Questions on Veiled Chameleon

[TyMonster]

Hey guys, I am new to this forum and just have questions regarding ordering a veiled chameleon. I have been keeping reptiles for years and have always been fascinated by chameleons but have held off of purchasing one due to what I've heard about their stress levels. I think it's finally time to step up my obsession and bite the bullet. I am ordering a sub adult male Veiled Chameleon from a company half way across the country from me (I'm up in Canada and cannot find one locally.)

I was just curious about people's experiences with ordering chameleons in the mail. I'm sure it's a common procedure and I'm told they will pack it with a heat pack and clearly labeled packaging to keep it safe but how bad will this stress out my new buddy?

I have read numerous care sheets and am pretty sure I know how to care for him but noticed one piece of conflicting info, some say they need night time heat and other sources say they do not. Do you guys provide any night time heat sources for your Veileds? I am buying an exo-tera 100g flexarium, 30"x16.5"x48" and am wondering if that is a good choice for an enclosure. I plan to mist it each day + set up a dripper system, but what's the best way to catch all the water? I imagine just make sure the water drips over lots of fake/real plants but I want to hear what you guys suggest. Sorry for all the questions but I just wanna see my little guy thrive! Thanks!

 

[ReptileLove18]

Welcome to the forum! and the obsession as we say

I have not yet had a cham shipped to me, however most members have good experiences with this as I'm sure some will chime in and share

They do not need a heat source at night unless the temp drops below 50-55 degrees F, 10 degrees C. light at night will disturb their sleep so its recommended that if you do have to provide a heat source at night to use a heat emitter rather then a night bulb. Many keepers use glass terrariums with sucess as long as there is plenty ventilation,a drainage system so water is not building up in the bottom of the cage, and the cage is allowed to dry between mistings. if water does build up it can become a breeding ground for bacteria as well as cause respitory issues. It is recommended to use a screen cage for these reasons as its easier to get proper ventilation for you cham and allow the cage to dry out between mistings. the general adult sized cage for veileds is 24 inches wide x 24 inches deep x 48 inches tall, in the screen cages at least misting several times a day is needed, generally 3 times a day for 1-3 minutes a day to get the humidity up. live plants help keep the humidity up as well. this is where a screen cage is good as you can keep the humidity correct with misting and live plants without a build up of water in the bottom of the cage leading to respitory infections. if you plan on using a glass cage, you can prop one corner of the cage up on a 1/4 inch block, drill some holes in the opposite corner of the cage and put a bucket or tray underneath it to collect the water. make sure to dump the water at least once a day!

you said you have read several caresheets for veileds but im going to link this one for you anyways as its the best one i know of! it has accurate info on their care and husbandry https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

again welcome to the forum! dont apologize for asking questions, we are all here to help as much as we can! always ask anything you have a question on and we'll do whatever we can to help