an honor for us to be a part of your process.

 

[CasqueAbove]

In part I think it depends on you and your habits. I have had macaw for 34 years tomorrow actually, I got him when I was 17. Once I moved out of my parents, and did not have some one to trust, so did not go on vacation for more than 2 or three days for about 20 years. We now have a licensed pet sitter that has experience. So for me adding another animal is not that big a deal, as I am already tied down. For me it is normal.

So specifically I have 2 Yemen (Veiled) Male and Female. In different rooms. I have kept many other reptiles, and birds over the years. There is an overboard point, but what I have found, for me is that I already alot 1hr a day min, feedings water etc. 2 hr on weekend, cleanings. This is my balance. I can keep what I can care fore in that time. Now I trick this by automating as much as I can, that allows for more.

Additionally I/sons and I, keep 6 snakes, one is a 22year old JungleCarpet Python. A bearded Dragon, the macaw of course, canary, gouldian finches. Outside chickens and bunny. Oh and a dog. For me that one hour a day is my peace time.

 

[absolutbill]

I currently have 3 chameleons, 2 veileds, and a panther. For me 3 is my limit as that's how many cages I can easily keep in my reptile room. Years ago I went overboard with beardies and leopard geckos as well, so I appreciate keeping my animal numbers in check. I have 2 cats and 2 dart frogs as well, everyone is on automated systems, and I have a pet sitter that I taught how to care for my chams when I travel. I think it's important to have your husbandry down pat before looking to add to your collection (I'm not implying you don't, just personally I had my first chameleon for a year before getting my second one).

 

[NikkiA]

I currently have 3 chameleons, 2 veileds, and a panther. For me 3 is my limit as that's how many cages I can easily keep in my reptile room. Years ago I went overboard with beardies and leopard geckos as well, so I appreciate keeping my animal numbers in check. I have 2 cats and 2 dart frogs as well, everyone is on automated systems, and I have a pet sitter that I taught how to care for my chams when I travel. I think it's important to have your husbandry down pat before looking to add to your collection (I'm not implying you don't, just personally I had my first chameleon for a year before getting my second one).

I completely agree about the husbandry. I research like crazy before getting a pet because I have enough life experience to know "there's always something".

That's a great number. My husband would NEVER allow more than three. To get one chameleon was a hard sell on my part, but now, he really likes her because she doesn't smell, he doesn't have to do anything, my kids love her, she doesn't make noise and her enclosure is easy on the eyes. We do have several other high maintenance pets, an English Mastiff and a Newfoundland and 2 cats, so I don't want to make him sound anti-pet. He just didn't want another time consuming addition because we also have young kids.

Personally, I myself would not go over 3 (at this time) because I want it to continue to be stress relief, not stressful.