Ideas needed: What to expect when you first get a chameleon

[Gingero]

I've been getting a lot of questions from people about their chameleon not eating, not drinking, etc. and then I'll ask then how long they have had their cham and they'll say something like 2 days. Figured it'd be worth making a video about the transition period when a new chameleon is getting settled in to a new home. I'd love for other keepers to weigh in on common trends they see when bringing home a new cham and advice they might have for new keepers.

Below is the list I've started so far:

1. They won't eat -- Advice: Give them time and privacy. Use a feeder cup to track if and how much they are eating.
2. They won't drink -- Advice: Give them time and privacy. Chams are shy drinkers anyways. Check their urates.
3. They are hiding from you -- Advice: Give them time and privacy. Use tips from how to handle and build trust with a chameleon video.
4. They have bad poop -- Advice: Could be from being shipped or how they were taken care of before coming to you. Monitor poops closely and give them two or three poops to start looking good. Get a fecal test.
5. Their sleep schedule is off/going to sleep early/not basking until later in the day -- Advice: Could be from being shipped or how they were taken care of before coming to you. Give them time to get used to the new light cycle. Make sure lights are on for 12 hours and off for 12 hours.

What other ideas do you guys have?

 

[Beman]

Those are the main ones...
adding to eating: are the feeders size appropriate?
adding to drinking: are you misting long enough?
adding to they are hiding: Is your enclosure set up properly to make them feel safe?

Other questions I see are all behavioral ones. Not sure how to fit this in the video though. Like yawning, gaping, flexing, what their colors actually mean.

Then there is the it has white spots... lol the beginning of a shed.

Maybe at the beginning since it is a what to expect video and you will get people that do not have the cham yet... Talking about it being an expensive hobby and a hobby in which you are constantly learning. Also stupid to us that are keepers but saying that they do eat live bugs... I have seen quite a few people freak about feeding bugs not to mention the fact that they have to have different kinds.

That is all I have...

 

[Tinytort]

Common misconceptions with color and behavior. I know just from the forum that many new keepers are just clueless on their behaviors and they don't understand stress colors vs not.

Also feeder sizes. A lot of people don't know what size feeders to feed their chams.

 

[Tinytort]

Lol beeman already covered it

 

[MissSkittles]

You may also want to add that they are not an interactive cuddly ‘pet’.

 

[Prince of Duval]

I’m getting my first chameleon in a few weeks and I’m unsure what I should do when he first gets home so you could start your video there. Should I mist right away? Should I feed him immediately. Should I keep an eye on him to make sure he’s doing okay from the trip or let him explore his cage alone so I’m not stressing him out by being in the room? Things like that.

 

[Persnickety Parson's]

I've been getting a lot of questions from people about their chameleon not eating, not drinking, etc. and then I'll ask then how long they have had their cham and they'll say something like 2 days. Figured it'd be worth making a video about the transition period when a new chameleon is getting settled in to a new home. I'd love for other keepers to weigh in on common trends they see when bringing home a new cham and advice they might have for new keepers.

Below is the list I've started so far:

1. They won't eat -- Advice: Give them time and privacy. Use a feeder cup to track if and how much they are eating.
2. They won't drink -- Advice: Give them time and privacy. Chams are shy drinkers anyways. Check their urates.
3. They are hiding from you -- Advice: Give them time and privacy. Use tips from how to handle and build trust with a chameleon video.
4. They have bad poop -- Advice: Could be from being shipped or how they were taken care of before coming to you. Monitor poops closely and give them two or three poops to start looking good. Get a fecal test.
5. Their sleep schedule is off/going to sleep early/not basking until later in the day -- Advice: Could be from being shipped or how they were taken care of before coming to you. Give them time to get used to the new light cycle. Make sure lights are on for 12 hours and off for 12 hours.

What other ideas do you guys have?

It paces frantically.

 

[Vert340]

Common misconceptions with color and behavior. I know just from the forum that many new keepers are just clueless on their behaviors and they don't understand stress colors vs not.

Also feeder sizes. A lot of people don't know what size feeders to feed their chams.

So much this! I see so many people new to chameleons ask if their chameleon is okay because they turn super dark for a few days.

 

[Vert340]

Those are the main ones...
adding to eating: are the feeders size appropriate?
adding to drinking: are you misting long enough?
adding to they are hiding: Is your enclosure set up properly to make them feel safe?

Other questions I see are all behavioral ones. Not sure how to fit this in the video though. Like yawning, gaping, flexing, what their colors actually mean.

Then there is the it has white spots... lol the beginning of a shed.

Maybe at the beginning since it is a what to expect video and you will get people that do not have the cham yet... Talking about it being an expensive hobby and a hobby in which you are constantly learning. Also stupid to us that are keepers but saying that they do eat live bugs... I have seen quite a few people freak about feeding bugs not to mention the fact that they have to have different kinds.

That is all I have...

It's funny you bring up the live bug thing because just recently I saw someone asking if they could just give their chameleon dry food instead of live bugs on another site haha

 

[Vert340]

The only thing I can think of that hasn't been covered by others is explaining that if your chameleon falls when climbing around the mesh cage that it isn't Straight up just MBD. I've seen newer keepers make posts of how their chameleon was climbing around the mesh cage and fell, so they jump to the conclusion of thinking their chammy has MBD. When in reality their chameleon just grew and can't grip the mesh cage that well anymore.

Edit: I just thought of one more. Maybe show a video of a chameleon cleaning it's eyes and explain that? I've seen a few new people see that and they start thinking their chameleon has some issue because it does look pretty funky lol. Especially if they see it when the eyes looks all red inside.

 

[Mace]

Those are the main ones...
adding to eating: are the feeders size appropriate?
adding to drinking: are you misting long enough?
adding to they are hiding: Is your enclosure set up properly to make them feel safe?

Other questions I see are all behavioral ones. Not sure how to fit this in the video though. Like yawning, gaping, flexing, what their colors actually mean.

Then there is the it has white spots... lol the beginning of a shed.

Maybe at the beginning since it is a what to expect video and you will get people that do not have the cham yet... Talking about it being an expensive hobby and a hobby in which you are constantly learning. Also stupid to us that are keepers but saying that they do eat live bugs... I have seen quite a few people freak about feeding bugs not to mention the fact that they have to have different kinds.

That is all I have...

I’m so glad I looked before asking!!! I love this forum! So so helpful.

 

[kinyonga]

Waddle walk/leaf walk is normal.
Females can lay eggs like chickens.