Im getting some bearded pygmy leaf chameleons. Any advice?

[Psychotic4mb3r]

Ive been looking all over the internet about proper caging, and how to set it up. Im not sure how many im getting, but im for sure at least getting 2(maybe more haha).. I have a 10 gallon aquarium and a 20 gallon aquarium(how many can be in a 10 gal and how many can be in a 20 gal? I know its 1 male per setup). Fake plants, coconut husk fiber bedding, water dish. What else do I need? Is it better to use a glass setup or wire cage like for veileds? Any advice will be much appreciated

 

[hallenhe]

If you don't already have it, check out the pygmy care sheet from forum sponsor FL Chams. (It's a downloadable .doc file, on the left side of the page, under "Chameleon Info") - if I'm not mistaken, this is the same info that was published in ChameleonNews several years ago. I used it to set up my pyg cage.
(To answer your specific questions, glass is generally preferred for pygmies, as it helps keep the humidity up and they like comparatively high humidity. I had one male, two females in an ExoTerra a little over 20 gallons and would have been fine with three females; I don't know about 10 gallons off the top of my head, but the care sheet will give you more info. I'd go for the larger option if possible.)

 

[Lizardlover]

Whats the water dish for? You wont need one of those. I kept a trio in a 10 gallon for about a month but it would be nicer of you to give them a 20 gallon . However a pair fits comfortably in just a 10 gallon. Make sure you also have the proper drainage levels and if you choose to use a uvb light ensure that it is a 2.0 or old 5.0 (6+ months of use)

 

[Psychotic4mb3r]

Whats the water dish for? You wont need one of those. I kept a trio in a 10 gallon for about a month but it would be nicer of you to give them a 20 gallon . However a pair fits comfortably in just a 10 gallon. Make sure you also have the proper drainage levels and if you choose to use a uvb light ensure that it is a 2.0 or old 5.0 (6+ months of use)

Drainage levels? lol.. I havnt read that... I guess I need to do allot more research by next week!

 

[tananda]

Whats the water dish for? You wont need one of those. I kept a trio in a 10 gallon for about a month but it would be nicer of you to give them a 20 gallon . However a pair fits comfortably in just a 10 gallon. Make sure you also have the proper drainage levels and if you choose to use a uvb light ensure that it is a 2.0 or old 5.0 (6+ months of use)

Yeah a water dish is bad. I had bought a pre set-up tank for my PDF's & I always keep a small bowl of water for my frogs to rinse off in. A month or so later there were 2 pygmy babies that hatched in the tank. Unfortunately I knew nothing about Chams at the time & they both drowned by the time they were about a week old in the maybe 1/2" of water because the sides were not rough enough for them to climb out of the bowl. When I finally do get my pygmies, there will be no water dish.

 

[Lizardlover]

Drainage levels? lol.. I havnt read that... I guess I need to do allot more research by next week!

Your going to want a bottom layer of hydroton balls(1-2 inches), a layer of window screen (one piece doubled over) a layer of aquarium charcoal (about a half inch or less), screen again, and about 4 inches of organic soil. I use Jungle brand and it works out pretty well for all my enclosures that have a dirt substrate.

 

[Psychotic4mb3r]

Your going to want a bottom layer of hydroton balls(1-2 inches), a layer of window screen (one piece doubled over) a layer of aquarium charcoal (about a half inch or less), screen again, and about 4 inches of organic soil. I use Jungle brand and it works out pretty well for all my enclosures that have a dirt substrate.

Wow ok lol. Where can I get the stuff for that? Pet store or like home depot?

 

[Lizardlover]

You can get the screen and hydroton at home depot (hydroton is in the garden section, normally outside) and the aquarium charcoal can be bought at pet stores, its the same thing that they use in fish filters.