Reptile & Amphibian Forums

And they were soooo cute! I've never seen such an apealing lizard! Adorable! I have a good sized 40 gallon and was looking for something new to occupy it. But I need to know some very important information before I start getting past interested in this creature. Would anyone answer my questions? Or point me in a website that will?

Now is even a 40 gallon enough room for him?
How much maintance is required?
Heat lamps/temperture/anything else?
What do they eat?
Do's and don'ts?
Do they take well to being held a lot?
Special needs?
How long do they live?
How big do they get?

thanks so much!

We all agree with you. Chams are one of the most engaging of all the lizard species. However, you didn't tell us what kind of cham it is. Husbandry can differ a bit with each variety. Go to www.adcham.com - lots of good info there, also see www.chamleonnews.com.

Marilyn

www.adcham.com/images/images-species/Babyphotosection/bradypodionfischfisch.JPG

B. fischeri fischeri

It COULD be that one. Thats the closest picture I could find. I could be completly wrong though

He was completly green.The little guy was pretty small...about 2 inches long without his tail. His ribs showed through but than again I did find him in a pet store. He was walking in the weirdest way, he looked like he was dancing. My boyfriend called him a "tard" but I was captivated

So I'm thinking my 40 gallon is too small for him? The other guy said if he grows past 7 inches he should be in a screen cage. I've seen "fold up" screen cages that come all packed together. I'm guessing thats what hes talking about.

Also, do these lizards like to be handled a lot?

Dont buy this lizard until you have found out what species and understood its care to the limit. Ready about them, do at least a months research. If it is B. fischerii, this is an advanced chameleon to keep especcially to someone who has never kept chameleons before let alone only just seen one in a shop before. I'm not having a go, im just saying think before you do something stupid.

>>www.adcham.com/images/images-species/Babyphotosection/bradypodionfischfisch.JPG
>>
>>B. fischeri fischeri
>>
>>It COULD be that one. Thats the closest picture I could find. I could be completly wrong though
>>
>>He was completly green.The little guy was pretty small...about 2 inches long without his tail. His ribs showed through but than again I did find him in a pet store. He was walking in the weirdest way, he looked like he was dancing. My boyfriend called him a "tard" but I was captivated
>>
>>So I'm thinking my 40 gallon is too small for him? The other guy said if he grows past 7 inches he should be in a screen cage. I've seen "fold up" screen cages that come all packed together. I'm guessing thats what hes talking about.
>>
>>Also, do these lizards like to be handled a lot?
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-Jamie Whitehouse
-corn_snake_123@msn.com
-formally known as corn_snake_123

I will bet a dime to a dollar from the pic you linked to that it was just a baby veild chameleon. There is a pic I found of a baby veild. Is that the one you saw? they are the most readily availible chameleons, and also one of the heartiest. Also, there are new incandescent UV bulbs (made by T-Rex and a bunch of other companies) that have less heat and a re probably less expensive than a mercury vapor. They also make flourescents that emit high UVa and UVb, but they cost an arm and a leg and should be replaced every 6 months.

Find out what species of chameleon is he. Second of all, how big is it? Since he is probably a veiled chameleon (the most common ones available), you will have to provide UVA and UVB for its well being. Get a mercury vapor bulb, or a bulb made by zoomed, I think a 2.0. You also have to get him water and since chameleons lick the water off leaves, you will have to get him either a handheld sprayer and a dripping system, or a mister and a dripper (I think). You also have to get him some kind of supplement, like Miner-all-I and Reptivite. If he is bigger than 7 inches, get him a screen cage, because you cannot house the chameleon in an aquarium all his life, he will most likely get URI and fungal/bacterial infections, which are very bad for your cham. Feed him crickets, silkworms, superworms, and wildcaught insects such as grasshoppers, moths, etc....(always making sure that their free of pesticides). Mist Three times a day, feed him twice a day, supplementing every day. Let him eat as much as he can. Good luck!!!

