Hey guys my name is Manuel, for the last couple of months I've been doing a lot of research on pygmy chameleons. I am planning on getting a male and 2 females. I originally wanted to get Rhampholeon brevicaudatus because I heard that they are the best species of pygmy chameleons to get started with. If any one could give tips/ advise on what type of pygmy I should get it will be greatly apreciated.
pygmy chameleon , need help asap
- Thread starter manuel809
- Start date
Get brevs, easiest to keep and are hardier than temporalis. Make sure you have around a 20g tank for the pygmies. Also, pay attention the animals you get, temporalis are very commonly mislabeled as Brevicaudatus. Feel free to ask any more questions!
Thanks for the reply , I bought a zoomed 12x12x18 terrarium. Would that be enough space for 3 pygmies (1 male + 2 females)? I also have the exoterra jungle vine , coco husk , hand pressure mister , and going to buy a small water fall soon . I don't know what I should get for heat because I do get cold winter were I live.
qdude46
Member
Stick to 1.1 (1 male 1 female ), that tank is only about 11g which isn't enough for 3 pygmies. Stay away from the waterfall as it will spawn bacteria and th pygmies can down in it. No water bowls either as it poses the same threats. If your teps go below 50F often, buy a ceramic heat emitter as night lights will disrupt their sleep. Male sure to have many walkways from branches and include dense foliage so the chams can feel secure. Also, are you up for breeding? If not, get two females.
Hey I was thinking of getting a live ficus plant for my futer pygmy habitat. I was wondering if thats a good choice if so how do I set up the drainage layer ?
kdc5019
New Member
Be careful with a ceramic heat emitter. You need to make sure to monitor your temps very closely as temps can raise very quickly with them in glass enclosures. The heat emitteres will also "dry up" the tank and cause humidity to drop. Make sure you mist plenty for them as they love to drink and have high humidity enclosures.
Substrate
Josh's frogs has everything you need. Here is what I order in a typical setup.
ABG Mix
Josh's Frogs False Bottom
Magnolia Leaves
Sheet Moss
18x18x24 Tropical Vivarium Plant Kit
New Zealand Long Fiber Sphagnum Moss
Substrate Barrier
Plus I'll usually get a couple ficus or umbrella plants along with a bunch of small twigs and sticks that are sanitized.
The layers would be. False bottom, substrate barrier, ABG mix, then you can scatter your mosses around the tank and your leaf litter.
MelissaB
Avid Member
If I were you, I'd put your enclosure together, take readings to see how the temps are and go from there. I planted my enclosure up first, and let it grow out for awhile. I treated it as though I had my trio, already. Well, except for adding crickets, lol. That way if plants die, you can replace them before you have animals in there. You can see what works, and what needs to be changed without stressing out the future inhabitants. Just a thought.
MelissaB
Avid Member
I think you'll be surprised how easy it is to keep the right temps and humidity with a planted tank. I love mine.
With my pygmies, keep in mind I'm a newbie with these guys, I don't need extra heat at all. On my 18 x 18 x 24 I use a small LED light for extra lighting for the plants, a regular household CFL and a used 5.0 reptisun UVB CFL bulb, so they can have a tiny bit of UVB.
I have an umbrella plant, that provides lots of dark nooks and crannies for them to get out of the light if they want. It's great at holding water droplets for drinking, too. I have a ficus in one of my baby tanks, under a Jungle Dawn LED, and so far it's doing really well. No babies in there, yet.
Before I got my group, I tried an incandescent bulb, but it put off too much heat. Unless your house gets really cold, I don't think you'll need a heat emitter.
Humidity is pretty easy, too. You need to watch how much you're misting, so you don't over do it. You shouldn't have too much water in the hydroton layer. I don't usually see water down there, just condensation and the hydraton will be darker because it has moisture in it. I mist once or twice a day, depending on conditions, and it's been working out great. I think I had my tank set up for about 2 months, it might have been longer, so my springtails and isopods could get going, before I got my lil guy and gals.
