I would like to buy a veiled chameleon, Veiled, 3 months old from a breeder or some place I could actually go and see the chameleon before I buy it and avoid the whole shipping event for it. Does anyone know where I can go to buy one in the Jax area?
Any advice/information on first time owning a Veiled?
There is a reptile event coming up in a couple weeks, the Repticon show on July 2nd and 3rd:
http://www.repticon.com/jacksonville.html
Not many vendors, but there is one chameleon breeder listed. No idea what kind of chameleons though. You could give that show a shot, or wait for the much, much bigger annual show in Daytona:
http://www.reptilebreedersexpo.com/
Here in Jax we don't have many exotic pet stores, only two I can think of off the top of my head are Xtreme Exotics and House of Reptiles. I wouldn't touch House of Reptiles with a ten foot pole with how they treat their animals, and I'm wary of Xtreme Exotics. I ordered my young Veiled from a breeder near Atlanta and he's doing great. If you go with a trusted breeder that is very open with you, you can't really go wrong. The breeder Jannb linked is well known, and you could ask them what shows they might be vending at in the future so you can see the animals in person.
Definitely read everything you can. Both the care sheet for Veiled that was already listed, and just general browsing on this site. There's tons of info in the various threads posted here and it'll give you ideas on the recommended equipment and cage layout for setting up your little guy. I'd recommend having the enclosure put together and temperatures tested before you get your chameleon.
Why not just get one from the wild in FL? Veileds are an evasive species in your state by collecting one in the wild you will also be helping your local ecology.
Unfortunately Jacksonville is in the northern part of Florida, near the Georgia border. Most of the invasives like Veiled Chameleons, Burmese Pythons, and Tegus and such don't make it up this far north. Our winters are too cold for them I think.
