Every keeper—no matter where they start, no matter which species—goes through the same three stages of growth. Your questions may change. Your relationship with the hobby transforms. What matters to you evolves. But we go through three stages that, at the beginning of the Chameleon Academy, I called Learn, Understand, and Pass it On.
So where should you focus your energy right now? The answer depends entirely on what stage you're in.
Stage 1: Learn - Your focus is on your chameleon. This is where we all start. Your chameleon arrives and you're drinking from the firehose of information! Every decision feels life-or-death. Your core question is: "How do I do all this chameleon stuff?" You're asking Chameleon Forum people "is this normal?" When your chameleon does something new. You're absorbing information, following instructions, and building confidence in the fundamentals. Success at Stage 1 means your chameleon is thriving and you're not panicking every day. You know you are starting to graduate from stage 1 when you haven’t had to wonder if you are doing it right and you are settling in to just enjoy interacting with your mini tree-dragon.
Stage 2: Understand - Your focus is on yourself. I arbitrarily put this around the one-year mark. husbandry becomes routine. You're not worried about survival anymore. A new question emerges: "What's next for me?" Understanding is different from learning. Learning is external—taking in information from others. Understanding is internal—making it your own. You're experimenting, optimizing, finding what brings you joy. Maybe you're thinking about a second species, breeding, going bioactive, or getting involved in the community. You're contributing now, answering beginner questions, sharing your experiments. You notice people here on the forums in stage 2 when they start asking why instead of just wanting to know what to do. They are starting to find their own way and develop their unique perspective on the husbandry recommendations.
Stage 3: Pass It On - Your focus in on the community. After a number of years, you're not the same person who started. You've seen multiple chameleons through their lifecycles. You've solved problems some people never face. Your core question shifts to: "What can I contribute? How do I give back?" Some people become breeders, others become rescuers, educators, or mentors. It's not about being the expert—it's about honoring those who taught you by teaching the next generation. And you know who these names are because they are here giving of their time and experience here on the forums.
Not everyone reaches Stage 3, and that's completely fine. Some people enjoy keeping chameleons at Stage 2 for their entire lives. There's nothing wrong with that.
So where are you? Still anxious about daily care? That's Stage 1—keep building your foundation.
Husbandry feels routine and you're exploring new directions? That's Stage 2—experiment and find your path.
People regularly ask you for advice and you feel pulled to give back? That's Stage 3—share what you've learned.
The Chameleon Academy is celebrating ten years this December, and we'll be exploring each stage in depth over the coming weeks. You can watch the video here and, at the end of the week, the deep dive podcast will release!
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