Looking to buy a cham*

[CauseNAffect]

Let me preface this by saying i am a capable and responsible human being. I have raised dozens of different types of animals in my life and all have lived fantastic lives. I am very confident I can manage the cage, keeping it healthy and providing it proper food and life based on what I have read so far and this forums help.

With that being said, I am looking to purchase a cham. I am living in NYC and have no clue as to how to go about acquiring one or what type would be best. I prefer the look of the veileds and species without horns that can produce many hues.

I do not really want to have one shipped to me because that just doesn't seem fair for an animal / reptile in anyway.

What is the best way to go about buying one?

 

[Bernie]

Welcome to the forum....

Firstly you need to do plenty of research. The Veileds are the "easiest" to look after - but that is misleading as they arent an easy animal to look after. This forum is a goldmine of info and guidance and you wont go far wrong with the help from here.

They require a lot of commitment from you. They are not cheap animals to keep, so if money is tight then a Chameleon may not be ideal for you.

If you still want to go ahead then you definitely need to pick a species and research the environment you need to provide for it. Make sure you have your vivarium/cage set up properly before getting an Chameleon. I do recommend buying from a breeder rather than a shop.

 

[JackP308]

Shipping process usually is overnight and the animals most of the time arrive in perfect shape. Reputable breeders will not risk endangering their animals and they will provide the easiest safest ways to ship your new addition. I rather buy my chameleon from a breeder that shipped it personally overnight to me then dragged it to a show in a deli or a tub to sit at a show or pet store. Not that either or wrong at all. I have bought both and happy with both.

From the sounds of you description you're probably going to be more into panther chameleons, no fancy horns ect. with plenty of color. I know you mentioned veiled but they are some what limited as to colors compared to panthers. Good luck with your search.

Also research who you are going to get the chameleon from. Fauna Boards of Inquiry is a good place to read feedback about breeders and companies. As well as this site is loaded with excellent breeders as well as sponsors. Some one will get you what you want .

 

[CauseNAffect]

so buying online is legit??? and if so would anyone recommend a particular site/breeder for me

and what prices are legitimate, what determines how expensive they are?

and isn't it important to buy them young so they can bond with you?

 

[JackP308]

Its better to buy from someone online who has built a reputation in good business usually. Heres a link to this sites sponsors. You can also check this forums classified ads. Some members here produce some good looking animals.https://www.chameleonforums.com/index.php?page=sponsors


You can also check Fauna Classifieds as well as Kingsnake Classifieds. Make sure you do a little background check about the seller and read prior feedback can give you an idea what to expect.

 

[CauseNAffect]

what is the difference between buying a male or female

Is one particulary more colorful, and/or more aggressive in most cases?

 

[Symbiot]

For veiled chameleons males will show more pronounced coloring but the females can still have great colors. It is not like female panther chameleons where many times they are always just a peachy color. I have seen female veileds that have showed great coloring. For your first chameleon however, I would suggest a male veiled. You will not have to worry about him becoming egg bound like a female veiled and they are a bit more hardy and tolerant of the mistakes a first time cham owner may make. As for being aggressive, both a male or female veiled can turn out aggressive it all depends. Some chameleons are much more tolerant of being handled and others never adjust to being handled. It's all about being patient with them and seeing how they turn out.