wow, life sucks.

[amanda509]

just had a realization, ive admired chameleons my entire life, and now my mom finally gives me the go to get one, and i realize that im not sure if i have enough money or time to keep it. i want one soo badly, but i dont think id be able to keep up with the feeders, if it wasnt for them, id have a chameleon in a heartbeat. i barely have enough time for my horse with the cold weather and me working nonstop, let alone the fact i wont be able to afford her board when my mom stops paying it when i turn 18 in march...are school and work the only things i have to look forward to in life? horses and chameleons make me very happy, and without them...ugh. :/

-i apologize for the rant, but it needed out. now that i was accepted into an after highschool tech school, my parents dont care about anything else.

 

[okiroo]

just had a realization, ive admired chameleons my entire life, and now my mom finally gives me the go to get one, and i realize that im not sure if i have enough money or time to keep it. i want one soo badly, but i dont think id be able to keep up with the feeders, if it wasnt for them, id have a chameleon in a heartbeat. i barely have enough time for my horse with the cold weather and me working nonstop, let alone the fact i wont be able to afford her board when my mom stops paying it when i turn 18 in march...are school and work the only things i have to look forward to in life? horses and chameleons make me very happy, and without them...ugh. :/

-i apologize for the rant, but it needed out. now that i was accepted into an after highschool tech school, my parents dont care about anything else.

idk if this will help but i'll explain how i do it all


im 17. i have a job and i pay for my feeders, everything my chams eat+ all their stuff+ the chams themselves+ whatever else i want and gas(oh. dont forget vet bills ). i've spent ALOT of money doing this off a waitress paycheck. im in highschool but im also takeing college corses. i have hours of HW everynight and im still an honor roll student. if this is something you really want. you'll find the time and money. once you get everything started its not that much anymore. goodluck and i hope i shed some light on possibilties ^^

 

[amanda509]

idk if this will help but i'll explain how i do it all


im 17. i have a job and i pay for my feeders, everything my chams eat+ all their stuff+ the chams themselves+ whatever else i want and gas(oh. dont forget vet bills ). i've spent ALOT of money doing this off a waitress paycheck. im in highschool but im also takeing college corses. i have hours of HW everynight and im still an honor roll student. if this is something you really want. you'll find the time and money. once you get everything started its not that much anymore. goodluck and i hope i shed some light on possibilties ^^

thats rediculous well...i suppose i should just go do it and get one..and if things start to fall through, i can depend on the people here to take the cham...

 

[Olimpia]

It's true that the initial set-up cost is high, but after that I don't find it all that expensive to maintain them. However, my version of not expensive is not the same as it would be for others, maybe. On a single chameleon I can imagine spending maybe $20-30 on a month's worth of feeders, the $20 to replace the UVB light every 6 months, food for the insects... It'll take some evaluating, but it can be done. Vets will be very expensive though, and if you get a serious issue you could be looking at several hundred gone. I spent close to $500 on my female veiled after she needed surgery + antibiotics for subsequent infections. So that's the only thing that might worry me, not being able to take care of them in their greatest hour of need, so to speak.

BTW, I'm a college student doing a triple major, so I also find the time somewhere!

 

[amanda509]

It's true that the initial set-up cost is high, but after that I don't find it all that expensive to maintain them. However, my version of not expensive is not the same as it would be for others, maybe. On a single chameleon I can imagine spending maybe $20-30 on a month's worth of feeders, the $20 to replace the UVB light every 6 months, food for the insects... It'll take some evaluating, but it can be done. Vets will be very expensive though, and if you get a serious issue you could be looking at several hundred gone. I spent close to $500 on my female veiled after she needed surgery + antibiotics for subsequent infections. So that's the only thing that might worry me, not being able to take care of them in their greatest hour of need, so to speak.

BTW, I'm a college student doing a triple major, so I also find the time somewhere!

the vet part is going to suck, because i know for a fact there are no exotic vets around here :/ only ones for normal animals, small animals, and livestock...but i suppose if i keep the cham as healthy as possible, the need for a vet will be reduced..ive been doing research on keeping chams for a couple months now...i know the risks, how to avoid them, keeping them happy, stuff like that...if only i could sell my bass guitar, then id enough money to jumpstart me on setting up for one -.-

 

[okiroo]

It's true that the initial set-up cost is high, but after that I don't find it all that expensive to maintain them. However, my version of not expensive is not the same as it would be for others, maybe. On a single chameleon I can imagine spending maybe $20-30 on a month's worth of feeders, the $20 to replace the UVB light every 6 months, food for the insects... It'll take some evaluating, but it can be done. Vets will be very expensive though, and if you get a serious issue you could be looking at several hundred gone. I spent close to $500 on my female veiled after she needed surgery + antibiotics for subsequent infections. So that's the only thing that might worry me, not being able to take care of them in their greatest hour of need, so to speak.

BTW, I'm a college student doing a triple major, so I also find the time somewhere!

haha! you and i are somewhat alike !

 

[Olimpia]

haha! you and i are somewhat alike !

Lol NERDS!

 

[okiroo]

the vet part is going to suck, because i know for a fact there are no exotic vets around here :/ only ones for normal animals, small animals, and livestock...but i suppose if i keep the cham as healthy as possible, the need for a vet will be reduced..ive been doing research on keeping chams for a couple months now...i know the risks, how to avoid them, keeping them happy, stuff like that...if only i could sell my bass guitar, then id enough money to jumpstart me on setting up for one -.-

get a job or save up untill u have enough.

 

[okiroo]

Lol NERDS!

awh im not a nerd ^^ i just want lots of money cuz i know my boyfriends going to be a farmer or something... darn him. lol!

