Wild-caught Preparations and Considerations

[Matt Kolmann]

I was debating about purchasing some wild caught specimens - and I've read a lot about the warnings and potential pitfalls of keeping WC animals. I've located some local herp vets and the chams (when and if I get them) will be making a visit to a vet soon after delivery. What's some general tips for the first few hours/days I have them? Any regimen that people have found is useful as far as anti-parasite meds? Any recommendations in general?

 

[Vampire.queen]

WC chameleons are very shy as they grew in the wild plus they are usually older when you buy them which means they don't like changes much- so disturb them as little as possible- they need a lot of time to get used to their new home..

 

[Fearaffect]

Hydrate the living hell outa them to!! Can not put enough water on them....at least thats what I've found........make sure u have a variety of feeders.....some will eat worms some wont and same with crickets.......most will eat BB and FF I've found.

 

[eisentrauti]

When you look for those few points they often don't make too much problems:

- much water, best is a misting system and or a dripper
- seperate them ! this avoids stress and is very very important ! plus infections don't make too much problems
- "soft" food, drosophilas and other flies for the fist week plus other flying insects. Then you can offer as well crickets, dubias, grashoppers etc.
- visit them as rare as possible, they need calm places

 

[Rocky]

We just recently had a group of wc chams shipped to us and what we did was set up pretty large areas outside with the large tree we were using in their cage. I literally sat out there for a few hours doing nothing but misting them. I found it really strange that the guys we got weren't that shy at all around us, but you need to
make sure they can see no other pets like cats dogs or snakes. I noticed they were really stresses when they saw my dog and my Cb weren't

are the animals you are looking at already acclimating? I would also suggest buying reptaid, it will help with parasites etc.

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

Here is a little something I wrote on the subject.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/ryan-jarosek/119-new-arrival-bringing-home.html

 

[Matt Kolmann]

excellent suggestions. thank you In a world full of bloggers and people who "knew someone, that knew someone, who did something," I like firsthand info, especially for pets. I'll look up the reptaid and get some before I actually order the buggers. Supposedly they've been on hand for a few weeks. The room I house them in is kept away from the other chams (all CB) and is isolated from the cats. If anything - I over plant the cage - I barely see my Jackson's so they'll have plenty of places to hide out.

 

[Julirs]

Hey Matt-where are you getting these guys?

 

[Rocky]

What species are you getting?

 

[Matt Kolmann]

I was going to go through Eco Regional. I was looking at tempeli, dilepis, and possibly, melleri. I'm waiting to see what's available at the Daytona show before I make any decisions.

 

[Carlton]

Not all wc are automatic problems. Of course they will be stressed and won't show their personalities or less obvious problems for a while. Chams in shipping stress mode are fighting pretty hard to look healthy. Once they are in a stable place for a while they start letting down their guard and THAT can be when they start to break down...they are no longer able to hide their weaknesses from the rest of the world. It could be weeks before some problems show up. Some chams do fine from day one.

Give them lots of privacy so they can rehydrate, learn their new territories, rest, bask, investigate feeders, react to changes in water chemistry and feeder nutrition, and build themselves up. If one isn't doing well, then start looking for the problem. Wait for a good fecal before treating for parasites. You'd want to get rid of what sub optimal stuff they were eating before you got them. Personally I don't believe in shotgunning without a good fecal test to see what is actually present. I used to try to get rid of anything a newly imported herp might have right off the bat. Now I don't. I would treat an obvious injury or infection of course, but I don't start laying on a bunch of medications on an already stressed animal. Some of my wc herps have never been treated for anything and have been healthy for years.

 

[laurie]

I was going to go through Eco Regional. I was looking at tempeli, dilepis, and possibly, melleri. I'm waiting to see what's available at the Daytona show before I make any decisions.

You know there are no WC for sale at Daytona correct?

 

[Pure]

You know there are no WC for sale at Daytona correct?

I know this is a breeders expo, but with who some of the vendors are that are attending this show..No one is bringing any WCs? Are they not allowed to or something?

Here is a good link on WC chams.