Reptile & Amphibian Forums

ok my first time into reptiles and i got a real nice cage for cheap. its 2 feet wide by 5 feet long by 4 feet high. now i decided to go with the veiled chameleon. here is everything i need tell me if its correct or if i need something else.

reptisun 5.0 uvb bulb and light fixture
powersun uv mercury vapor bulb and 10" clip light w/ deep dome
nightlight red reptile bulb 60 watt
repti basking spot lamp 100 watt
heat rock
flexi vine and branches
miner-all calcium supplement
repcal herptivite
zoomed wipe out hand wash
pet-tech water dripper system
zoo-med combo thermometer and gauge
care and breeding chameleon book
and the veiled will be from exoticlizards.com
repticare ceramic heat emitters
and a ficas tree and some other safe plants

so is this all what i need.ive been working real hard finding what i need and i think this is it

Hi,

There are some things in your list that seem a little redundant. If you're using the Powersun UV, you shouldn't need a basking lamp and a Reptisun, since the Powersun provides UV as well as heat. Likewise, you wouldn't need the ceramic heat emitters if you're using a nighttime bulb.

If you're going with a veiled chameleon, actually I wouldn't think you would need a nighttime heat source at all. Also, the heat rock would be completely useless, since chameleons get their warmth from basking, not from sitting on a hot rock.

Moreover, you can save yourself some money by getting some alco-gel from the pharmacy, rather than buying Zoomed's "wipe out".

Hope this helps!

Julie and Justin

Hi- Veileds are a good new guy chameleon, and your cage size is fine, start off with an older veiled 5-6months.

For your lighting you will only need one UVB source, and the mercury vapor is a good choice, becuase it produces a stronger UVB light, and heat all in one bulb saving money on both the bulb and the light fixtures. I use the mercury vapor bulbs on all my panther cages. No basking light is needed with the mercury vapor bulb 100w it is a basking bulb. DO NOT USE NIGHT LIGHTS, only heat source, like a ceramic basking bulb ( they do not put off visible light), ONLY if the room gets below 60F at night other wise no heat is needed. Chameleons can see all colors! No heat rock is needed they will not use them and they cause burns! Bio vines and LIVE non-toxic plants are great. Miner-All indoor II is fine you can use a combo of vitamins, and Rep-Cal line is good too. Hand wash is not needed, you will not be handling the chameleon often enough for that to be of use. Water dripper is a must, get a med. size one. Read all the info you can and books are good, but alot have outdated info. Have your all screen cage setup before you get the chameleon. Digital thereometer/hydrometer is highly recomended over anolong ones. Check out the chameleon classifieds, buy from a breeder, that has a good bloodline, you get what you pay for with chameleons! So here is a list of the items needed;

1. Mercury Vapor 100w Zoomed or Capture The Sun
2. 10' Dome with ceramic socket
3. Med. size dripper
4. Digital therometer/hydrometer
5. Bio-vines
6. Live plants
7. Vitamin supplement
8. All the info you can find!
9. Live Food
10. Quality 5-6month old Veiled chameleon

Hope this helps! Visit my website below for more info!
-----
John
1.1 Ambilobe Panthers
1.1 Nosy Be Panthers
1.1 Sambava Panthers

Here was all you really need to have a working, nice looking and afordable setup.

1. 8 inch cermic dome fixture, raised 4 inches from the top of the cage, about 12 inches from the basking branch ($10)
2. 100 watt flood bulb from Home Depot (about $2)
3. 48 inch flourescent bulb fixture from Home Depot (about $15)
4. 48 inch Zoomed 5.0 flourescent bulb ($25)
5. timer from Home Depot (about $5)
6. about 2 Ficus and 1 schefellera plants from Home Depot (about $40 total for your size cage, make sure to wash plants thoroughly with water to remove pesticeds on leaves)
7. break branches off a tree a let dry out to use for branches in cage, make sure to provide horizontal as well as vertical climbing area and use thick and thinner branches (free)
8. 1 gallon garden spray bottle from Home Depot ($10)...mist entire cage about three times a day well, and water plants once a week with 16 oz of water
9. water collection trays from base of pots ($3)
10. Reptivite, Herptivite, Repcal with D3 and Repcal without D3 (about $30) .....use all sparingly and use a GOOD homemade gutload recipe for insects like the ADCHAM recipe at www.adcham.com (a six month supply of gutload from ADCHAM recipe should cost you about $50 total
11. Digital thermometer and thermostat from Walmart ($15)

TOTAL COST: $155 plus animal and cage

Good luck!
Paul
www.captivepanther.com

Have you been in my basement Paul?

