Percentage of making it past the first year?

[lovepicasso]

I know this is not a happy question, but with all I read on these boards about these babies dying just months old has me very concerned......I know that there are many reasons, first being sick when bought and not being taken care of properly,and a lot of other circumstances, but I would like to know if anyone has an answer......Thanks.

 

[maxttu]

I know this is not a happy question, but with all I read on these boards about these babies dying just months old has me very concerned......I know that there are many reasons, first being sick when bought and not being taken care of properly,and a lot of other circumstances, but I would like to know if anyone has an answer......Thanks.

Wow, with all of those variables taken into consideration, I'm not quite sure how you'd get an accurate answer. I'd wager a guess of 70-80% survival rate for owners that are educated on husbandry needs and less than 20% for the impulsive Petco/Petsmart buyer...

 

[squeekz1992]

I've heard of chams as old as 7 on the forums.

My Pascal only lived a year and a half, but he had reproductive issues and a bad surgeon.
I would love for them to live forever, as we all would. But when you think about it, even making it to 2 or 3 out lives some in the wild.

 

[MollyT]

When my first little one died after having him for 10 days(he was too young and got stressed), I had so many people message me and tell me similar stories. Oddly, a lot of them were their first chameleon. I know when I finally felt like I had done enough research to get one and had all of the supplies I needed, I was SO anxious to get one. I ended up jumping on the first one I found, which ended up being a crappy breeder who didn't care what happened to their babies. After he died, I was more careful in choosing who I got my next one from. I ended up finding a good breeder on the forums(BocaJan), who loves her chams and babies, and I have not had a single problem with Kush. He is super healthy.

There does seem to be a lot that don't make it past that first few months. I would be interested, as well, to know a percentage.

 

[laurie]

i had a panther make it 8 years. If I have one die is less than a year, there better be a reason. But I did have one die, that was imported from Germany in May. So I had her a lot less than a year.

If you start with a healthy chameleon, read enough to know what you are doing, ask questions here if you are not sure, then I see very little reason you would have a cham live less than a year. But is does happen.

 

[deadhd5]

Wow, with all of those variables taken into consideration, I'm not quite sure how you'd get an accurate answer. I'd wager a guess of 70-80% survival rate for owners that are educated on husbandry needs and less than 20% for the impulsive Petco/Petsmart buyer...

Sounds like a reasonable estimate to me

 

[ChameleonMom]

I bought Isis from PetSmart at 11 weeks (my first baby - all my other chams came to me as sub-adults) - she just turned 1 last month. She had pneumonia in August and just had her 2nd clutch removed as she couldn't lay them for whatever reason. She was also spayed on Tuesday. Last night she started bloating and the vet said today she's got trapped air in her body cavity that is being pushed out by her latge meal upon homecoming. Now she's on antibiotocs but damn if I'm going to lose her. I am determined not to lose her and I will do what it takes to be successful raising my first baby cham!! I have a 4 y.o. Male veiled that came to me at 9 months and I don't have near as my problems with him as I do with Isis!!

 

[DavidBuchan]

I would love for them to live forever, as we all would. But when you think about it, even making it to 2 or 3 out lives some in the wild.

That outlives just about all in the wild. Even the ones that get to breeding age in Madagascar often die over the dry season.
ChameleonMom - I think that's just bad luck with Isis, you obviously look after both of them as well as can be.
I'm with Max, don't have an answer, and nobody has the official statistics. I would guess a little higher though, maybe going up to 85 and 25%.

 

[lovepicasso]

I bought Isis from PetSmart at 11 weeks (my first baby - all my other chams came to me as sub-adults) - she just turned 1 last month. She had pneumonia in August and just had her 2nd clutch removed as she couldn't lay them for whatever reason. She was also spayed on Tuesday. Last night she started bloating and the vet said today she's got trapped air in her body cavity that is being pushed out by her latge meal upon homecoming. Now she's on antibiotocs but damn if I'm going to lose her. I am determined not to lose her and I will do what it takes to be successful raising my first baby cham!! I have a 4 y.o. Male veiled that came to me at 9 months and I don't have near as my problems with him as I do with Isis!!

I'm so sorry to hear about all the problems you're having with Isis, I'm sure you're doing all that can be done for her and it sounds like you have done a lot already, I do admire the people on here that will do all and spend all they can to see that their chams get the best care possible, I know I will do that when and hopefully never, with Picasso.....we even took our Anole to the vet last year , he had pneumonia, sadly he died on the way home.

 

[StonewallJackson]

Scary

This whole thread just scared the crap out of me. I feel as though I have been reading and researching non stop since I got Stonewall and still cannot stop trying to find more information on how to keep him happy and healthy. Has anyone had a chameleon last a decade?

 

[laurie]

Some of the big guys like parsons live that long. I was happy just to have Arnold for 8 years. That is the longest I have personally had one make it. I currently have a wc male quad. He was an adult when I got him, and I have had him two years. He free ranges in a 14 by 16 bedroom that is his own private jungle. He seems really healthy, but you just never know.