Which is right for me?

[smilespop1207]

Okay, I want to do some more research to find out which chameleon is right for me. So far all I know is what not to get. Veiled/Yemen are supposedly the most aggresive of all the species. Panther chameleons are on the higher side of the money scale. The pygmies and dwarves are too small and have more special needs than I'd like. My mom doesn't like any chameleon with an ugly (I say unique) nose, so that cancels out Jackson's, Fischer's, and Two-Horned chameleons. Also I don't want anything too big, so that's a no to Oustalet's and Meller's chameleons. So I looked online for more species and came across the Carpet chameleon. It seemed perfect but I couldn't find a reputable breeder that sells male carpet chameleons. If you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to leave a comment or private message me. All words are greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[dom1959]

looks like lllreptiles.com may be one...

 

[dom1959]

btw

i do think they are a lovely cham.

 

[Chameleonmaster]

You can look at all the site sponsors up in the right corner they all have good stuff. If you don't know this already but make sure you do your search look at the care sheet other members have put up.

 

[DavidBuchan]

I think carpets are a lovely, colourful little chameleon, so it's a good choice.

I agree that Veileds have a bit of a reputation for being 'territorial' but they are usually only really aggressive to their own species. A Veiled might be nervous but if approached slowly and handled carefully is very rarely aggressive.
Some of them are jerks, but the captive breeding has slightly domesticated them already I think, so they are the exception these days.
Veileds are very often recommended as a first chameleon because they are one of the hardiest species in captivity. Bonus is that they are cheaper too, but the setup and lights are what cost you, and it's the looking after the insects properly that takes all the time and effort....

 

[pssh]

Carpets are usually wild caught, which I dont suggest for fisrt time owners. Dooley1 breeds and sell captive bred carpets so I would ask him about if he has any or when he will. Whatever you decide, buy CB if you can. Have you looked into female xanth jacksons? They dont have any horns and are live bearing, so if you get a CB one it will not have babies unless you mate it. Panthers, while a little pricey, are very good first time chameleons as well. They tend to be more docile and are readily available CB. You can often find them for cheaper (sometimes as low as $100 as babies, about the same as carpets) if you get one from a hobby breeder rather than than some of the big breeders.

 

[Olimpia]

Members Dooley1, Dez, and Dr. O all breed carpets. Shoot them an email and see if they have any. I had a pair and thought they were gorgeous.

 

[smilespop1207]

Have you looked into female xanth jacksons? They dont have any horns and are live bearing, so if you get a CB one it will not have babies unless you mate it.

I have looked into mostly all female chameleon species. It is said that even though they may not make contact with males of the same species, they will reproduce infertile eggs which will cause stress for the female during that period of time. Also, there might be more complications while passing infertile eggs through her body. She can have a hard time doing so and will need to be brought to the vet. Thank you for the suggestion though, and thank you to all those who replied I have been referred to Dooley1 before and when the time is right(when I get my parents to agree) he'll be the first one I'll ask.

 

[qdude46]

Fl chams has some beautiful carpets that are CB take a look and tell me what you think

 

[smilespop1207]

Fl chams has some beautiful carpets that are CB take a look and tell me what you think

It seemed like a trustworthy site, the only problem I saw was that there were only female carpet chameleons being sold. I'd have to contact the company and ask when the next arrival of males would be which probably would be the same time as asking someone on Chameleon Forums, only that it might be cheaper here versus on a commercialized company's website. But thank you for the comment.

 

[pssh]

I have looked into mostly all female chameleon species. It is said that even though they may not make contact with males of the same species, they will reproduce infertile eggs which will cause stress for the female during that period of time. Also, there might be more complications while passing infertile eggs through her body. She can have a hard time doing so and will need to be brought to the vet. Thank you for the suggestion though, and thank you to all those who replied I have been referred to Dooley1 before and when the time is right(when I get my parents to agree) he'll be the first one I'll ask.

Jacksons chameleons are live bearing which means that they do not lay eggs. They give birth to live babies. While they can sometimes have "slugs" it seems to happen infrequently with most females never having them. I, personally, have never heard of a jacksons having trouble passing slugs.

 

[Vmag86]

I'd tell you to wait a little longer, save a few more bucks, and buy a panther. They are a beautiful, hearty, animal. Easier for first timers and something you won't regret. When I was younger I bought a couple of flapnecks(whom I loved) but I was always a little bummed I didn't just save up and get the panther. Think about it.
I am now a proud owner of a blue bar ambilobe, and couldn't be any happier.
P.S. your mom will love him/her also