Need some advice on a few things..

[veeneck]

Hi ya'll,

I am the proud new owner of two baby (2 months old) Jackson's chameleons. I've had them about two weeks now. I put them in a small screened enclosure with appropriate lighting, plants, climbing areas, etc. I did months of research before getting these little guys (or girls--not sure of the sexes yet), so I think I've got things set up properly. The critters are feeding well on pinhead crickets and wingless fruit flies, as well as phoenix worms. I've also seen them drinking water off my simple drip canister. They seem to be putting on weight.

Anyway, I have two questions. I haven't been able to find any answers in the books I've read or the people I've talked to thus far.

1) When misting the enclosure, should the chameleons also be misted? They don't seem to like it, but then I see them licking the water off their faces, and then going to drink off the leaves. I have been misting them twice a day using a spray bottle.

2) it is possible to overfeed them? I have been putting tons of bugs in there, and they're all gone by the time I get home from work! It's a blast watching them eat!

I appreciate any advice any of you may have about these questions. Thanks in advance for your reply!

Victoria

 

[im faster]

jacksons

male=horns
female= no horns

couldnt have done to much research.,, I KEED I KEED,,,
some chams like to be misted either way it wont hurt them just use warm water.
there young i think you feed them all they will eat.. but thats just me i dont know the right answer...
JUST DONT keep bugs in to long...
if you are going to take a soda cap fill it with paper towl and fill that with water. you do that so the crix wont drown they need water so they dont go biting your cham.. any more questions...
i have 2 jacksons btw

 

[im faster]

YES i was the frist to give a responce... that doesnt happen much...anyways...


POST SOME PICS

 

[im faster]

oh yeah.. they should not be in the same cage btw

 

[veeneck]

Thanks Dennis

I'm not surprised to get conflicting advice, I've kept tropical fish for years, and that happens constantly with them. One person, or book, or website will say that I should feed a certain food, and then I'll be warned by someone else that the fish will drop dead if I do feed that very same food. So why should lizards be any different?

I'm referring to what I said about sexing them. The first guy I talked to about these critters said that females also have little horns when they're babies, and that you can't tell the sex until they're somewhat older. The next guy I talked to said they were both males 'cause they both have tiny little horns. I have two books on Jackson's and each one says something different too.

Also it was my understanding that they could be in the same cage until they were about four months old. They actually seem to like each other at this point. I bought them at Radical Reptiles in Stanton, California. They told me they were about two months old, but that might be wrong too...

I don't have any pics yet, except for my avatar pic. That's what they look like now. Cute little buggers!

Victoria

 

[im faster]

i agree with everything you just said.. yeah they should be fine for a few months i didntread there age lol..

 

[kinyonga]

You asked..."When misting the enclosure, should the chameleons also be misted? They don't seem to like it, but then I see them licking the water off their faces, and then going to drink off the leaves. I have been misting them twice a day using a spray bottle"...just be careful that large drops of water don't form that could be aspirated (gotten into the lungs) when the baby tries to drink it. They can usually handle it but I have heard of a few cases where they aspirated it and died.

You asked..."it is possible to overfeed them?"...yes, it is. I usually give them as many as they will eat in a couple of minutes and then leave a couple free-ranging for them to eat until I feed them again.

 

[DrewNYC]

i don't think your getting opposite advice it is either taken differently and there are variables
1. all males have 3 horns
2. some females have a single small horn or 3 small horns (typically they would be about 1/8" long) and some females have no horns.
drew