your level of love for your chameleon

ataraxia

Avid Member
i would like to see the level of care and love that many treat there chameleons with.

do you just water and feed?

do you care for your animal but its just an animal and can be replaced?

do you love your chameleon as if it were your own child and cant be replaced?

do you also think that care and love go together? basically meaning, do you think someone that loves a chameleon as per say like one of there own is cared for as well as a chameleon that someone may think its just another animal in a cage?

if you are buying from someone. would you rather buy from someone that cares for chameleons like they are another human or would you rather buy from someone that just puts them in the cage and are treated as such?
 
Last edited:
tricky question, i love all my animals alot they kinda are my kids as i do not have any...
that said it needs to be remembered that they are animals and hunanizing them to too much of a degree is not benificial to keeper or the pet.
however they are all spoiled

just my 2 cents
hoj
 
I love my pets, so frigin much. I have 6 cats (although, in all actuality, only 1 is mine, the other 5 are my roommates) and my chameleon. My cat is treated like my daughter. She gets pampered and loved and adored and pet and played with. However, with a chameleon, you can't exactly feed him catnip and watch him get all stoned. But I love him just the same, but in a completely different way. I can't play with him, I can't really just pick him up and pet him and cuddle, but I do treat him like a son. He gets babytalked, he gets to cruise with me when I go outside (he loovvvees that hibiscus bush out there) and he gets so much love from me and my friends. They call me "Chameleon Girl" because I talk about him so much.

And yes, I do have a picture of him in my wallet - and of my cat. I am one of *those* pet owners.

I do call my cat and my chameleon "siblings" because I am their mommy. So when my cat gets jealous while I'm outside (she sits at the window and meows until I come in), I tell her to relax, that her brother is having some sun.

regarding care and love - I think they are seperate. Ever seen the animal hoarders show? These people LOVE their animals...but they can't care for them. If I buy from someone, I'd prefer to have them treat their pets the same way or similar to me. That's why I bought from Lance. He and I were discussing our husbandry tactics and we both agreed on so many points (natural hunting VS cup feeding or hand feeding, letting the chameleon be a chameleon, etc etc) and we had very similar schedules of feeding/misting/supplements etc. That's what made me pick Lance over any of the other breeders.
 
i LOVE my chams. my boyfriend calls them his daughters and tells them goodnight over the phone. i spend all kind of money to spoil them and i do my very best to keep them healthy and happy. The people at work call them my kids aswell ^^. not becuz im wierd but becuz i think animals should be cared for and loved, otherwise what the point? but it makes it so hard when you lose one :/.

---oh and i dont care how the people i buy from are. if they handle right and take gr8 care than what does it matter if they love the animal? long as they treat it right and when the animals get to me its in gr8 health and sent right
 
I love my Lizards, always have, from that first little Green Anole when I was 13. It's a different kind of love from how it was then, it's got a lot less anthropomorphic - though even as a kid I never really treated them like they were people :)
They are all irreplaceable though, they might not be people, but they are individuals.
Loving and caring for properly are linked, but as mentioned they are not necessarily the same thing. I would buy an animal from either kind of breeder, unless I thought there was something so wrong with they way they were doing things that it was likely to cause health problems.
 
Well, I think you know just how I feel about my chameleons. I do WAY more than water and feed. My animals are my life and I love them dearly.

They are not replaceable and yes I love them just like they were my little children. I treat them like little kings and queens. Anything that I care for I love and the chameleons bring me great pleasure in caring for them.

I think that if you don’t ever take your cham out of its cage and interact with it then you don’t care very much for the animal.

If I were in the market to buy I’d buy from an individual that had been hands on with their babies so it would fit into my way of keeping chameleons.
 
Last edited:
Who you buy from and how the treat their animals to me is step one in the rest of that animals life... We hear to many horror stories of huge pet stores industrializing the sale of these creatures and in a way you can never guarantee me that a cham purchased from petsmart or petland will EVER live like a cham who from hatch was shown the utmost care... But it doesn't only go for big names... There are those out there in it for the money, who will do anything to make money off these guys and throw all care to the wind and it truly disgusts me.... I would much rather get my cham from someone who is doing it truly out of the interest and fun of it... And for those who have known me since I started, there is no limit to what I will do for my chams... Even though I had to let one go recently (He remains with Reptoman so fear not ;) ) Stanley and Herbie while he was still with us, received every bit of pampering they could receive... And having only one I was able to give him a permanent home that can be seen in the other thread... I love my cham and I couldn't imagine what I would be doing if I wasn't watching him, feeding him, holding him, or searching through the enclosures thread to find new cool things I can offer him... I have opened my home to multitudes of insects almost causing me my fiance (she is NO fan of anything with more than two legs that doesn't have fur) and I have taken every bit of free time I have to give them the perfect life....

Chams are truly one of the greatest animals on earth and if you truly want to understand and learn from these magnificent animals I couldn't imagine giving them anything LESS than their natural habitat with TONS of sweet extras haha...

