Chameleon care 101:
Chameleons need to have a few things in order to have a long, healthy and happy life. The following is a basic care sheet.
THE CHAMELEON TEMPERAMENT
If you are looking for a lizard you can have sit on your shoulder for hours or to play with, a chameleon may not be the right pet for you.
Chameleons as a rule DO NOT like to be handled. They are considered 'ornamental' lizards more for watching than handling. Of course you will have to handle your chameleon at times during cleaning and examining. Chameleons are easily stressed.
Only one chameleon per cage! They are very territorial and having two in the same cage is very stressful for them. They should be housed separately and positioned in an area of the house with 'low traffic' and their cages be positioned so they can not see each other.
#1. HOUSING
Unlike other lizards, chameleons do NOT do well in an all glass terrarium or aquarium.
A chameleon requires an all screened cage. This allows proper ventilation. Since they are arboreal reptiles (tree dwellers) A cage taller than is wider is recommended.
Minimum cage size for an adult Veiled or panther Male is 4'H X 2'W . Females of this species can be housed comfortably in a 3X2 cage. Babies should be housed in smaller enclosures to be upgraded as they grow.
The cage would have plenty of foliage for the chameleon to feel secure in. Lots of vines to climb on as well as horizontal and vertical climbing branches. Real plants such as pothos, umbrella plant hibiscus or corn plant make a wonderful addition to the cage. This also helps keep the humidity up. Substrate should not be used since a chameleon may accidently ingest the substrate and cause impaction.
#2. LIGHTING
Lighting in essential to chameleon heath! Natural sunlight is always the best but not always the most practical. If your chameleon is housed indoors they need 2 lights.
Light #1:
UVB Florescent light - UVB light is needed to help calcium absorption. It prevents MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease)
A reptisun 5.0 tubular light is recommended. The light should be positioned above a horizontal branch allowing the chameleon to sit at least 12 inches away from the bulb.. The bulb/fixture is to placed on top of the cage and not inside.
Light#2:
Basking heat light - This lamp is so your chameleon can regulate his temperature. This is important for proper digestion.
Wattage will vary depending on desired basking spot temperature, distance from basking spot and ambient temperature. You will want to place the bulb on one side of the cage; providing a gradient temperature. This gradient temperature should range from areas in the mid 70s to a recommended basking temperature in the high 90s. Basking branched should be underneath the light but not so close that your chameleon can touch the bulb and burn himself.
The chameleon will bask under the light when needed to warm up and move to cooler parts of the cage when he wants to cool down.
Chameleons do best with a slight drop in temperature at night. There is no need for any other type of nighttime lighting or heater.
Chameleons need sleep at night so no lights. Lights should come on it the morning and turn off when the sun goes down in the evening.
#3. HYDRATION
Chameleons DO NOT drink for a dish! In the wild, chameleons would drink dew or rain off the leaves. To simulate this in captivity you need to spray/mist the cage several times a day. Thoroughly wet all the leaves in the enclosure. Your chameleon will lick the running water and the water collecting on the leaves. You can also buy or make a dripper that drips through out the day providing the chameleon with a place to drink when he feels the need.
All water should be treated with a reptile conditioner to remove harmful chlorine!
#4. FEEDING
Chameleons are insectivores.. meaning they eat any non poisonous bug they can fit in their mouth. The main staple feeder is crickets. You can buy crickets at the pet store or order them in bulk 500 to 1000 at a time through the mail.
A growing baby veiled or panther should eat 7 to 10 crickets a day. Once they reach adult hood they should eat about 5 crickets everyday or every other day if obesity becomes an issue.
Crickets can be kept in a tote bin with a ventilation hole cut in the top. The hole can be covered with screen to prevent escape.
Crickets need to be 'gut-loaded' before they are fed to you chameleon. To properly gut-load, feed your crickets fresh green like Mustard green, collard greens, carrots. Also a dry gut-load can be used, such as Chamalot Chameleons King Kricket Feast™. The idea is, if you feed your crickets nutritious things then your chameleon gets to eat nutritious crickets. Avoid feeding spinach and broccoli
Other feeders can be offered such as Super worms (as a treat) Butter worms (treat) Silkworms and roaches. Meal worms can be fed but are not recommended because they are hard to digest.
Non toxic wild caught bugs can be fed too if you wish (moths, dragonflies).
