New Owner and new member, please help

Reptile

New Member
Hopefully I posted this in the right spot, my apologies if not.

I have been obsessed with reptiles, more lizards inparticular, since kindergarden. My first reptile was a cheap $5 firebelly toad, then i moved up to a bearded dragon. But then, I joined the military and havent been able to have a pet in a very long time. Once I moved out of our barracks (aquatic pets only) it hit me I could have a pet, but no clue what I wanted. Pretty soon Chameleon popped into my head.
I'm planning on going to the store after work, a local pet store that i called and researched all day today. The owner particularly loves chameleons, and has several for sale, and several that he has at his home. I think, if they have one, I plan to buy a veiled chameleon, though knowing me, I wont leave that place till I get one, even if not the one i intend.

So, soon to be a new owner here, I was hoping for some insight.
I mean, obviously I can read, study up etc. on most common things and such. But I was hoping some more experienced, and veteran chameleon lovers could perhaps enlighten me on some odd events that have happened with their tree dwelling friends.
More of the bad, then the good, and what remedies worked. I figure this place probably often times has threads of odd situations, random events, that arent typical behavior etc for their chameleons, or something that is common, but oddly enough, hard to find out about unless you already know of it. and rather than continue on my search through the threads, I was hoping this place could help me out.
And i must say, after a brief exploration of this sight, I'm sad i didn't find it sooner..

Also, adding this a bit later. I am looking through the forums, and i have done some research. So i feel confident that i can handle it. The last thing I'd want is to kill it off, acting as though its just a toy, and not another life. Plus, my roommate says he'll be there to help in any way, as he feels we need more life around the apartment too.
 
I appreciate it, I'll take a look. I wont lie though, my impatience may make it difficult for me not to wanna buy him and his new home, all at once. But, I'll def focus on the habitat first. But honestly, moneys not really a big issue for me, as Ive financially prepared for this. So if i can, I'll probably try n buy a package, or what he's already in (if i can) ecspecially since im new at it
 
Jann is right, having everything set up before hand makes the transition for you and your new chameleon so much easier!

My little bit of advice is to find a vet near you that is experienced in chameleons. This way if needed you know who to call, and are not scrambling in case of an emergency.

Read, read and read some more!! Welcome to the addiction!
 
Exposure to proper UVB, appropriate temperatures, supplements, a supply of well-fed/gutloaded insects, water and an appropriate cage set-up are all important for the well-being of your chameleon.

Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption.

Exposure to UVB from either direct sunlight or a proper UVB light allows the chameleon to produce D3 so that it can use the calcium in its system to make/keep the bones strong and be used in other systems in the chameleon as well. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic no matter whether its from the sun or the UVB light.

Since many of the feeder insects have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects before you feed them to the chameleon with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it.

If you dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder it will ensure that your chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it. It leaves the chameleon to produce the rest of what it needs through its exposure to the UVB light. (Some UVB lights have been known to cause health issues, so the most often recommended one is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light.) D3 from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it.

Dusting twice a month with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A will ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamins without the danger of overdosing the vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert the beta carotene and so some people give some prEformed vitamin A once in a while.

Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs....so its important too.

Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are important players in bone health and other systems in the chameleon (muscles, etc.) and they need to be in balance. When trying to balance them, you need to look at the supplements, what you feed the insects and what you feed the chameleon.

Here are some good sites for you to read...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200604210...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

Sorry this is to long...but hope it helps.
 
I definitely appreciate the advice. I held off on getting it right away, though i didnt put money down so he'd hold him for me. Problem is, it's a Jackson, which I think are sweet, but i keep hearing the warnings of getting an easier first time cham. I am experienced in owning a lizard however (beardy) and have studied reptiles for a bit of my life, so i feel rather confident. But none the less, I have money down for him to hold it for me, then next week he's getting more, so i'm goin to take a look then, and he'd be willing to lemme change. Besides, he likes to keep all new animals a wekk or so before selling them, to make sure they are healthy. So, I plan to go in today, finish afew more purchases for my terrarium, including a thermometer to make sure the temp is right with the lights i have. and then, i'm taking leave (in the miltary) for ten days, and when I get back i'm picking up my new pet.

But also, I was thinking about ordering a cham from the internet. i was looking at screameleons.com and thinkin about a Ambanja
panther cham.
Well, ordering online instead of getting it from the store, i mean. any advice?
 