That isn't to say that my fat, pudgy, little rabbit doesn't get just as much love... He is like my son, that chews, poops, and creeps everyone out when he sleeps with his eyes open... He lives in a three story bunny MANSION that I hand built for him.... These animals we call our own should be nothing less than an extension of our family... Like greedy little furry or scaley children....

Just my thoughts on animal ownership
 
Just water and feed? If only it were so easy!!!

So that my chameleons have a healthy diet I not only spend a bunch of money on feeders, I also buy fresh fruits and veggies for them. I spend more time chopping veggies to feed to bugs than I do cooking for me and my hubby!

Most of my living room is now a melleri free range - I actually yelled at my daughter last time she was visiting to not look directly at one of the melleri as he/she doesn't like strangers.

I take pictures of them on my cell phone to send to my hubby while he is at work, I call him to discuss who is eating or pooping or which one did something cute ....

I created a facebook for my chameleons!! Well, it's for me to show them off - they aren't really internet savvy ;-)

I have some small furry caged critters too. They are treated just as well. I think all pets deserve to be treated well and have proper (spacious) housing, good food, vet visits as necessary, attention and love. I have had to find new homes for chameleons and other pets when I felt I could not give them what they needed. It's not fun to do that but part of loving them is knowing they will be better off for it.
 
My chameleon (hopefully chameleonS in the future) is, I expect, the closest thing I will ever have to a son. I love him and talk about him every chance I get. No chameleon or other animal is replaceable to me. While there are some general behaviors to expect from any given species, each individual is nonetheless somehow a bit different from the others.

I am aware that chameleons are not humans, but I still like to talk to him and to give him attention when he wanders nearby and seems to like it. Personally, I feel closer to most animals than I do to most people, and as such I enjoy their company and doing what I must to fulfill their needs. To me, it is fun to go get the gutload ingredients and mix them together. I would even venture to say it's fun to try out new feeders. My only other animal at the moment is a Russian hamster, who is tiny even for his species but lives in a three-story cage that my friends like to call his "townhouse". I enjoy spoiling my animals by way of their living space rather than by way of treats.

Love and care should ideally match up, but it is not always the case, as others have pointed out. Passion, obsession, and compulsion are three different love responses. Obsession and compulsion are pretty dangerous to both keepers and animals

As far as from whom I would buy a chameleon, I would say the same as Jann. I would like to know that some handling had been done with the chameleon in addition to proper care. However, knowing me, I might just as easily end up getting a chameleon that I feel sorry for due to neglect or abuse.

Edit: I thought I'd add that I have no issues with grumpy animals. Napoleon is pretty grumpy himself. :p
 
Last edited:
whats love got todo with it?:p


anyway i consider my chams very close but i see for what they are and admire for what they are

i dont have to talk to them to like thhem, i dont have to be social/handle them to like them. thy dont have to bbe mean or hard to care for, for me to like them. they dont have to do anything but themselves as animals for me to truly like them....reptiles to me arent pets, when i yhink of a pet, its when you actaully 'pet' them like a cat/dog

i just feed/ water/ clean and watch them, on occasion take them out for some cool mist on a tree but nothing more
 
do you love your chameleon as if it were your own child and cant be replaced?]

Hmmm.....to love a cham as if I would love my child and cant be replaced.......no....its a lizard. Anyone that has/had a human child would know that a baby and your emotions/physical attachment to him/her is nothing like an attachment to a lizard.

Everyone of my chams has touched my heart and has a special place...I do believe that love and care go together....but at the end of the day its a lizard and needs to be and act like a lizard.

My chams and my chams I have had in the past are a huge part of my life and I am the type of person that if I take them on then they are my responsibilty and I will care and take care of their needs...whatever it takes and the cost.

They are not a disposable/replaceable BUT I dont kiss them, hug them, wrap them up in blankets and talk silly lovey dovey talk to them as it means nothing to them...as at the end of the day it only means something to me.

hat is why have a dog and a horse so their tails wag or they blow horsey breath all over me in understanding :) We wont got here. Horsey/doggy people will understand :)

I love chams for what they are and I would not think anything of a midnight emergency vet visit or a few hundred dollars vet bills or what ever it took
to get them back to 100% health BUT honeslty they are not human and I dont put my human ways upon them. I respect them for what they are....chameleons.

BUT....anyone looking to buy a cham should be looking at a breeder with similar values...would you buy a puppy from a filthy puppy mill and expect no health issues.....no......so buy from the best. My next purchase will come from a sponsor here and I know that they think of it a a cham and treat it as such. My only concern is that its healthy and has been treated 100% right.
 
