What I need to be a great chameleon owner.

[Theveiled]

So I have had someone tell me that I shouldn't get a chameleon because I have never owned a reptile before. They've said that I would likely end up killing it since I don't have any knowledge of how to own a chameleon and that chameleons should only be owned by very experienced hobbyists. They also said no matter how much I research I will never be prepared. What do you guys think about this? In my opinion, I think that as long as I do my research and prep the cage before I get the little guy I should be okay. If a 12 year old who doesn't research at all and just goes with what the petco employee tells them to do and sticks their chameleon in a tank rather than a cage can keep theirs alive [maybe unhappy, but alive] I feel as if I should be able to do a pretty good job. I'm just making sure I'm not jumping into something people think I shouldn't be jumping into. After reading all about them I still feel confident that I could own a happy and healthy chameleon. Has everyone started off owning reptiles before jumping into chameleons?

Yes and no. Some chameleon species are for experts, they can be very hard to care for like wild caughts. Veileds and panthers (I think veileds more) are a little less forgiving. My first reptile that I had to take care of 100% myself was a chameleon. they do cost a lot of money (I think im a little less that $1000) and time.

 

[Theveiled]

***veileds and panthers are more forgiving than some other species

 

[Carlton]

This is rather in depth window into one persons mental construction of a biased stereotype. Cham owners aren't just "those people", they are doctors, lawyers, cops, teachers, soldiers, plumbers, construction workers, the middle school kid down the street, the women at the circle k, the hipster at the mall, your own mother. We are all unique in our own way. Yes some may treat their chams with an advanced level of care, some not so much. Life is tough. People live in different circumstances, different views and religious beliefs, cultures. Some people eat chameleons. Face it. But you know what. A house divided will not stand. What unites us all is our curiosity of this amazing creature. So pleas think before you judge. Chameleon lives matter!!

What? Who's judging? All I was trying to do was describe the aspects of cham care that might appeal to someone but not to someone else. It had nothing to do with anyone's life circumstances.

 

[Carlton]

So I have had someone tell me that I shouldn't get a chameleon because I have never owned a reptile before. They've said that I would likely end up killing it since I don't have any knowledge of how to own a chameleon and that chameleons should only be owned by very experienced hobbyists. They also said no matter how much I research I will never be prepared. What do you guys think about this?

I don't agree with what that person told you. I do agree with the cautionary comments, but also know you can overcome the inexperience if you are devoted. I know this personally. Other than an anole or red eared slider when I was a small kid (so my parents basically took care of it) I had no herp experience when I "met" my first cham in a pet shop. This was back in the days when a cbb veiled was a very rare thing to see. I had heard about chams and found them fascinating, but wouldn't buy a doomed import on principle. The only husbandry book available was Phillipe de Vosjoli's. But, I was thrilled to see him, asked a million questions, went home and read everything I could get my hands on that was even remotely similar, grilled the breeder (the pet shop manager knew him), built an enclosure on their advice, and bought him. Had him for several years. However, I had always kept aviary birds, so had some sense about caging, air quality, and maintaining an "open" but stable indoor condition with correct lighting for more sensitive creatures. There are a lot of similarities between birds and chams. They need daily attention and care and react badly to neglect and carelessness. They are emotionally touchy and don't necessarily want to be human toys. I was also a wildlife biologist by profession, so knew how to observe animals somewhat objectively, had a sense of how non-domesticated animals would handle a life with humans, how their evolutionary history shaped their behaviors, and how this affects their reaction to change or problems.

In these days when good husbandry information is so available, there's no reason you can't learn how to care for a cham. What hasn't changed is their need for daily attention throughout their lives and an understanding of what they can tolerate and what they can't tolerate. What their setup, food, and vet care will cost. What their feeders need, what their nutritional needs are, and what sort of house situation will and won't work. And, the commitment to schedule your life to include their daily routine and to deal with health problems WHEN they come up, not IF.

 

[WAMBO]

I've been here for 3 months and have already seen several '12 yr old' killing their chameleon, with some help from PETCO and Petsmart employee info. So it ain't easy. Heck I'm a medical doctor who is actually board certified in metabolic bone disease of humans, and still find it a lot of work to care for my panther. I still doubt myself almost daily. So read and set up the habitat first. You may want to use an old cabinet as a stand for a cage, and perhaps keep a bucket to collect the drainage inside it, using the door as quick access.

 

[Carlton]

So much comes down to the keeper's attitude. If a newbie considers a new pet sort of disposable, a passing fancy or mere entertainment, they probably won't dig deep enough into husbandry to avoid trouble. Then when the cham stops being interesting they give up and go on to the next thing. If a newbie finds themself continually curious and intrigued with the cham itself, why it lives the way it does, what its wild habitat might be like, gets a lot of enjoyment out of solving problems its care creates, and loves the learning curve into husbandry, they will probably be fine.

 

[TheVeiledProphet]

What? Who's judging? All I was trying to do was describe the aspects of cham care that might appeal to someone but not to someone else. It had nothing to do with anyone's life circumstances.

That's what all "white chameleon privilege" people.

 

[Decadancin]

That's what all "white chameleon privilege" people.

Before I make a comment here, I would like some clarification... My sarcasm meter is not functioning properly and text does not allow for sarcasm to fully be understood or detected, so... was this intended to be sarcastic???

 

[Andee]

I am not sure whether someone told this to the OP but do not use soil on the bottom of your enclosure unless it's bioactive. Just make a drainage system and keep it bare.

 

[Carlton]

That's what all "white chameleon privilege" people.

Again, I ask what do you mean? The dreaded "R" word has no place here at all.

 

[Decadancin]

This is rather in depth window into one persons mental construction of a biased stereotype. Cham owners aren't just "those people", they are doctors, lawyers, cops, teachers, soldiers, plumbers, construction workers, the middle school kid down the street, the women at the circle k, the hipster at the mall, your own mother. We are all unique in our own way. Yes some may treat their chams with an advanced level of care, some not so much. Life is tough. People live in different circumstances, different views and religious beliefs, cultures. Some people eat chameleons. Face it. But you know what. A house divided will not stand. What unites us all is our curiosity of this amazing creature. So pleas think before you judge. Chameleon lives matter!!

That's what all "white chameleon privilege" people.

Not quite sure where any of this is coming from, these forums are not a place for what seem to be very judgemental, personal and irrelavent stereotypes and politicizing of non political issues. If you have advice for the OP, great, but otherwise your comments seem very inappropriate. I think maybe you need to know more about someone's history of posting before making assumptions.

 

[alphakenc]

White cham ,blue cham,neon cham,pink cham.....they all good chams....everyone has their own favorite color ,why color category the chams,if Alphakenc I dont like the color,I wont buy or breed them,and if I bought n bred them,I will learn how to love them,It wont be the extreme for me to spray paint them even they turn into the color I dont like,learn to except what they are ,thats what I will do

 

[Chooka]

Thanks I knew not to put soil on the bottom, just in the pot for the tree. Anyone have any good brands of possibly plant food for a ficus tree and what soil to replace the first few inches in the pot with so it's safe for the chameleon?

And yeah I'm not exactly sure what you guys are arguing about, completely off topic XD

 

[WAMBO]

oops!

 

[WAMBO]

Thanks I knew not to put soil on the bottom, just in the pot for the tree. Anyone have any good brands of possibly plant food for a ficus tree and what soil to replace the first few inches in the pot with so it's safe for the chameleon?

Organic soil without fertilizer