Re: Thinking About a Chameleon

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Posted by charm_paradise on April 10, 2003 at 21:12:04:

In Reply to: Thinking About a Chameleon posted by HerperBoy on April 10, 2003 at 20:51:30:

Hi- Chameleons can not be housed together, and dont let anyone tell you they can! I will post the 5 most common asked questions for the new guy!

5 Most Common Asked Questions

What chameleon is best for the new guy?

The chameleon recommended for the new guy would be a Veild or panther chameleon. They are very hearty for a chameleon but not a walk in the park. Both can handle swings in temperature and humidity for a short period of time. Veild chameleons are the most widely available chameleon and the cheapest. The panther chameleons cost a lot more but give you a much more colorful chameleon and a lot more colors to choose from. Veilds come from Yemen, which is in an arid/sub tropical desert environment. They require a higher temperature and lower humidity. Panthers come from Madagascar which is a tropical region and like a slightly lower temperature and much higher humidity. Both are available as CB (captive breed) and the panthers are available as WC (wild caught). You want to get CB chameleon, as they are raised in captivity and adapt much easier.

What kind of cage do I need for a chameleon?

Chameleons need to be housed in an all screen cage. Do not keep chameleons in all glass aquariums. Glass tanks cause many problems for chameleon. Since they are made of glass which is reflective, and the chameleon can see its reflection, this causes stress. The glass also doesn�t allow for airflow, this causes stagnant air and high heat and humidity which leads to URI (upper respiratory infection). The glass also causes burns from the heat lamp warming the cage. Also the glass grows bad bacteria and all these problems cause constant stress and disease which leads to the death in no time at all. You will need in an all screen cage that is at least 24in. L x 24in.W x 48in. H ( L.= length, W.= width, H.= height ) for a full grown of adult Veild or panther chameleon.

What type of lighting and heating do I need?

There are two different ways of lighting and heating a chameleon cage. The first way is the older proven way, which is with a UVB fluorescent bulb and a 100w basking bulb. This way you will need a Zoomed Repti-Sun 5.0 fluorescent UVB bulb and a fluorescent fixture to fit the bulb. Then you will also need a 100w basking bulb (you can use a bulb that puts off visible light or a ceramic bulb that does not put off visible light. The difference is the visible light doesn�t last very long and will need to be replaced about every three to four months and costs less. The ceramic bulb which last over one year, cost more, but lasts longer. ) and one, 8.5 inch dome reflector with a ceramic socket. The second way is with a 100w mercury vapor bulb which combines both UVB & UVA and heat in one bulb. (I use the mercury vapor bulbs on all my cages.) You would use a Zoomed Power Sun or Big Apple Capture The Sun bulb (U.S. only). I do not recommend the T-rex Active UV bulbs because they don�t last long. The mercury vapor bulbs have a one year warranty and produce a much better UVB light that can penetrate up to 6ft. These bulbs are a newer way of lighting and heating a cage, and so far have worked great for me. You will save money by combining the two in one, and on the light fixtures. You only need one 10in. dome reflector with a porcelain socket.

What do I feed my chameleon and how do I give it water?

Chameleons eat insects as their main diet, some will eat plant matter. The most widely available insects are crickets, meal worms, wax worms, and super worms. The only one of those that is good for a staple diet would be crickets; all the others are good only as treats. Another insect that is good as a staple diet is the silk worms. They are the best staple diet, but require special food and needs so most people don�t use them until they are in season ( available at your local pet shop ). You can buy them year round online at www.mulberryfarms.com . Before feeding insects to your chameleon you need to gut load, and crickets are easily gut loaded with commercially available foods like Fluker�s cricket feed. You will also need to get the vitamin/calcium supplements (dust) to dust the insects you feed to your chameleon. Depending on the age of the chameleon depends on how often you dust the insects; follow the directions on the bottle. For water, chameleons do not drink from bowls; they lick water droplets from leaves. You will need a dripper or an automatic mister. The drippers are a plastic jug that has a control valve that allows you to control the number of drops released. The dripper will need to be refilled every day with new water, and a small bowl will need to be placed on the bottom of the cage to collect access water from the dripper. The dripper should be placed so it drips on the leaves of the plants in the cage. The automatic mister is a complete misting set up and runs off a programmable timer. There is a 5gal. reservoir that the pump connects to and turns on by the timer settings. You can hook multiple cages up to a misting system. You will also need a hand spray bottle if you use a dripper and will need to mist the cage at least three times per day.

What do I put inside the cage?

You will want to use a combination of live plants and vines. The plants that are nontoxic to reptiles can be found on my website. The most common plants used are Ficus trees, Ploth plants which are more like a vine, and Umbrella trees. Just make sure the plants you buy are on the nontoxic plant list. Bio Vines by Exo-Terra are good for making walking places from tree to tree or from side to side in the cage. I like to use them in the top of the cage to allow the chameleon to get right under his or her basking lamp. You can use small black plastic UV resistant zip ties to secure the vines to the screen on the cage. The Bio Vines come in three different sizes (thickness) and in 6ft. sections.

Hope this helps! Click on the banner below for more info and links to other websites for info.

John

::I have lots over other herps but never a chameleon.
::I want to get a pair of Veileds.
::I would like to learn as much as possible so could anyone answer all the basic questions and if i can house them together if not how big cage for just 1
:Thanks In Advance
: HerperBoy

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