I would say maybe double up on the plants. My female Veileds can destroy a pothos or Hibiscus in no time. I cycle them in and out. One recovering, one getting beat up. Captive is dead on, no sense in paying top dollor for "Pet Products" when the only difference in packaging. Buy Reptile Bulbs for UV, but my chams bask just fine under $5 floods. If you spray a lot, you might consider a large water collection system under the entire cage.

Cham

Just a thought...I checked out the site you are getting your cham from and noticed it says no where that these are captive bred...unless I missed it. Some things to consider if you Do Not get a captive bred:

parasite and other health issues
condoning the capture of wild animals
condoning the sale of captured animals
possible legal issues (not saying this Company is doing anything illegal, but it certainly happens in any "exotic" pet trade)

IMHO, the best books are - Chameleons: Their Care and Breeding by Linda Davison. If you have a hard time finding it (often on back order) you can get it directly from the publisher: http://www.hancockhouse.com/products/chamelc.htm and any of the books by Philippe de Vosjoli

Here are a couple of sites worth looking at regarding the captive bred vs wild caught issue:
http://www.aquaticcritter.com/Reptile/captivevswildcaught.htm
http://www.geocities.com/chamjacksonii/buying.html#wccb
http://www.calumma.com/imported.htm

yes, cb are more expensive but in the long run - worth it. It would be a shame to get your very first one and have health and other issues (handling, acclimated to being in captivity) and maybe a much shorter life span

Just my opinion but I am sure most of the cham owners on this page would agree.

lele

Just a thought...I checked out the site you are getting your cham from and noticed it says no where that these are captive bred...unless I missed it. Some things to consider if you Do Not get a captive bred:

parasite and other health issues
condoning the capture of wild animals
condoning the sale of captured animals
possible legal issues (not saying this Company is doing anything illegal, but it certainly happens in any "exotic" pet trade)

IMHO, the best books are - Chameleons: Their Care and Breeding by Linda Davison. If you have a hard time finding it (often on back order) you can get it directly from the publisher: http://www.hancockhouse.com/products/chamelc.htm and any of the books by Philippe de Vosjoli

Here are a couple of sites worth looking at regarding the captive bred vs wild caught issue:
http://www.aquaticcritter.com/Reptile/captivevswildcaught.htm
http://www.geocities.com/chamjacksonii/buying.html#wccb
http://www.calumma.com/imported.htm

yes, cb are more expensive but in the long run - worth it. It would be a shame to get your very first one and have health and other issues (handling, acclimated to being in captivity) and maybe a much shorter life span

Just my opinion but I am sure most of the cham owners on this page would agree.

lele

...i guess it is a bug in the new forum

Just a thought...I checked out the site you are getting your cham from and noticed it says no where that these are captive bred...unless I missed it. Some things to consider if you Do Not get a captive bred:

parasite and other health issues
condoning the capture of wild animals
condoning the sale of captured animals
possible legal issues (not saying this Company is doing anything illegal, but it certainly happens in any "exotic" pet trade)

IMHO, the best book is - Chameleons: Their Care and Breeding by Linda Davison. If you have a hard time finding it (often on back order) you can get it directly from the publisher: http://www.hancockhouse.com/products/chamelc.htm I found it to be the most comprehensive on their care, background, health, etc. If you get only one book let this be it.

Here are a couple of sites worth looking at regarding the captive bred vs wild caught issue:
http://www.aquaticcritter.com/Reptile/captivevswildcaught.htm
http://www.geocities.com/chamjacksonii/buying.html#wccb
http://www.calumma.com/imported.htm

yes, cb are more expensive but in the long run - worth it. It would be a shame to get your very first one and have health and other issues (handling, acclimated to being in captivity) and maybe a much shorter life span

Just my opinion but I am sure most of the cham owners on this page would agree.

lele