hi there; i've been reading eveything i can find on chams, book, web blogs, web info, am a member of like 4 forums... now i just want to check that i can actully own a chameleon...
Can i own one after very little reptile experience?
Yes, I would recommend that you start with a veiled. They are hardy because they can handle a wide range of temperatures and humidities. I think they are good for first time chameleon owners because they are aggressive and show the owner chameleons do not like to be handled.
How much time do i need to devote to it every day?
This will really depend on the set-up you have. Automation is a beautiful thing with these animals that will take a lot of the stress off you. If you just want one regardless of the set-up it will not take to much time you just have to be consistent.
Can i keep a 'low maintenance' cham if i run a busy life...?
This will depend on the money you want to spend. I would consider timers on the lights as a "must". If you get a mister and humidifier on timers this would eliminate alot of time a day. The misting system will have to be filled and have a safety of some sort for if it runs dry to override shutting itself down. Cleaning feces can be done daily or every couple of days. Feeding will be daily for the first several months some then go with an every other day schedule.
Can i keep a cham in an aquairum... if i set it up right; i have seen lots of people doing this...?
When young you could do something like that. I personally would not recommend that for anything over 4 months. They are arboreal they only know living in trees. An aquarium only offers side to side not up and down. They do not allow the chameleon to have a good temperature gradient, they dry slow, some species can be stress by reflection, create stagnant air, and are usually bad about bacteria growth. There are screen caging options that are far cheaper then buying a big sized aquarium. Screened cages are better for almost all reptiles.
how much does a usual setup cost; like with humidifier and stuff...
For a 24"x24"x48" screen cage $60-159, flourescent uvB bulb $15-25 (size and brand dependent), ballist for these lights $8-20, dome light reflector $5-10, 4 pack of incandescent light bulbs (basking bulb) $2-6, misting systems $50-200, humidifier $20-45 (dependent on brand and output), hardware for custimizing it to your requirements $10-25, if all of these where to be on timers $30-120, drippers $free-12, plants of interest $8-40 each, vines variable sizes $6-12 a pack, digital thermometer/hydrometer $12-40, calcium supplements $4-and up, vitamin supplements $4-and up, food amount are widely variable and the cost of the chameleon. I would do first pick out a species that interest you. Do research on them. Some of these species may never need something like a humidifier if the place you are staying has alright humidity. The complex misting system may not be needed either. You can go some window shopping online. On the home page links to lllreptile, and big apple herp they have some good prices.
I would be gratefu lfor any info anyone can give me, thanks for looking.
