Interested in panther chameleons, have a questions!

[Unsane]

I am planning on getting a panther chameleon but i wanted to ask you guys some questions first. I want to let him out of his cage as much as possible but if I get him as a juvenile should I wait until he is atleast 6months old or is it fine to free range as a juvenile. Also do panthers leave trails of excrement where ever they go if I let him around the house? Are there any smells that go along with a panther chameleon? And are there any insects that panthers should avoid eating? I have found spiders and even dead wasps in my house at times, should I be afraid of my panther finding and eating them?

And how do drainage systems for a misting system work? At first I plan on only using a dripper and a bottle sprayer, I am not sure if I'll need a drainage system for this. (or can I just put newspaper and papertowels on the bottom of the cage)
But I do plan on getting a mistking in the future and that will definitely need a drainage system, correct?

Sorry for all of the questions but I am interested!

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

Welcome to the world of Panther Chams!
Free ranging is a great option but takes a lot of preparation. There is no exact age and people all have their own opinions, I know cause I asked a similar question. I think six months is a good starting point. You will know when is the right time based on size, eating habits and activity level. From my experience baby chams are very active and will explore everything thus it is difficult to free range. Once you get the Cham, you will know when you feel comfortable.

All my chams poo in the same place pretty much everyday. They are not messy and don't smell, if you keep the area clean.

The other bugs should be ok, just make sure they are not poisonous or hazardous to chams. I know people on here that have offered spiders and bees. Not sure about wasps, those can be mean.

Drainage is a big issue and should be dealt with before getting your Cham. I have never had good results with paper towels or newspaper, my tanks get watered too much. There are as many techniques to drainage as there are people on the site. You will just have to look at tons of pics and choose the one that fits your needs. With a mistking you will need to waterproof the bottom of the enclosure.

Good luck!

 

[Kate]

I am planning on getting a panther chameleon but i wanted to ask you guys some questions first. I want to let him out of his cage as much as possible but if I get him as a juvenile should I wait until he is atleast 6months old or is it fine to free range as a juvenile. Also do panthers leave trails of excrement where ever they go if I let him around the house? Are there any smells that go along with a panther chameleon? And are there any insects that panthers should avoid eating? I have found spiders and even dead wasps in my house at times, should I be afraid of my panther finding and eating them?

And how do drainage systems for a misting system work? At first I plan on only using a dripper and a bottle sprayer, I am not sure if I'll need a drainage system for this. (or can I just put newspaper and papertowels on the bottom of the cage)
But I do plan on getting a mistking in the future and that will definitely need a drainage system, correct?

Sorry for all of the questions but I am interested!

Hi welcome to the forum. I'm really glad you are doing your research before you buy your chameleon! How much you let him out depends on how secure the area you plan to free range him in is. I would be worried that he may be stood on or be attacked by other pets. It would be fine if he had a safe area with a large plant in it. Cham poo can be quite gloopy but easy to pick up. They don't usually poop more than once a day, sometimes longer. I'm afraid all poop smells to some degree but if it is really offensive he may need treated for parasites. I have a mistking but also a wooden viv as I find it suits my living conditions in UK. Mine sprays x 4 times a day and most of the water drains into my plants so I just empty out the pots periodically.chams will not eat dead insects. With wild insects you have to think about what they have been eating and will they harm my Cham. Hope this helps.

 

[Unsane]

Wow thanks for the quick reply! Yes I am trying to make everything perfect my panther, and I was worried about the drainage and how it works. I'll search around the forums for some examples hopefully. Thanks for the info on what he can eat. I have no other pets so he'd have my place all to himself to roam freely.

Good to know I wont find droppings throughout my house when I let him out. So you can just drain the plants basically cause they collected all of the water. I'm planning on buying a ficus and an umbrella plant for his cage, so I'll have to re-pot those when I buy them, right? Also, is having another ficus tree out on my patio is fine as well? I feel like would get curious and go exploring, but from what I've read so far on the forum, they will just chill and hangout where ever you put them basically.

Thanks so much for the advice!!

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

Yes you will need to wash the plant with soap and water and replace the soil in the pot. Some soil will remain on the root ball, which is ok. Then you need to put river rocks or some barrier so the Cham cannot access the dirt. They will eat it and become impacted.

With no pets, you are good. Just Cham proof the area he will be in and you are good. Be very careful because they can seem slow in your presents but once you leave they are like greased lightning lol

 

[Kate]

I would not leave them unattended outside. There have been sad story's on here when a keeper expects their baby to stay put but when their back is turned he is gone. You also need to keep in mind predators like birds or next doors cat

 

[nick barta]

If you decide to put the cham outside on a tree, you need to stay there, he will make a run for it, I have lost 2 that way, just going away for a few minutes...

If you use the SEARCH button on the top right corner of the page, you can pull up all the threads with "drainage system" or any other subject.

If you keep too many crickets, they WILL STINK. With only one cham, just buy a weeks supply at a pet store, and feed them a good diet. Also look up supplements and vitamins in the search feature, you will need some.

Lighting is key, use the search feature before posting questions.

It helps to know where you are living to answer your questions, you can post that in your next reply, but you also can add it to your profile, so every time you post, it appears with your join date and posts in the top right corner.

Welcome to the addiction...

 

[Unsane]

Thanks for letting me know. Reading the free range topics people make it seems as if they let they hang out outside for the whole day without they being there. Thanks for clearing that up. But my patio is screened in with no holes and the sunlight reaches through the screen so I think he'll like it out there

Living in Florida!