Ummmm let's see......
I water and feed..... Then check to see if they look:D then take them outside if weather permits..... Then decide to move cross country so weather will permit more frequently, drive for an hour to get them a new plant or hornworm if I am out and don't think they want to wait for the mail.... Have more photos of them on my phone then anything else.... Not even going to mention the groceries or bugs that I have allowed to live rent free ( which I also cater to btw ) call it what you will..... Love, passion, obsession or just plain insanity... It is what it is. And as far as who I buy from, it depends on how old the chameleon is. If I am buying a baby it doesn't matter to much as long as they are in good health. If purchasing an adult I like to know the chameleon was "highly regarded".
 
well, if the answer is how much time you spend worrying about them, I would seem to love my crickets more than my chameleons....

However, they are pets, so they rank below the humans, as I think they should.

My "evacuation plans" include all the animals living in the house (which includes the chameleons, who actually have most of a car to themselves in the plan) and hopefully the fish living in the fake pond outside....heck, even the crickets have a place in the plan.

I don't know if it's a measure of "love" as much as it's a commitment. If I take a living thing into my care, I do the best I can to care for it.

Sometimes that does mean just leaving it alone. That's very often the case for the chameleons. I empty their catch water, I put feeders in, I set up the dripper, I mist....I don't cuddle, pet or otherwise "love" my chameleons.

It doesn't mean I don't value them highly and wouldn't do what I needed to do to keep them healthy or safe.
 
My chameleons are awesome! and I do my best to learn a little more each day.I get excited each time an egg hatchs.And I spend most of my spare time with my collection.Botton line... My labador and golden doodle show love! somthing a reptile is not able to do... There nothing like walking in the front door after work and theres my yellow girls happy to see me:D
 

Attachments

  • DSC_0190.jpg
    DSC_0190.jpg
    264 KB · Views: 111
Interesting questioned but no matter how you look at it anyone who cares about their Cham or chams don't look at them as an object in a cage. I look at my Cham everyday an think what an amazing creature he is. He is growing fast and developing some incredible coloring. Cham are not just like any other reptile you put in a cage in the corner of a room. Anyone who owns a Cham knows the extent of care they take when owning one so most people who do have a passion for them. I feel as if I care for my Cham equal if not better than my two English bulldogs. I love them too death and they are just the sweetest thing ever but at times my Cham is just sooo much better. My Cham can't really get out of control and run around the house eating anything in it's way. So all in all imwud say anyone who has a Cham really care about their pet like they wud with any other type of animal.
 
I totally agree with panthercham . Being a mom to 3 girls , 3 cats, a dog ,2 turtles, and now Veiled Cham.I would have to say the love is not the same as my human kids or the same as my extremly interactive pets but it is there and strong ( even after these short days of having him) But i think it is more love/respect i have for him. He is very different and will get all the top care and treats and living conditions and apparently handling as he seems to really like to be held LOL
I would not buy from a "Mill" i would look in to breeders that are known and go from there although i am known to rescue animal babies from pet shops LOL
 
I just water, feed and its just another animal in a cage. I dont love my chams like another human being at all because they arent human beings!!! Chameleons are solitary animals that in nature do not give a shit about us and really dont care when they sit in our cages. This is one reason I love them so much. I dont have to bring them out, pet them and show them affection.

Do you really think people like Screameleons and the Kammers treat every tiny little baby like it was a human baby? I think not.

Love, Chameleonforums.com Hater Police Chief:D
 
We love and adore our chameleon as we do all our other pets. We don't have children so our pets are our children and we do whatever is needed to take the very best care of them. Would definitely handle my cham more but he is a veiled and we rescued him and he is not very friendly so we feel that we love him more by leaving him alone. Obviously we feed and water and clean and spray and give him what he needs when he needs it but he is there for us to look at and admire more than to hold and play with. I would really like to get another cham but I want a baby that I can hand rear and tame so to speak. But as vulnerable and sensitive to stress as chams are, not to mention anti-social, should we really be interacting with them and handling them? Sure, some may seem friendly but honestly I think they simply tolerate us to a certain degree.
 
to be totally honest..i love my chams like children since they are important to me in my life..they bring me smiles, and obviously they love me back..

I cant stand children and will NEVER have a child..so these ARE my children and i treat them as such

i personally would rather purchase a cham off of another chameleon lover rather than purchase one from a breeder thats only in it for the quick buck..

just IMHO

p.s. i really am not a fan of kids, so my animals really are my lil carpet rats!! lol
 
to be totally honest..i love my chams like children since they are important to me in my life..they bring me smiles, and obviously they love me back..

I cant stand children and will NEVER have a child..so these ARE my children and i treat them as such

i personally would rather purchase a cham off of another chameleon lover rather than purchase one from a breeder thats only in it for the quick buck..

just IMHO

p.s. i really am not a fan of kids, so my animals really are my lil carpet rats!! lol

LOL! I am totally the same way. I really don't care for children and will never have one either. Everyone tells me things like "it's different when it's your own" and "you will change your mind." Well, I've been dead set on not having kids since I was 16 - and it's been ten years. I doubt my mind will change. I am sure it's different when it's your own...but I don't want any of my own.
 
Back
Top Bottom