Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hey everybody. i think im confused. i want to get a quad, i know the care and everything, but some people are saying im not ready. ive had 7 months experience with reps( im only 13 ). ive had one cham., one monitor, 3 beardies, and an iguana. all were near adult size... do you guys think im ready for a quad?thanks i just want some opinions.

Quads are high humdity cool temp chams, and setups for such species can be tricky to set up and maintain. Rather than count the months you have kept herps, think more about what TYPES of herps you've kept. Nothing remotely like a quad. Depending on where you live and the climate you can get in your house, a quad will be technically a challenge. You will have to have a reliable way to keep 70-80% humidity in a large screen enclosure (solid sided cages don't often work well for chams), be able to provide cool (low 60s) temps every night regardless of season, and need to be knowledgeable about UV lighting and gutloading for diurnal carnivorous lizards. It's a big learning curve for anyone regardless of age or length of time keeping herps. Chams are really not like other herps. Their setups and diet take a lot of daily attention, so if you are not someone who likes fussing around with humidifiers, misters, special lighting, gutloading lots of insects, cleaning and taking care of live plants, etc. a cham will not be all that rewarding. On top of all that, your cham won't appreciate all your work and will resent handling. They are really a "look but don't touch" animal. I don't mean to discourage you, just to give you a heads up on how involved a species like a quad would be. There are some breeders for quads but they won't be easy to find. Stay away from any who are imported. The dehydration stress and parasite loads can cause a lot of trouble. Be sure you have an experienced vet BEFORE you need one...chances are you will. There isn't a lot written about care for quads, but you should get one of Peter Necas' books on chams. Excellent information that can get you started. Some of the older cham care books are outdated so check the publication dates. Check Kammerflage Kreations website for good books.