With my pygmies, keep in mind I'm a newbie with these guys, I don't need extra heat at all. On my 18 x 18 x 24 I use a small LED light for extra lighting for the plants, a regular household CFL and a used 5.0 reptisun UVB CFL bulb, so they can have a tiny bit of UVB.
I have an umbrella plant, that provides lots of dark nooks and crannies for them to get out of the light if they want. It's great at holding water droplets for drinking, too. I have a ficus in one of my baby tanks, under a Jungle Dawn LED, and so far it's doing really well. No babies in there, yet.
Before I got my group, I tried an incandescent bulb, but it put off too much heat. Unless your house gets really cold, I don't think you'll need a heat emitter.
Humidity is pretty easy, too. You need to watch how much you're misting, so you don't over do it. You shouldn't have too much water in the hydroton layer. I don't usually see water down there, just condensation and the hydraton will be darker because it has moisture in it. I mist once or twice a day, depending on conditions, and it's been working out great. I think I had my tank set up for about 2 months, it might have been longer, so my springtails and isopods could get going, before I got my lil guy and gals.
Muddyfeet
New Member
planted tank with substrate, biological ecosystem is essential to control harmful waste, and do some clean up..
As a species.. cleaning and changing substrate weekly - needed if using substrate alone, stresses them..
So.. even if you ONLY use plastic fake silk.. or a combo.. but want a active substrate.. = NEED to add fauna..
Brev owners are using a lot of good info and what has been found good trial and error by many of the dart frog owners.. at least here in the US, in Europe the idea of active, biological substrate for a LOT of reptiles, including standard chams is kind of accepted..
So yes, springtails, and possibly Isopods are essential, for a brev or stum tailed cham habitat! also need a bit of time to allow them to populate a viv before adding the animals.. also freshly planted viv grows some weird stuff perhaps harmful, during the cycle.. Although I LOVE Josh frogs website.. great prices.. NE herp has some excellent guides http://www.neherpetoculture.com/care and supplies too
as for isopods, fruit flys, or other possible feeders.. you will be surprised how much these guys eat in relation to size, add a natural viv the feeders get lost really easy.. Having a in viv, natural food source is a good thing! also get brevs.. look into bean beetles, Fruit fly cultures.. or you will go broke quick feeding crickets!
As a species.. cleaning and changing substrate weekly - needed if using substrate alone, stresses them..
So.. even if you ONLY use plastic fake silk.. or a combo.. but want a active substrate.. = NEED to add fauna..
Brev owners are using a lot of good info and what has been found good trial and error by many of the dart frog owners.. at least here in the US, in Europe the idea of active, biological substrate for a LOT of reptiles, including standard chams is kind of accepted..
So yes, springtails, and possibly Isopods are essential, for a brev or stum tailed cham habitat! also need a bit of time to allow them to populate a viv before adding the animals..
also freshly planted viv grows some weird stuff perhaps harmful, during the cycle.. Although I LOVE Josh frogs website.. great prices.. NE herp has some excellent guides http://www.neherpetoculture.com/care and supplies too as for isopods, fruit flys, or other possible feeders.. you will be surprised how much these guys eat in relation to size, add a natural viv the feeders get lost really easy.. Having a in viv, natural food source is a good thing! also get brevs.. look into bean beetles, Fruit fly cultures.. or you will go broke quick feeding crickets!
Muddyfeet
New Member
as for heat.. well CAUTION needs to be used.. Normal comfortable temps in home even in the dead of winter for most people, plus a light that has a ballast that produces heat.. enclosed glass tank.. I be hard pressed to say it is needed for MOST homes.. why it was questioned..
to easy to kill these guys with to much..
to easy to kill these guys with to much..
Good answers Muddyfeet.
Will the springtales do good in ecoearth substrateand also should I culture the springtales in the viv and then add plants or vice versa?