Anthony

PS: Rememeber to gutload crix and other food items with rich greens, fruit and good grain, which will be good for the insects and your cham.

dont wanna be a party pooper or anything but the uv minimum is 5.0 not 2.0

>>Find out what species of chameleon is he. Second of all, how big is it? Since he is probably a veiled chameleon (the most common ones available), you will have to provide UVA and UVB for its well being. Get a mercury vapor bulb, or a bulb made by zoomed, I think a 2.0. You also have to get him water and since chameleons lick the water off leaves, you will have to get him either a handheld sprayer and a dripping system, or a mister and a dripper (I think). You also have to get him some kind of supplement, like Miner-all-I and Reptivite. If he is bigger than 7 inches, get him a screen cage, because you cannot house the chameleon in an aquarium all his life, he will most likely get URI and fungal/bacterial infections, which are very bad for your cham. Feed him crickets, silkworms, superworms, and wildcaught insects such as grasshoppers, moths, etc....(always making sure that their free of pesticides). Mist Three times a day, feed him twice a day, supplementing every day. Let him eat as much as he can. Good luck!!!
>>
>>Anthony
>>
>>PS: Rememeber to gutload crix and other food items with rich greens, fruit and good grain, which will be good for the insects and your cham.
-----
-Jamie Whitehouse
-corn_snake_123@msn.com
-formally known as corn_snake_123

Find out what species of chameleon is he. Second of all, how big is it? Since he is probably a veiled chameleon (the most common ones available), you will have to provide UVA and UVB for its well being. Get a mercury vapor bulb, or a bulb made by zoomed, I think a 2.0. You also have to get him water and since chameleons lick the water off leaves, you will have to get him either a handheld sprayer and a dripping system, or a mister and a dripper (I think). You also have to get him some kind of supplement, like Miner-all-I and Reptivite. If he is bigger than 7 inches, get him a screen cage, because you cannot house the chameleon in an aquarium all his life, he will most likely get URI and fungal/bacterial infections, which are very bad for your cham. Feed him crickets, silkworms, superworms, and wildcaught insects such as grasshoppers, moths, etc....(always making sure that their free of pesticides). Mist Three times a day, feed him twice a day, supplementing every day. Let him eat as much as he can. Good luck!!!

Anthony

PS: Rememeber to gutload crix and other food items with rich greens, fruit and good grain, which will be good for the insects and your cham.

They do NOT like to be handled and it is generally not a good idea to do - it stresses them. Granted there are some chams that don't mind being handled but that is their own individual temperament. The only time my cham is touched is when I have to redo his mesh cage - he hates it. Also, remember that chams are quite capable of biting the stew out of you and, depending on their size it could be quite a nasty bite. Looks like you are doing your homework and that is great to see. So often chams are an impulse purchase and turn out to have short miserable lives. Try a veiled for your first chameleon but only after you have read everything you can get your hands on about them.

Good Luck!
Marilyn

Hi-

I am not going to answer your questions here because all your questions can be answered on my website. Just click one of the pics bellow. Hope this helps!
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John @ Chameleon Paradise
1.1 Ambilobe Panthers
1.1 Nosy Be Panthers
1.1 Sambava Panthers
1.2 Rhampholeon uluguruensis

John, of Chameleon Paradise, has a lot of good info on his site. He also checks into this forum frequently. here's his Do's and Don'ts link: http://groups.msn.com/ChameleonParadise/dodontlist.msnw[/url]

Other excellent sites are AdCham: www.adcham.com/

Chameleon News www.chameleonnews.com/

Kammerflage Kreations (very reputable breeders) have tons of info, lots of photos, cage setup info, books - all sorts of stuff on a very pleasant web site (in my opinion one of the best)
www.calumma.com/

And "Getting Started" at Chamelon Journals: www.chameleonjournals.com/faq/index.html

Be sure you understand the time, money and ethical committment you make once you acquire one of these cool creatures. I'm glad you didn't do an impulse buy!

You mentioned him walking funny - dancing. This could have been the normal behaviour of blending in and they seem to move in odd ways OR it could have been the beginnings of MBD (Metaboilic Bone Disease) home.att.net/~chameleons/dec2000pg3.html

hope this helps and please take ALL the advice so far given
lele

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