New to Chams

[Killer Cham]

Hey everyone I'm new to chams, but not new to reptiles.

I have a few questions..

Are chams relatively easy to keep?

Are they high maintenance pets?

Which species of chams can be housed communally?

Is there a consensus as to which cham would be the best for a beginner?

Can a pair of chams be housed in the same enclosure or will they each need their own?

 

[Decadancin]

Hi and welcome to the forum. First off, my opinion is that chams are more difficult to keep then many other reptiles. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't do it, though. With the right research and husbandry as well as the correct enclosure they make wonderful pets! I would not classify them as high maintenance, but this may also be up for debate. Most would probably say veiled or panther chams are good to start with (most pet stores will tell you veileds) but again, this will be up for debate. I would be interested if anyone would say which species to avoid! Lastly, most chams will need to be housed alone unless the enclosure is very large and can contain distinct territories. Again, welcome to the forum and the obsession!

 

[Randi]

Welcome! My answers are in red.

Hey everyone I'm new to chams, but not new to reptiles.

I have a few questions..

Are chams relatively easy to keep? Compared to most pets, no, but once you are in an established routine, it becomes second hat. It is not a pet that would be good for a child or someone who can't handle a lot of responsibility.

Are they high maintenance pets? Again, compared to most, yes. Just like a cat or a dog, you will spend most of your money on food and vet care.

Which species of chams can be housed communally? You can house same-species pygmies together.

Is there a consensus as to which cham would be the best for a beginner? Almost everyone will say veiled or panther. Some people get a Jacksons as their first one as well.

Can a pair of chams be housed in the same enclosure or will they each need their own? Each needs to have their own cage or free range.