Russell1310
New Member
(as not to violate any rules my first post, the chameleon related material is 2 paragraphs down past my introduction)
Hello! My name is Russell, I'm from north of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and i turn 25 today. Since graduating high school, I've worked all sorts of jobs, attempted a few trade schools and have had a troublesome time with lack of purpose and direction. My father is 63, and my mother is 59 . They have given me the entire speech, countless times since i graduated, on squandering my great potential and making myself happy and truly making something out of my life. It took several years for it to sink in, along with the regret of letting my grades fall my senior year, but they were very right.
This birthday is going to be very different, and that's where these forums come in!
I have finally decided to make my life something that I've always dreamed of it being. I am pursuing a degree, and furthermore, a career and a life in herpetology! My love of reptiles spawned with anatomically incorrect dinosaur toys when i was just a small child, and its only grown greatly since then. Reptiles of all shapes and sizes are fascinating to me, and in the information age we live in, I truly feel that the best way to learn is through communication with like minded people who are passionate about the same things. Thinking for almost a week, I've found there aren't many reptiles that are truly as captivating as the chameleons.
So here I am! A very close friend of mine is a breeder of tarantulas, and knows a few other well established breeders of said critters. He informed me that a friend of a friend of a friend has several newborn Jackson's Chameleons that will be ready for purchase at the end of the month! Needless to say, Im incredibly excited, but just unsure of a few things that i need to clear up, so ill get right down to it.
I've read that Jackson's can be hard to keep, and might not be the best chameleon for a beginner, but my genuine love of the living world, and the lizards in particular, tells me i should be okay. With a little constructive criticism of course!
My supplies checklist and questions are as follows:
1. 24"x24"x48" reptibreeze screen enclosure (Ive heard bigger is always better, is this necessarily true?)
2. 18" naturalized hood for UV light (should i use 10.0 uv bulb or 5.0 bulb, and whats the difference?)
3. 1 zoo med combo light fixture for basking light and red nightlight (Are nightlights necessary? 50w or 100w for the basking bulb?)
4. Mister bottle (misting system if i could afford it)
5. Faux vines and limbs for the enclosure (Considering 1 live plant, a Pothos plant, only because its been recommended to me already)
6. Food! (a mixed diet of crickets, meal worms, super worms and dubia roaches. Ive been told not too many worms as they are too fatty? Are any of these foods unacceptable for Jackson's? Also, how important is gutloading the feeder insects, and what is a good universal supplement for them?)
7. Vitamins (meals dusted with reptivite w/o d3 daily, and once a week with reptivite w/ d3)
8. Thermometer and hygrometer (planning on a dual analog set, along with a laser thermometer for measuring heat gradient)
Is something blatantly wrong? Has something been overlooked? Any easier way to go about it? Any tips from personal experience? Anyone just want to talk about the reptiles?
I know its been a long one but any response of any kind would be greatly appreciated. Constructive criticism, tips and tricks, anything. I would LOVE to talk to experienced breeders/herpetologists. Im more than excited for my next step in life, and i am 100% confident that my drive and aspiration will take me to where i want to be soon enough.
Thank you for your time!!!
Hello! My name is Russell, I'm from north of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and i turn 25 today. Since graduating high school, I've worked all sorts of jobs, attempted a few trade schools and have had a troublesome time with lack of purpose and direction. My father is 63, and my mother is 59 . They have given me the entire speech, countless times since i graduated, on squandering my great potential and making myself happy and truly making something out of my life. It took several years for it to sink in, along with the regret of letting my grades fall my senior year, but they were very right.
This birthday is going to be very different, and that's where these forums come in!
I have finally decided to make my life something that I've always dreamed of it being. I am pursuing a degree, and furthermore, a career and a life in herpetology! My love of reptiles spawned with anatomically incorrect dinosaur toys when i was just a small child, and its only grown greatly since then. Reptiles of all shapes and sizes are fascinating to me, and in the information age we live in, I truly feel that the best way to learn is through communication with like minded people who are passionate about the same things. Thinking for almost a week, I've found there aren't many reptiles that are truly as captivating as the chameleons.
So here I am! A very close friend of mine is a breeder of tarantulas, and knows a few other well established breeders of said critters. He informed me that a friend of a friend of a friend has several newborn Jackson's Chameleons that will be ready for purchase at the end of the month! Needless to say, Im incredibly excited, but just unsure of a few things that i need to clear up, so ill get right down to it.
I've read that Jackson's can be hard to keep, and might not be the best chameleon for a beginner, but my genuine love of the living world, and the lizards in particular, tells me i should be okay. With a little constructive criticism of course!
My supplies checklist and questions are as follows:
1. 24"x24"x48" reptibreeze screen enclosure (Ive heard bigger is always better, is this necessarily true?)
2. 18" naturalized hood for UV light (should i use 10.0 uv bulb or 5.0 bulb, and whats the difference?)
3. 1 zoo med combo light fixture for basking light and red nightlight (Are nightlights necessary? 50w or 100w for the basking bulb?)
4. Mister bottle (misting system if i could afford it)
5. Faux vines and limbs for the enclosure (Considering 1 live plant, a Pothos plant, only because its been recommended to me already)
6. Food! (a mixed diet of crickets, meal worms, super worms and dubia roaches. Ive been told not too many worms as they are too fatty? Are any of these foods unacceptable for Jackson's? Also, how important is gutloading the feeder insects, and what is a good universal supplement for them?)
7. Vitamins (meals dusted with reptivite w/o d3 daily, and once a week with reptivite w/ d3)
8. Thermometer and hygrometer (planning on a dual analog set, along with a laser thermometer for measuring heat gradient)
Is something blatantly wrong? Has something been overlooked? Any easier way to go about it? Any tips from personal experience? Anyone just want to talk about the reptiles?
I know its been a long one but any response of any kind would be greatly appreciated. Constructive criticism, tips and tricks, anything. I would LOVE to talk to experienced breeders/herpetologists. Im more than excited for my next step in life, and i am 100% confident that my drive and aspiration will take me to where i want to be soon enough.
Thank you for your time!!!
