Is this a good beginner species/breed

[chameleonsrockxx2]

I have always been very interested in chameleons, there such amazing, beautiful creatures. I have been thinking about buying a chameleon for a while now and have been doing my research but thought it would be good to get some info. from actual owners. There is a baby veiled chameleon at my local pet store, I really want to know if this is a good breed to start out with or if I should look at something else like a panther or something. I also want to know if I will be able to handle it at all I know that you cant handle them like every day or anything but could I take it out and handle it once a week for like 10-15 mins. or would it not like that at all? please someone help me with these questions.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Yes it is a good species for beginners to work with.
The answers to many of your questions can be found here:

http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

Be sure you examine this animal extremely well.
The last two veileds I have seen in Petsmarts were suffering from rather bad cases of MBD.

-Brad

 

[SpinyFranky]

Since im too lazy to give you the run down ( Im exhausted with a cold at this point )

Here is the low down - supplied by Juli, or Julirs as she goes on the forums. This is a copy n paste direct from her website, all credit to her.
http://www.julirschameleons.com/thepetstoreproblem.htm

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What Pet Stores do Wrong...
First I will start this out by saying that not ALL Pet Stores are bad, but a high percentage ARE bad. Why is this? Well, a Pet Store is a business, and in order to stay that way they must sell things, the things in this case being animals. That said, the average animal hopefully does not have to stay long at the store. Again, being a business, space is at a premium and visibility sells animals, and space and visibility means small glass cages. None of these things is good for a chameleon. Next we move on to the Pet Store employee. I would venture to say that the average Pet Store employee does not have a degree in animal husbandry nor do they have experience in ALL animals that a Pet Store carries. This is extrememly evident in the Big Box Pet Stores.

So, the average Pet Store employee sells a chameleon and sets the buyer up with the following items (I swear I see it time and time again so I am wondering where they get this?):

Glass aquarium with screen top

Reptile Carpet or Bark Substrate or even Cedar shavings

Analog thermometer/Hygrometer

Clamp Lamp and Basking Bulb-usually wrong wattage

Small plastic plants, sometimes Vines

Red Bulb for Nighttime use

Water dishes

What Pet stores SHOULD sell and I rarely see:

Screen Cages/Reptariums

Correct UVB Lighting

All the proper supplements

What Pet stores give wrong advice on:

Temperatures-They usually tell customers to keep them too high.

Lighting-they usually do not suggest UVB or sell coils or red bulbs or tell people to keep lights on all of the time.

Plants-they say things like: "Live plants will bring in parasites."

Misting-They do not tell people to do it at all or they don't tell them to do it enough.

Gutloading feeders: I have never heard or had a Pet Store employee explain gutloading to anyone.



I am sure the list goes on and on, but I hope I can save a few animals and well intented owners from going through the trauma of losing a beloved Pet due to bad Pet store advice.

Best Advice-buy supplies from Pet stores and animals from reputable breeders.

Supplies are far cheaper online!
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What this means Is basically you are buying from people who improperly care for the animal. Because of this the animal usually can never be as healthy or as happy as it could have been. It can also mean expensive vet bills for you the owner.

Save money, time, and headaches by buying your chameleon from a breeder - you can't go wrong with any of the breeders that support this forum. They have amazing animals. Most of the time you will usually end up saving 50% on the animal as well vs. buying from the pet store.

Buy your supplies from http://lllreptile.com/ - which is like the costco for reptile supplies.