I definitely appreciate the advice. I held off on getting it right away, though i didnt put money down so he'd hold him for me. Problem is, it's a Jackson, which I think are sweet, but i keep hearing the warnings of getting an easier first time cham. I am experienced in owning a lizard however (beardy) and have studied reptiles for a bit of my life, so i feel rather confident. But none the less, I have money down for him to hold it for me, then next week he's getting more, so i'm goin to take a look then, and he'd be willing to lemme change. Besides, he likes to keep all new animals a wekk or so before selling them, to make sure they are healthy. So, I plan to go in today, finish afew more purchases for my terrarium, including a thermometer to make sure the temp is right with the lights i have. and then, i'm taking leave (in the miltary) for ten days, and when I get back i'm picking up my new pet.

But also, I was thinking about ordering a cham from the internet. i was looking at screameleons.com and thinkin about a Ambanja
panther cham.
Well, ordering online instead of getting it from the store, i mean. any advice?

Welcome. There is a lot of opinions that come with buy from a good breeder and buying from a pet store. From what ive seen most people like to buy from a breeder. I would highly recommend that you buy from Screameleons. Also if you buy threw them, you can get the whole "correct" setup that your chameleon would need. Panthers are known for being a good chameleon for begginners. And with a Panther you can get all the colors you can think of.
I have a 6 month old Blue Bar Ambanja Male from Screameleons. Sire was SoKool. He is perfect. He eats good, he is very freindly, healthy and strong. IMO, that is where you should buy for sure. They have been in this business for years and know what they are doing. They can answer all your questions.

Hope this helps:)
 
I appreciate it Texas Ranger. Glad to hear, and yeah their cham SoKool is goergeous.

I have taken the time to buy my setup, I'll have to write down the specs if anyone wants exact, but i got a screened terrarium that more tall, than wide. Though i dont remember the brand name.
I also got a lamp setup that is two lamps in one, kinda looks like an aquarium light. Until you look underneath and see where the two lamps go. Which i have one night light, and one day light, and they each have their own on/off switches. Though my bulbs are a lil hotter than sugest, but that's because my roommates girlfriend keeps the place freezing. and she has no care or respect for any pet unless its hers
i bought a small fountain setup
one branch for now, built out of that bendy branch stuff. and about 3 feet worth of bendy vines.
havent gotten a mister yet, or a thermometer. once i get some kinda thermometer thats when ill test the temp of my cage out.
also got that almost astro-turf style stuff for the bottom, which ive heard, out of all lizards, chams like them the best. or maybe its just because they rarely go down to the ground.

So one question I got, about the fountain I bought. Should it be on the ground? I was thinkin about it and, sure the ground would b good, fountain would probably look most natural there, and if my cham gets sick and ends up on the ground, they still have access to the water. But if i do that, im thinkin of also getting one of those water vines to kinda run along somewhere above it, so that all excess water would land in the fountain
 
I appreciate it Texas Ranger. Glad to hear, and yeah their cham SoKool is goergeous.

I have taken the time to buy my setup, I'll have to write down the specs if anyone wants exact, but i got a screened terrarium that more tall, than wide. Though i dont remember the brand name.
I also got a lamp setup that is two lamps in one, kinda looks like an aquarium light. Until you look underneath and see where the two lamps go. Which i have one night light, and one day light, and they each have their own on/off switches. Though my bulbs are a lil hotter than sugest, but that's because my roommates girlfriend keeps the place freezing. and she has no care or respect for any pet unless its hers
i bought a small fountain setup
one branch for now, built out of that bendy branch stuff. and about 3 feet worth of bendy vines.
havent gotten a mister yet, or a thermometer. once i get some kinda thermometer thats when ill test the temp of my cage out.
also got that almost astro-turf style stuff for the bottom, which ive heard, out of all lizards, chams like them the best. or maybe its just because they rarely go down to the ground.

So one question I got, about the fountain I bought. Should it be on the ground? I was thinkin about it and, sure the ground would b good, fountain would probably look most natural there, and if my cham gets sick and ends up on the ground, they still have access to the water. But if i do that, im thinkin of also getting one of those water vines to kinda run along somewhere above it, so that all excess water would land in the fountain


Though the fountain looks cool, they can be a cesspool of bacteria. Oh and chameleons like to poop in them :eek:
 
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