Reptile & Amphibian Forums

does any one know if i can keep a baby retf and a baby veiled chameleon in a 12x12x18 coustom exo terra tank (the reall tall one)this one pet shop owner has had a vieled chameleon a day geko awhites tree frog and a retf togeter for six years.and i also would like to know if there are any other herps i can keepwith my retf when it gets biggerand id appreciate it if any one showed picks of retf and its casa

I'm of the opinion of not mixing species. If you can set up the tank ideally for one species, its much better! (say then setting up a little here for this one, a little there for that one) ALso, toxicity could be a problem. While frogs of one species don't harm each other, frogs of different species could harm or kill because of their toxins. A chameleon will get much larger than the red eye, and while I don't think it will consider the frog as a treat, you may not want to take that chance. Aside from that, Chameleons do best in the net cages, I can't remember the exact term, but they need the ventilation, and red eyes need the humidity. Research the needs of both creatures before sticking them in together. (like a chameleon will only drink from a moving water source)

As for your pet shop dude, if he's got it to work, good for him. He probably has a large tank, larger than a ten gallon anyways.

Mixing sounds like a great idea, when you think of the variety you can have in the tank, but really, its more trouble than its worth. You're constantly having to make sure the conditions for each herp is met, dealing with aggressive animals could be a problem too. You could stress out one species enough for it to stop eating or being active. There are just too many things that could go wrong.
-----
I think my frog owns a megaphone....

It is generally not a good idea to keep different species in the same enclosure together, especially one so small.

This is particularly true with amphibians, as they absorb oxygen and water through their skin and as such are very sensitive to their environment. Many species also secrete toxins from their skins that may harm the other inhabitants.

Another reason not to keep 'em together: Frogs are carnivorous, and it is not unusual for a frog to eat a smaller frog, especially if it is another species.

Also, many of these animals are native to different parts of the world from each other, and therefore their ideal environments cannot be duplicated within the same tank. They may require different humidity, diet, substrate, heat, etc.

Your animals will thrive if they are kept in separate enclosures, especially if they are sized appropriately and given the correct habitat and diet. Good luck-do LOTS of research before you get any animals, make sure you have everything they need and their tank has been set up for a few weeks so the specs are right, and have fun, you'll do well!

I'm an idiot, did not see previous post, sorry for the redundancy-I think we were typing at the same time, lol!

Just an FYI the Exoterra you have is the 2nd size of 4, they come in 12x12x 12 or 18tall, 18x18x 18 or 24 tall. So I would definitely not put more than 3 RETFs in there. Plant it up with some nice big leafy plants and they'll be quite happy.

veiled chameleons get stressed from seeing their own reflection if you house them in an aquarium tank. I don't think it is a good idea to keep a frog that gets a decent size and a fragile chameleon in such small quarters let alone at all. It is not a good idea even if you had a big tank. You're also dealing with the fact that Veiled Chameleons are from the middle east and RETFs are from South America. Two different species from two different continents in the same tank is a bad idea.