Looking to buy my first cham

[reptileguy]

Hey everyone, I am new to the forum. I am interested in buying a chameleon. Will a veiled be a good one to start with? Also, should I start off with one and get used to it, or buy two right off the bat? Can they live with each other or should they be separated?

 

[Brad]

Hello reptileguy, welcome to the chameleon forums

I highly recommend doing some research before purchasing a chameleon. Chameleons are very delicate and need the proper setup from day one. A good place to look for info, besides these forums, is the Chameleon News website. They have an excellent collection of articles.

A veiled is one of the few you would want to start with. Get only one cham to start out with. Their care is more demanding than most other reptiles. You should not keep more than one cham in the same cage. I also recommend purchasing directly from a breeder instead of your local pet store.

 

[Chamgirl]

In addition to what Brad says I think you should start with a subadult male Veiled (Yemen) chameleon.

 

[reptileguy]

When you say subadult, are you talking about 3 mo. old or so? Can anyone recamend a breeder to get ahold of that could give me a fair shake and not give me a lot of bull just to sell me something?

 

[Brad]

I think a subadult would be 4+ months.

Veiled chams are widely available, but I would recommend purchasing for a well known breeder. A few breeders that come to mind:
Chameleons Only
Screameleons

You can find more on these forums by searching "respected breeder".

 

[reptileguy]

what do you guys think of buying now......its getting pretty cold here in ohio....or should i wait til the spring time? there is a reptile show here on the 19th i am going to......but unsure of buying...

 

[Brad]

That is a good question. I do not have much experience with live animal shipping. I know they have heat packs available, but I don't know how effective the packs are. I would try contacting an online breeder or browsing their faqs and see what they say. ChameleonsOnly ships when temps are between 30F and 90F.

 

[reptileguy]

Yeah, i don't think I trust those heat packs too well. I think I might just hold off until spring, and go to a reptile show. That way I can hand pick them out, and not have to worry about the shipping or the weather being so bad.