Where can I get me an Oustalet's?

[Tyaeda]

I tried posting this in the Canadian classifieds but with no response. I tried looking all over online, but can't find any companies that offer them to Canadian buyers, unless I buy wholesale.

If anyone here breeds Ousties, or knows someone who does, could you please let me know? I'm willing to wait as long as it takes to get one, but I just don't know where I can obtain one from.


Thanks in advance!

 

[PattyCake]

I'm kinda in the same situation. I'm trying to find a Spiny chameleon breeder that ships to or is in Canada but so far I've had no luck

 

[Tyaeda]

If I see any while hunting for an oustie, I'll let you know

 

[Sticktongue]

Someone on here has some in the classifieds

 

[Tyaeda]

Someone on here has some in the classifieds

I saw 3 for sale in there. One person is in louisiana and won't ship. The others are also in the States, but he's selling a male and female together, and won't separate them. I like the one that comes with the female, he's missing a foot, I'd name him Numpty, or Stump.

 

[chameleonowner32]

I noticed your join date say's june. Ive seen your previous threads about how pretty they are, i think you should do a bit more research before you buy one. They require alot more food, water, a huge cage, at least 29-29-48, ect.. I just think you don't fully understand what your getting into with them. I would be happy to provide a full caresheet, and tips on how ive raised my male.

 

[chameleonowner32]

I saw 3 for sale in there. One person is in louisiana and won't ship. The others are also in the States, but he's selling a male and female together, and won't separate them. I like the one that comes with the female, he's missing a foot, I'd name him Numpty, or Stump.

If im correct your referring to jared whos lives across the river from me in louisville, kentucky. His male smith is Rex's brother. John who has the male and female pair, they are rex's brother and sister too, jared raised all of them, im getting the mom soon.

 

[PattyCake]

If I see any while hunting for an oustie, I'll let you know

Thanks Ty

 

[Tyaeda]

I noticed your join date say's june. Ive seen your previous threads about how pretty they are, i think you should do a bit more research before you buy one. They require alot more food, water, a huge cage, at least 29-29-48, ect.. I just think you don't fully understand what your getting into with them. I would be happy to provide a full caresheet, and tips on how ive raised my male.

I want to do as much research and preparation as possible before I make my purchase. I made a few mistakes, and wasn't as prepared as I should have been for my Veiled. I spent hundreds in improvements since then, and have certainly learned a lot! I'm on these forums on a daily basis reading up on chams in general. They're too awesome to just own one

I'm only looking for breeders now, so when the time comes, I'll have already spoken to people with babies, or are waiting for babies. I want CB, especially because of the heightened chance of parasites in these guys that I read about.

I would love a caresheet! That would be awesome! All I can seem to find is limited and inconsistent information on captive care. I've seen some sheets say that 2x2x4 is ok... but they're the longest chameleon in the world, so I highly doubt that. I was going to go approximately 4X3X5, as well as create a couple outdoor enclosures for the summer.

I can't see myself getting one before next spring at the earliest. Hopefully that will be enough time to learn, prepare, and gain connections to a breeder. I really don't like the idea of buying from a company online, unless I have the opportunity to speak with breeder and at least see pictures of the actual chameleon I'll be purchasing. I want a male, so I don't need to worry about egg laying, and most online retailers will not guarantee that.

I don't fully understand what I'm getting into, but I do accept that they need more work. Even finding information has been difficult, so I would really appreciate it if you sent some of your knowledge and stories of personal experience my way

 

[chameleonowner32]

Scientific Name: Furcifer oustaleti​

• Geographical Range: Madagascar, Nairobi, and Kenya.
• Physical Description: Oustalet's Chameleons are very large. The majority of its size is in length, and reports up to 70 cm are almost common. The prehensile tail can grow up to 1.5 times the body's length, and the tongue can be as long as both combined. The casque that found on top of the head resembles a shield, and changes colors on the front and back sides. The feet grow toes in pairs of twos and threes. The front toes have two on the outside, and three on the inside, but the hind feet are opposite. Hatchlings typically weigh .8 of a gram, and are already adapted with a small version of a casque. Females are typically smaller and more brightly colored than the males.​
• Reproductive Behavior: Sexual maturity is reached in 6-12 months. Males have been known to show of a blue color during courtship. The picture above shows the chameleons in a state of agitation. The white colors are possibly caused by fear. The Female may lay a single clutch of 60 eggs, but some are known to lay two clutches in captivity.​
• Caging: The Oustalet's chameleon is the world's largest and can attain a maximum adult length of about 2 feet. Therefore, they need large enclosures. A single adult should be kept in a screened enclosure measuring at least 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide and deep. Indoor enclosures need a dome light with an incandescent bulb to provide a hot spot, as well as reptile-specific UVB fluorescent lights on top of the enclosure. A cool mist humidifier with an automatic timer is also recommended to combat dehydration, especially if the area in which you live can get hot and dry. Some keepers build their own custom enclosures. As a rule, the taller the enclosure is the better. Keep in mind during construction to make it vermin proof using tough screening that rodents would not be able to chew through. Don't use chicken wire as this can injure a chameleon's feet. I recommend constructing enclosures using the PVC-coated fencing found at home improvement centers. It is sold in quarter-inch and half-inch square mesh.​
• Temerature: Baby/juvenile (<9 months): ambient 72-80F (22-26C), basking 82F (28C)
  

