Ready for my first chameleon

[tv321406]

hey guys this is my first post. well i have been wanting a chameleon for a while now. i have a leopard gecko that is doing great, so i decided that i do have the skills to keep a reptile happy. i think my gf is taking me to a reptile show in columbus in about a week to get me one for my birthday. so far i have been interested in the jacksons the most. are there any things i should know before picking one out? i am mostly looking for any advice that i have not picked up on from cruising around the forums. thanks in advance
travis
ps i am also looking for any equipment that i may be able to buy second hand, since im a college student and i dont have an abundance of money

 

[jannb]

You should buy your cage, lights and supplements and having everything working and tested and ready to go when you buy your cham. You can look here under the classified section to see if anyone has a cage for sale. Once you get everything set up if you post pictures of your set up all the members will give you suggestions to make sure everything is correct before you buy your chameleon. Jann

 

[wheresstimpy]

You should buy your cage, lights and supplements and having everything working and tested and ready to go when you buy your cham. You can look here under the classified section to see if anyone has a cage for sale. Once you get everything set up if you post pictures of your set up all the members will give you suggestions to make sure everything is correct before you buy your chameleon. Jann

i agree, i just acquired my first set of chams again since a long break in the hobby, nothing can make your transition smoother than already having the cage set up, the plants in it, and all the lights working and tested for heat in the resting and basking areas. Make sure to have food and spray bottle ready to go as well. After you do all that work your cham will have a much easier time getting used to its new home and make a less stressful transition for the both of you. Good luck!

 

[royden]

Welcome! These are great boards, don't forget to use the 'search' function for research.

I would agree with jannb, get your setup done first. If you're thinking of getting chameleon in a week but you don't have a cage yet..remember that it'll take roughly a week to ship it, not inlcuding anything else you have to order, lights, vines, etc. It personally took me weeks to get my first setup together and it was about a $300 investment. Unless of course you're buying everyhting at the show.

I personally have rarely seen used equipment for sale around however..I know a guy..who knows a guy..who's selling a full setup (and I mean full setup - cage, misting system, lighting, everything) for $250 which is a smoking deal! The misting system alone is worth over $170. I'd buy it myself if I had space.

PM me if you're interested.

Good luck and welcome to the boards!

 

[tv321406]

well i already have a cage lined up from a member of the forum. i was thinking of skipping the misting system for now. i can use a dripper system right? ill prob get the vines, gauges and plants locally, and order the lights from ebay or something like that. does this look like a good guideline to get everything?
http://screameleons.com/setup_kit.htm
oh, and i already have repcal with d3, and "repto-life plus" for my gecko. are these ok? i feel like i heard you arent supposed to use the repcal with d3

 

[royden]

You'll still need to actually mist somehow with a spray bottle or something equivelant. A solitary dripper won't keep humidity up. I just used a regular spray bottle when I started and then eventually bought a misting system.