 

[amanda509]

get a job or save up untill u have enough.

i have a job, its just i have a truck, and i dont have enough for a trade in or anything, so gas is kind of expensive, and the insurance is more expensive for a truck...and then theres my horse, although my mom pays for board, i pay for vet, farrier, and everything else...gah! -.-

 

[jake01]

I agree with Oli. Besides the initial cost of animal, caging, watering system, etc, it's not that bad, and it's the vet bills that you really need to worry about having a few hundred in reserve for (for one cham). Recently I had my veiled's fecal checked and he had coccidia. Cost me $20 for the fecal, $50 for the examination, and $70 for the medication.

 

[okiroo]

i have a job, its just i have a truck, and i dont have enough for a trade in or anything, so gas is kind of expensive, and the insurance is more expensive for a truck...and then theres my horse, although my mom pays for board, i pay for vet, farrier, and everything else...gah! -.-

thats why i got a kia, lol. wow well isnt a horse enough for now? mabey get a little hamster or something for your room untill you can afford the time and commitment of a chameleon. if you REALLY want one now than ask for it for its supplies as an x-mas present than have money saves for the cham + possible vet bills?

 

[amanda509]

thats why i got a kia, lol. wow well isnt a horse enough for now? mabey get a little hamster or something for your room untill you can afford the time and commitment of a chameleon. if you REALLY want one now than ask for it for its supplies as an x-mas present than have money saves for the cham + possible vet bills?

haha, my horse is deff enough, but central pa weather is pretty harsh sometimes and its impossible to see her...makes me sorta lonely lol. im not a big hamster fan, i like reptiles lol. as mean as it sounds, id rather feed the hamster to a snake or something, but moms orders: no snakes, terantulas, or scorpions -.-

my parents dont give gifts for christmas, i have 3 siblings, and we get about $200 each, which is plenty. ill have to set that aside. the main thing im worried about is i want a male jackson's cham...i only found one site that has them for $75 and im afraid they will be sold out :/ ive looked everywhere else, and they cost so much everywhere else or are sold out

 

[okiroo]

haha, my horse is deff enough, but central pa weather is pretty harsh sometimes and its impossible to see her...makes me sorta lonely lol. im not a big hamster fan, i like reptiles lol. as mean as it sounds, id rather feed the hamster to a snake or something, but moms orders: no snakes, terantulas, or scorpions -.-

my parents dont give gifts for christmas, i have 3 siblings, and we get about $200 each, which is plenty. ill have to set that aside. the main thing im worried about is i want a male jackson's cham...i only found one site that has them for $75 and im afraid they will be sold out :/ ive looked everywhere else, and they cost so much everywhere else or are sold out

jacksons really dont cost to much and are one of the more "common" chams. i dont think they will sell out. people here have babies atm and will proball ship. after xmas and all the cold i bet you could get one ^^

 

[amanda509]

jacksons really dont cost to much and are one of the more "common" chams. i dont think they will sell out. people here have babies atm and will proball ship. after xmas and all the cold i bet you could get one ^^

i hope so ^.^ jackson's are like little dinsosaurs...and i really love dinosaurs <3

 

[emilybier]

I'll just say, they are worth waiting for. It is really nerve-wracking to own an animal, even if you have wanted it all of your life, and not be able to afford vet bills in an emergency. To me, it was better to wait until I could be completely comfortable and that took waiting to move out of my parents house, almost being done with college, and having a job. You don't want to get too attached and then have to give it up either. I had to rehome my geckos for financial reasons and it was really heartbreaking. It is best to prevent that if you can. My advice from experience.

 

[Eltortu]

just had a realization, ive admired chameleons my entire life, and now my mom finally gives me the go to get one, and i realize that im not sure if i have enough money or time to keep it. i want one soo badly, but i dont think id be able to keep up with the feeders, if it wasnt for them, id have a chameleon in a heartbeat. i barely have enough time for my horse with the cold weather and me working nonstop, let alone the fact i wont be able to afford her board when my mom stops paying it when i turn 18 in march...are school and work the only things i have to look forward to in life? horses and chameleons make me very happy, and without them...ugh. :/

-i apologize for the rant, but it needed out. now that i was accepted into an after highschool tech school, my parents dont care about anything else.

the vet part is going to suck, because i know for a fact there are no exotic vets around here :/ only ones for normal animals, small animals, and livestock...but i suppose if i keep the cham as healthy as possible, the need for a vet will be reduced..ive been doing research on keeping chams for a couple months now...i know the risks, how to avoid them, keeping them happy, stuff like that...if only i could sell my bass guitar, then id enough money to jumpstart me on setting up for one -.-

i have a job, its just i have a truck, and i dont have enough for a trade in or anything, so gas is kind of expensive, and the insurance is more expensive for a truck...and then theres my horse, although my mom pays for board, i pay for vet, farrier, and everything else...gah! -.-

Get a pet plant.

 

[amanda509]

Get a pet plant.

i already have one, a lonely pothos wanting a loving chameleon to climb on it

 

[okiroo]

i already have one, a lonely pothos wanting a loving chameleon to climb on it

lol trim it and put the trimmings in water and make lots of pothos so it wont be lonely? ^^

 

[heartben]

i wrote out a lot more but i dont want to pretend like i fully understand your situation - i did however want to suggest considering selling your horse, from what i gathered it sounds like you probably wont be able to afford to keep it anyways?

i dont know what your horse is worth but if its a decent chunk, you could even try to sell your truck and then spend that + some of the horse money to get a car - then perhaps your insurance will be cheaper and gas mileage will be better... and you might have money left over for a cham and set up and all that stuff.

of course if you just absolutely love your horse and cant get rid of it then it sounds like you have another situation to deal with coming up.