Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've never had a chameleon, but pygmys are adorable. Are Rieppeleon brevicaudatus an okay beginner species? I'm thinking about getting 1.1. I've got other lizards already, so I'm not completely new to reptiles. I keep hearing that people should start with veiled chams, but I don't have enough room for a large cage for an adult.

I'd really like to get CB, but I've only seen really young babies for sale. How difficult are they to care for when they're about 2 to 4 months old? Is there a good time of year to try to buy adults?

Would a 10 gallon tank be too big for them when they're really young if I fed them in a smaller container? I read that I can keep them in a 10 to 20 gallon terrarium if I monitor the humidity closely. Would I be better off with a half-glass half-mesh tank?

Any suggestions?
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.1.1 leopard geckos
1.1.2 crested geckos
..1 mali uro

I don't think they are a good beginner species for several reasons. Almost all will be wc, and very difficult to treat for illnesses, injuries, or parasites. Also, collectors tend to find the larger individuals which may be old. They only live about 2 years, so an animal you get may not be around very long. Their humidity and temp requirements can be tricky to get right and by the time they show health problems they are almost gone. We know little about their nutrition and other requirements and we have a very limited variety of feeders small enough for them. It is easy to overdose dusts for such a small animal. You don't see many if any cbb because few breeders work with them. The general idea that veileds are better beginner chams is true. They are much more forgiving of mistakes.

Just in case you haven't seen these sites, there are articles and info on keeping pygmy chams that may help you too.

Kammerflage Kreations

www.adcham.com
www.chameleonnews.com

I don't think that they are the ideal starter, but in the same instance, I don't think that the experience that you would receive from keeping a veiled chameleon would give you near enough experience and know how for keeping R.brevs... They are far different creatures.

If your interest lies with the pygmys and you have far less interest in the True oldworld species like the large panthers and veileds, then I would say go with the pygmies. Unless the creature sustains your undivided attention, from your strong interest in it, subconsciously it's likely that you will put less devotion into it. Go with what interests you the most between those two, but you'll have to prepare a bit more, and be aware of potential failure.

Pygmy chameleons, although similar in care to dart frogs, are pretty much unlike the care of anything else.

So true Will. I have kept a few species of the arboreal chams but haven't had the courage to try any of the pygmies! Also, Kammerflage Kreations sells the fairly new book by Petr Necas on the little leaf species that would probably give you the best information on their wild habitat and captive care. But, it's not cheap. If you really want to pursue brevs maybe the book will be worth it to read. You'll either decide you just have to try them or not. That's one way to figure out how dedicated you want to become.

Carlton, The book you speak of, I consider it the Bible of Pygmy Chameleons. It is unchallenged by any other source of information on the false chameleon species.

while they are not generally long lived, most species breed willingly (babies are easily kept unlike large clutches of veileds), and a single specimen with short lifespan of only two or three years, could easily produce babies, and with but one single new source of blood, you could (without inbreeding) keep them for years longer than you would a veiled or panther. In my opinion their short age should have no consequence on weather or not they are a good starter species.

Oh, I made the comment about the short lifespan because you could end up getting a wc animal close to the end of its normal life, and even if you did everything perfectly, still lose it fairly soon. I agree with you that the life span of any particular species doesn't necessarily make it better or worse for a newbie.

When WC shipments come in, generally they range in size from 1 inch to just under 3 inches. Stick with selecting ones towards the smaller size and they should have at least a year to go on them with good care.

They come shipped in sac, like small pillow cases, with anywhere from 50 to three times that clinging to every inch of the fabric. Inside with them is usually some soft bark husk and twigs and leaves, which are generally bone dry by the time they arrive. Mortality rate on arrival is surprisingly low for how they are shipped. After shipment they need immediate water and humidity, with food shortly after. Following losses are generally low as well if those two needs are met at least twice daly.

CB's are very common these days in comparison to a couple years ago. Mike at FLChams consistently offers CB and CH.

Last time I checked Africa and Madascar (brookesias) were still part of the old world and as far as I know there rhampholeons or brooksias running wild in mexico or the islands not even here in FL. As far as "False" Chameleons goes they are every bit chameleon as any other species. Some of them even change color although not so much. having worked with both genera for several yrs. I also do not think they are as difficcult as you make them out to be. Definately not veileds or Panthers but a lot easier than most mainland African montane species including Jacksons in my opinion.

You're right, I didn't use proper terminology, however I don't think I called them New world chameleons which would suggest an American origin. I just though I haven't gone back and checked my post. The Pygmy chameleons have been called False Chameleons, though so are anoles. Not the greatest term to have used maybe.

Here's a quote from Adcham:

Chamaeleonidae. The family to which all Old World chameleons belong. The Chamaeonidae includes two subfamilies, the true chameleons (Chamaeleoninae) and the false chameleons (Brookesiinae), q.v.

They are definitely a pleasurable experience to keep.

I do not care who called them false chameleons they are stucturally a chameleon in every way. Zygodactyl feet, independently rotating eyes, tongue structure, acrodont dentition and all they are a chameleon. There is no false about it in fact if I remember correctly one of the species originally classed in the genus Bradypodium is now in the genus Rhampholeon or vice versa.

Mad Axe Man on the loose!