Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello!
All righty, I've been trying to choose a new reptile to get over the past month or so. I wanted a leopard gecko for a while, but they're too easy to care for, I think I want a challenge this time around. About 3 or 4 years ago, I bought a crocodile gecko, supposedly they're hard to care for, but he's got to be the most basic creature
Anywho, I saw some veiled chameleons at Petland this week, and fell in love. They're absolutely beautiful! I love they're behaviors, and they look like very inetresting animals. I decided that I wanted one, and have been researching them for a week or so now.
The problem is: I do not know if I can afford any enclosure that costs a lot (like more than $250 Canadian), and I know I don't have the room in my bedroom for a huge tank (like 50 or 60 gallons). The guy at Petland said that a 40-gallon would suffice, and no smaller than 33 gallons. That seems okay, so I was wondering if 40-gallon would do one adult veiled chameleon okay?
Also, I can't find ANYWHERE how much to feed them. If they have a staple diet of gutloaded crickets (dusted with Calcium powder), how many would s/he require every day? I don't really want to spend $10.00 a week on crickets, and crickets are $1.00 for every ten. How many would s/he need to be fed daily to remain healthy.
I read that they require previous herp-keeping experience, and I've had my gecko for 3/4 years now, he's totally healthy and happy I'm up to the challenge so far, is there anything I need to know about caging, feeding, or costs?
I do understand about handling (stress), watering (I would prefer misting the cage a few times daily, like I do with my gecko), metabolic bone disease, and heating.

I suggest you scroll down the first two pages of threads and read most of them thuroughly. You'll need to dust in vitamins and minerals. Feed more than just crickets. Check out adcham.com and chameleonjournals.com, look through the entirety of both sites. Finally, wire mesh cage is the best. For an adult it would need to be large (not size large, I mean if I looked at it and thought of an adjective). Some plants are ok, others are not. Lighting is paramount.

there is alot to know and you need to do more research before you make this purchase...first off, don't buy a cham from petland...when someone tells you to keep your cham in a fish tank you can pretty much eliminate them as a potential seller

second, it can be an expensive hobby...a mesh cage is not cheap...you can get one of those reptariums but they kinda suck...the zippers always get jamned, you don't get the access you need and bugs always seem to get out but they are ok to start off with

third, veileds eat quite a bit and you'll need to give them a varied diet like silkworms, roaches, superworms, mantids....they will also eat some plant matter as they get older...

please do more reseach before you make this purchase...a cham is less forgiving of mistakes or ignorance than other reptiles

I was also told crickets can chew through the mesh plastic ones. If you live in San Diego I could get you a deal on any size wire mesh cage, used. I'd suggest going to a breeder or some place near you and ask for a used wire mesh cage. Make sure it's of acceptable size for the chameleon you are buying (adult, subadult, neonate?).

Well I know, I'm not stupid. No one suggested a fish tank, I don't remember typing that?
He showed me a 40/45-gallon E-series lizard lounge, with 2 mesh sides. They were very informative on the needs concerning the tank. I would feed him/her crickets as a staple diet, of course varying it every so often. They would be gutloaded and dusted with the calcium powder that I have.
The biggest problem is the tank is friggin $350 CN! I don't think I want to pay that much for it right now, so I may end up just not getting one. They're such appealing lil guys though, and just captivating. I really do want one, but if it requires that much $ just for a cage (not to mention plants and furnishings and food). Again, if crickets were a staple diet, how much would he need per day?