so im looking into getting a chameleon soon!

[Iwantoneeeee]

does anyone know which chameleon i should get? im gunna be 17 in march and they have been my favorite animal for a while. i was looking into a panther but im not to sure i want a male for sure thou, is there any tips you might offer as well?

 

[DavidBuchan]

Hello, welcome to the forum. All the info. and inspiration you could want are here........this is a great place to start - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html

Have you kept any reptiles before? Chameleons are quite a commitment, they are pretty specialist even for lizards.

 

[Olimpia]

No one is likely to recommend that you get a female as your first though, just because they lay eggs even when not mated and even for someone who knows chameleons, it takes a bit of adjusting. So males are always the first choice for new keepers, unless you read up a lot and think you can handle a female.

Panthers are great and so are veileds for starter chameleons.

They certainly are expensive and effort-consuming though.

 

[okiroo]

im 17 and care for 2 chams. every paycheck i get goes to gas(30miles there and back for crikets) /feeding careing for chams. it can get stressful when you want/need something else. only get one if you have a sorce of income or parents that are willing to spend a few grand.

 

[Olimpia]

Okiroo, wouldn't it be cheaper to order in bulk and have them delivered? It seems like you'd be saving money and time.

 

[okiroo]

you'd think that. but one of my chams is litter-er than the other and eats little crikets + i like to feed off and clean cage + everywhere is 30+miles away from me anyways. im stuck rual style. hahaha.
mabey it would be cheaper still. i might have to re-look into it.

 

[Iwantoneeeee]

so i haven't had reptiles but i have 2 African grey parrots which im selling soon. but i was looking in to a panther they seem like amazing pets im very committed to keeping animals i wanna try and get on i can tame enough that i can hand feed. but thats not till later right now im looking on how much space i should set aside for cage and what not. i was hoping to get one thats about a month old and raise it if thats not to bad of an idea. I also was hoping to find a breeder somewhere in Colorado if you know a way i might be able to find one easily that'd be a huge help!! and any advice or elpfull little notes are greatly appreciated! :]

 

[susieqff]

Welcome. I don't want to discourage you from having a Cham, but I would not say they are a starter reptile. Chameleon's are not a forgiving pet to keep. Demanding, expensive for original costs and set up(compared to other reptiles), they need quiet space and a time commitment for misting and dripping unless you are home all the time to do it or have an automated system. Live food is a lot different than bird seed..are your parents up for that? At some point you may need a Reptile Vet. Yet with that said, they are one of the most rewarding pets I've had. Id suggest doing your research, then doing more, getting set up and being ready before you order your Cham, which ever you decide on. Panther's and Veil's would be your first choice. Favorite's depend on who you talk to. Being so rural, you could easily have your Cham, supplies and feeders shipped and save money and time.

 

[Leza]

Everyone has posted great advice so far. I would have never dreamed of being able to get a chameleon at 17, even now at 23 I was a little intimidated... With steady income and knowing what I was getting myself into financially, I took the plunge. I have dropped a lot of money just to get started.... Close to 300 I think. And that's just the basics! So we aren't talking the extra electricity, I invested in a timer, Food, supplements when you need to buy some more...

But it really is worth it. There is no other pet like a cham. If you have the commitment, go for it!!

 

[DavidBuchan]

Well, I got my first Cham at about your age, but I'd kept a few lizards before...........it was still a steep learning curve, they just keep taking you by surprise. Do get a male, then you don't have to worry about the egg business...... some are just too nervous or aggressive for handling - you might get lucky, but you need to be prepared to have a look but don't touch animal. The initial setup is only part of the expense, you will spend a lot of time, money and effort looking after various species of insects (much more than handling your cham!). It is very important to feed the insects the right stuff, and to add vitamin powder to them before giving them to the Cham.
I have to say I'd recommend getting some other lizard species first.........but if you are determined then do plenty of research on this forum, ask questions for any little thing you are not sure of, and make sure you take plenty of pictures because you have no idea how fast they grow up!

 

[Olimpia]

It's not horrible either, but you just have to know what to do. I suggest you read as much as you can, keep asking questions, and then decide if it's all worth it. They are awesome, but they certainly are a lot of money. HOWEVER, I used to think that when I had 6, now that I'm down to half that number I find that I keep buying too many insects and stuff! lol I have to remember that I don't need to spend an average of $50 every few weeks to order insects to feed them all. Now with about $20 I'm good for a long while. So one or two is not going to be as expensive, honestly.

I'll try to get you a list of supplies and their prices when I get back from my classes in a couple hours. It's helpful. Along with other info.

 

[burnedrose]

I got my first cham at 21. The biggest thing, in my opinion, is making sure you have the right setup and supplement schedule. Most of that you can figure out from on here. Just stick with it. It's not going to be easy. It's a tough tough road...but if you really want to stick with it, you can do it.