  Adult males: ambient 75-80F (23-26C), basking 85-95F (29-32C)
  Adult females: ambient 75-80F (23-26C), basking 80-92F (26-29C) humidity should be between 45%-80%, they are from dry forest area so humidtiy isn't a big issue.
  The average temperature in the Oustalet's native environment is 79 degrees Fahrenheit, but recorded temps have measured between 104 and 130 degrees. These chameleons survive very comfortably outside almost year round in my area. Part of the enclosure should offer direct sun for part of the day, and areas of full shade should be available at all times. This will allow your chameleon to thermoregulate, which is a must to maintain health.​
• Egg Incubation: Place eggs in Tupperware or a similar plastic container with a resealable lid. The container should be half filled with dampened vermiculite. Mix the vermiculite with enough water so that when you squeeze it, small droplets will emerge. Too much water will drown the eggs, and not enough will dry them out. To check dampness during incubation just pick up a pinch and squeeze it. Only a drop or two of water should be present when squeezed. Place the eggs in rows in the vermiculite so they are half covered. Seal the lid and place the container in an incubator. The eggs should be incubated for nine to 12 months at 68 to 74 degrees Fahrenheit. Simulate a spring rain after seven months by adding more water to the eggs. I recommend placing a high/low thermometer in the incubation container. Open the container once a week to check the temperature and the dampness of the vermiculite. When the eggs begin to swell and/or sweat, purchase some fruit flies or pinhead crickets -- hatchlings are usually hearty eaters. Hatchlings can be kept together for before they should be placed into individual enclosures.​
• Calcium: I dust with exo terra calcium w/o d3 and phosforus. D3 twice a month, multi vitamin twice a month. d3- vitamin-d3-vitamin.​
• Gutloading: The same as panther.​
• Feeding: Offer variety, lot's of food. I personally feed Rex crickets, mealies, superworms, waxworms, hornworms if i can find them, grasshopers, cicadias.​
• Hydration: I bought a mistking for Rex and jackson. I have it spray 6x's a day for 10 minutes. You should mist by hand 3-4 times a day if possible or if you dont have a mistking. They love to drink, rex will drink right out of a spray bottle.
  
  
  ​
• I'd like to recognize Sticky tounge farms, the resources section and wahzoo for some of the information.
  ​

 

[Tyaeda]

Right on! Thanks!

I have a 5.0 UVB linear tube for my veiled's 2x2x4 right now, will a 5.0 be enough for an Oustalet's, or should I go higher?

Where do you get your cicadas? I bet your cham loves them - they're huge!

I have access to all of the other feeders you listed. Gutloading won't be a problem either. Right now I gutload with dandelion greens, collard greens, oranges, carrots, strawberries/blueberries, and soon I'll be adding butternut squash and some apples. For dry I use a mix of oats, dried kelp, yeast, sesame seeds, with a little ginger powder, garlic powder, and dried basil.

Thanks again for the care sheet!

 

[chameleonowner32]

Good. Um a 10.0 for a reptarium, or a full grown adult. Cicadias you have to find around, ive only found about 5 this year.

 

[Tyaeda]

That's too bad... I'm too paranoid to feed anything from outside.

Do you think silk moths would be good? They're fat and juicy looking too.

 

[chameleonowner32]

Yeah or bee moth. In my new thread you''l see rex's cage, if you want to take notes.

 

[Tyaeda]

That's an awesome enclosure! What are the dimensions? It looks a little bigger than 3x3x4.

 

[chameleonowner32]

29-29-48. it's a 175gal reptarium.

 

[Oliviabryant]

Good. Um a 10.0 for a reptarium, or a full grown adult. Cicadias you have to find around, ive only found about 5 this year.

This is not a good idea, you don't need a 10.0 for a chameleon even with thick screen. 10.0 are mainly for dessert dewlers like dragons and the output is to high for chameleons. You need to purchase a longer bulb and a high output 5.0 with a highly reflective hood.
You have to also take into consideration that their natural environment doesn't provide 100% sunlight all the time. They need places to hide from light as well.

http://www.uvguide.co.uk/fluorescenttubereflectortests.htm

 

[chameleonowner32]

With Reptariums 10.0 is a big debate. I personally use a 10.0 because the size of rex and the fact its only an 18inch bulb. A 10.0 is about the equivelent of the sunlight in florida for an oustalets. Thats why you have to be careful with plant's you bring back. I have a house on bokeelia island, and i usually bring back a couple umbrella plants or a large ficus because they are only 10 buck's, and you have to have a grow light on them or they die.

 

[junglefries]

place to buy

One of the curators at the Norfolk Zoo in Norfolk,VA breeds them. I have seen several of his babies for sale at places and know some who breed some of his offspring. unrelated of course. All that i have seen looked extremely healthy and BIG. there are even some of his at the zoo. PM me if you are interested and i will make the necessary calls to get you his contact info.

 

[Sticktongue]

I personally disagree about the 10.0. I used the 5s for a year, then realized all my chams would spend a lot of time under the bulb. I made the switch to 10 the next time I needed to replace them and my animals,(Panthers and kinyongia) became more active and didn't have to sit under the bulb along time. They can regulate and tell when they need more so I'm not sure why the 10 gets such a bad rep if they have other places available to get out of that light. Just my opinion..