Over the past couple of weeks I have expanded my knowledge and decided to possibly get into chameleons. Over the past 2 years I have kept successful animals including one of the hardest to keep animals....saltwater fish. I also recently got a crested gecko which has been doing great and is loving life. So I know a good amount of animal husbandry but obviously chameleons to fish and apples to oranges. It's just the fact that I know how to care for animals that are hard to care for....weekly water changes, daily tested on calcium, nitrate, phosphate and alkalinity. The hardest part is keeping the corals and reef alive. I've probably put a good 7K on my tank....however my family mostly my grandfather helped with the money, as I still am only 17 however next year I will be attending Cleveland State to major in biology. Over there days of research I have put my mindset and money ( yes my money this time lol) into the possibility of either a panther, jackson, or veiled. At this moment I am favoring Jackson's and panthers. I love veiled a but I have read that they do get aggressive when fully mature and honestly if Im going to get a mostly green chameleon I rather get the one that looks like a badass rhino 
. I know the fact they don't like being handled more of a beauty factor which im used to lol however I would like to handle and bring them out of the cage maybe once a week or during the summer and let him roam outside for a little. I also like my room cold at night, not freezing but around the 60's which I've read has been better for a jackson due to them liking colder nights. However the only thing I am afraid of is buying a jackson that is wild caught...I'd rather get a captive bred which is gonna be better for them. But I don't know or at least most sites I went to says wild or captive bred also the price range difference of captive bred. The other is the Panther. I mean they are beautiful but so damn expensive, at least the males. I know that one site has the 399.99 deal for a whole setup and a Panther chameleon but it is a girl and if Im gonna spend minimum of 300$ on a animal i better get something that I want not something that I will get bored of or don't like due to price, if any of you know a place where I can get a cheaper Panther Lmk I don't care about the species as most of them are all beautiful as long as they are males to me. I also have read that getting a 4 month + Panther is better due to them being a lite more hardy being older. Also the fact of panthers is that they are larger and like a little hotter temps at night at least what I am informed of. The other question is placement....I was going to keep either a 18x18x36 or a 24x24x48 depending on jackson or Panther which ever I get. I don't remember the site but I like the $275 ultimate setup that has everything I need http://screameleons.com/ultimate-setup-kit-low-fi/. Any good reviews on it? I already have a king mist that I will most likely tandem with the crested gecko so that one machine can run 2 tanks or I will use the king most on only the chameleon and then the habba mist on the gecko, I know the Hanna hasn't got great reviews but a king most is pretty overkill on a cresty but I wanted to make sure when I got him if I ever got into more reptiles that I would have a good auto mister. Also anything else that I have to worry about? I also was looking at a thermostat machine As I already have a vivarium electronics hobby stat for my cresty but for the chameleon I was gonna go a little more into it say something like this https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/#/product/30616
Also I was wondering is there any other heat source for a chameleon besides and heat bulb? Also how do you mist a screen cage without getting water everywhere outside of it, if the cage where to go in my room it would be near say 3 feet to a printer and computer. If not I would figure out another spot for him to be in, what about dogs? I do have one dog that does bark but not frequently she's more of just a protector when someone pulls in the driveway she doesn't know. Also can I use RODI water for misting like my cresty? I know I'm asking a lot of questions but I want to be 110% sure I know what I'm doing with this animal. I think I have most questions out here and any other input to make me a smarter animal keeper please tell. Finally Id like to hear about your chameleons mabye a simple story or even a novel, I'd love to read it! Also how hard is it to keep i live plant over a fake plant say and what would be the easiest and most cost efficient? If rather go natural but not if it adds a whole lot more care
. I know the fact they don't like being handled more of a beauty factor which im used to lol however I would like to handle and bring them out of the cage maybe once a week or during the summer and let him roam outside for a little. I also like my room cold at night, not freezing but around the 60's which I've read has been better for a jackson due to them liking colder nights. However the only thing I am afraid of is buying a jackson that is wild caught...I'd rather get a captive bred which is gonna be better for them. But I don't know or at least most sites I went to says wild or captive bred also the price range difference of captive bred. The other is the Panther. I mean they are beautiful but so damn expensive, at least the males. I know that one site has the 399.99 deal for a whole setup and a Panther chameleon but it is a girl and if Im gonna spend minimum of 300$ on a animal i better get something that I want not something that I will get bored of or don't like due to price, if any of you know a place where I can get a cheaper Panther Lmk I don't care about the species as most of them are all beautiful as long as they are males to me. I also have read that getting a 4 month + Panther is better due to them being a lite more hardy being older. Also the fact of panthers is that they are larger and like a little hotter temps at night at least what I am informed of. The other question is placement....I was going to keep either a 18x18x36 or a 24x24x48 depending on jackson or Panther which ever I get. I don't remember the site but I like the $275 ultimate setup that has everything I need http://screameleons.com/ultimate-setup-kit-low-fi/. Any good reviews on it? I already have a king mist that I will most likely tandem with the crested gecko so that one machine can run 2 tanks or I will use the king most on only the chameleon and then the habba mist on the gecko, I know the Hanna hasn't got great reviews but a king most is pretty overkill on a cresty but I wanted to make sure when I got him if I ever got into more reptiles that I would have a good auto mister. Also anything else that I have to worry about? I also was looking at a thermostat machine As I already have a vivarium electronics hobby stat for my cresty but for the chameleon I was gonna go a little more into it say something like this https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/#/product/30616 Also I was wondering is there any other heat source for a chameleon besides and heat bulb? Also how do you mist a screen cage without getting water everywhere outside of it, if the cage where to go in my room it would be near say 3 feet to a printer and computer. If not I would figure out another spot for him to be in, what about dogs? I do have one dog that does bark but not frequently she's more of just a protector when someone pulls in the driveway she doesn't know. Also can I use RODI water for misting like my cresty? I know I'm asking a lot of questions but I want to be 110% sure I know what I'm doing with this animal. I think I have most questions out here and any other input to make me a smarter animal keeper please tell. Finally Id like to hear about your chameleons mabye a simple story or even a novel, I'd love to read it! Also how hard is it to keep i live plant over a fake plant say and what would be the easiest and most cost efficient? If rather go natural but not if it adds a whole lot more care