 

[KatiLemons]

I got my first cham a little less than a year ago and I now have 2! They are VERY expensive in regards to cage, food, misting supplies ect. I researched as much as I could for about 5 months before I actually purchased my first cham. I had my setup up for about 5 months aswell. Granted I live in Michigan and I had to wait for warmer weather! If your determined to get one just be prepared. Use the resources here at the forums and check out other sites aswell. You can ask what products are better and if your cage is setup correctly, gutloading ect. I wish I had come straight here cause I would have saved money on either worthless products (i.e. HABBAmister). Good luck and WELCOME.

 

[Olimpia]

AVERAGE COST OF OWNING A CHAMELEON
All these figures are based on online prices for these items. In nearly every instance buying from an online source will be cheaper than buying from a pet store chain, sometimes even after shipping. I recommend buying everything you need reptile-related online or at reptile shows and looking at home improvement/hardware stores for things like light fixtures or heat bulbs.

INITIAL PURHASE INVESTMENT

1. The Chameleon:

Veiled: ~ $20-100 (depending on age)
Panther: ~ $140-600+ (depending on locale and age)
Jackson’s: ~$50-100 (depending on CB/WC and age)​

2. The Enclosure:

Baby screen cage: $30-60 (depending on size)
*Baby glass terrarium: $40-80 (depending on size)
Adult screen cage: $80-110 (for a 2’x2’x4’ cage)
*Adult glass terrarium: $200-300 (depending on size)
*Many will not recommend glass enclosures for chameleons but they can often times be the best choice for people in extremely dry or very cold locations as they can keep humidity and temperatures stable more easily. Terrariums, but not aquariums, still provide ample air circulation but will require more cleaning.​

3. Lighting:

UVB bulb: ~$20 for a Reptisun 5.0 linear fluorescent
Heat bulb: $2-6 for a regular household bulb (about 40-60w will usually suffice)
Light fixtures: Linear fluorescent fixture ~$10 (from home improvement store) and ~$5 spotlight fixture for heat bulb (also at home improvement stores)​

4. Supplements:

Phosphorous-free calcium without Vit D3: $6-12
Phosphorous-free calcium with Vit D3: $6-12
Multivitamin: $6-12
*Rapashy Calcium Plus (all in one): $7-12
*The all in one is becoming more popular but does not have long term testing yet. This is what I have been testing recently but it still might be better to buy all other 3 supplements instead. The choice is yours after doing some independent research.​

5. Watering:

Spray bottle: $1-20 (I recommend a pump sprayer from a hardware store)
Dripper: $1-15 (DIY ones will be much cheaper than store bought ones)
OR automatic misting system: ~$100​

6. Cage Décor:

Branches, vines, and plants: $30-100+ (depends on size of cage and how much you get, but the cage should be well filled with pathways and plant cover for your chameleon. Live plants are strongly recommended.​

MAINTENANCE COSTS

1. Food:

Live insects (Crickets, hornworms, butter worms, super worms, silk worms, roaches, etc.): $20-60+ depending heavily on what you get and how much. However, it is often MUCH cheaper to buy online in bulk and then house your insects at home, even breeding them.​

2. UVB light:

Must be replaced every 6-8 months so $20 bi-yearly.​

3. Supplements:

Will run out, so they will also need replacing.​

Owning a chameleon is certainly a few hundred dollars, although after the initial investment I do not find it to be very expensive unless you're always redoing their enclosures, like I am. With some online savvy many of these things might be found for even cheaper on places like Amazon.com.

Let me know if I missed anything!

 

[Leza]

Awesome post olimpia!

 

[Iwantoneeeee]

so i never slept because i was researching them :], but i understand how time consuming they are going to be and parents wont be an issue im moving out in a month or two and me and my pal are gunna be roomates. have 2 sources of income for a ridiculously low rent. i was thinking about a nosey be for the chameleon i want... and i understand it would be smart to get some lizards but ive never been a bad pet person. ive had exotic fish wich lived over there life expectancy. and i also help alot of my friends with bearded dragons and snakes. im not gunna mess up because even the tinyest mistake could be dire! im willign to put all my money and time in to the lil guy once i get the chance to have him:]

 

[Olimpia]

It's all about research. People have kids without having prior experience and many of them manage to do alright! lol If you do your research and think you can handle it, then you probably can. The hardest thing is having the set-up correct, but once you do that then everything else is easier, in my opinion. With my first chameleon, once I ironed out the kinks in his cage, his care was so much easier.

But something we should mention is that a chameleon vet is a hard thing to come by, and expensive. Make sure you locate one before getting a chameleon and have some money (close to $200 would be best) saved up somewhere in case you need him. Just a consultation is about $60, so you'll probably spend at least $80-100 each time you go.

 

[Leza]

Good on ya for researching before getting into it too deep, not very many people do that.

 

[Iwantoneeeee]

Good on ya for researching before getting into it too deep, not very many people do that.

yeah thanks :] im trying my hardest to make sure as as educated and qualified to care for one of these beautiful creatures!!

 

[Iwantoneeeee]

i was already calling around for a vet :] im so committed to this!!!