Wild caught bugs must come from a pesticide free area
*DUSTING
Every two weeks your gut-loaded cricket should be dusted with a calcium dust such as reptical. Reptical with Vit D is recommended for chameleons who do not get natural sunlight much . Also use multi-vitamin dust such as Herptivite
To dust the crickets, toss a few in a Ziploc bag or cup. Place a pinch of dust in with them and shake the crickets around. The crickets should be coated in the dust. Then feed them to you chameleon.
Crickets and other feeders can be fed free range or cup fed. Free range allows the chameleon to hunt down the crickets, while cup feeding means placing crickets in a cup and letting you chameleon pick them out. This may be helpful because it lets you know how much you chameleon is eating.
Veiled chameleons, especially females are known for eating vegetables in addition to the insects. They will often pull off leaves of the plant in their cage and eat them. It is very important to get a safe plant that is non toxic for this reason!
#5 HEALTH – When to visit a chameleon vet
If a chameleon is not feeling well, he will try to hide it from you. This is a instinct behavior so not to appear vulnerable to predators. This behavior may make it difficult for a keeper to spot a problem before it advances too far.
Closely monitor your chameleon and look for any changes in behavior. Here are some basic ‘warning signs’
- A chameleon should be alert during the day. First sign of sickness is finding a chameleon sleeping during the day.
- A chameleon should not be on the floor of its cage.
- Eye turrets should never appear sunken in. Sunken eyes are a sign of dehydration
- A chameleon should have a strong grip, not seem clumsy or fall frequently. Bones in the arms should not be bowed or deformed (possible sign of MBD)
-Frequent breathing through the mouth can indicate too high of a temperature. It can also be a sign of a respitory infection if accompanied by ‘spit bubbles’ in the mouth of a crackling breathing sound.
-Female Chameleons will lay eggs whether they are mated or not. If a female appears gravid, a laying bin MUST be provided for females. If a proper laying bin is not provided, females could die from eggbinding.
If you have any concerns, consult your vet!
Chameleons need to have a few things in order to have a long, healthy and happy life. The following is a basic care sheet.
THE CHAMELEON TEMPERAMENT
If you are looking for a lizard you can have sit on your shoulder for hours or to play with, a chameleon may not be the right pet for you.
Chameleons as a rule DO NOT like to be handled. They are considered 'ornamental' lizards more for watching than handling. Of course you will have to handle your chameleon at times during cleaning and examining. Chameleons are easily stressed.
Only one chameleon per cage! They are very territorial and having two in the same cage is very stressful for them. They should be housed separately and positioned in an area of the house with 'low traffic' and their cages be positioned so they can not see each other.
#1. HOUSING
Unlike other lizards, chameleons do NOT do well in an all glass terrarium or aquarium.
A chameleon requires an all screened cage. This allows proper ventilation. Since they are arboreal reptiles (tree dwellers) A cage taller than is wider is recommended.
Minimum cage size for an adult Veiled or panther Male is 4'H X 2'W . Females of this species can be housed comfortably in a 3X2 cage. Babies should be housed in smaller enclosures to be upgraded as they grow.
The cage would have plenty of foliage for the chameleon to feel secure in. Lots of vines to climb on as well as horizontal and vertical climbing branches. Real plants such as pothos, umbrella plant hibiscus or corn plant make a wonderful addition to the cage. This also helps keep the humidity up. Substrate should not be used since a chameleon may accidently ingest the substrate and cause impaction.
#2. LIGHTING
Lighting in essential to chameleon heath! Natural sunlight is always the best but not always the most practical. If your chameleon is housed indoors they need 2 lights.
Light #1:
UVB Florescent light - UVB light is needed to help calcium absorption. It prevents MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease)
A reptisun 5.0 tubular light is recommended. The light should be positioned above a horizontal branch allowing the chameleon to sit at least 12 inches away from the bulb.. The bulb/fixture is to placed on top of the cage and not inside.
Light#2:
Basking heat light - This lamp is so your chameleon can regulate his temperature. This is important for proper digestion.
Wattage will vary depending on desired basking spot temperature, distance from basking spot and ambient temperature. You will want to place the bulb on one side of the cage; providing a gradient temperature. This gradient temperature should range from areas in the mid 70s to a recommended basking temperature in the high 90s. Basking branched should be underneath the light but not so close that your chameleon can touch the bulb and burn himself.
The chameleon will bask under the light when needed to warm up and move to cooler parts of the cage when he wants to cool down.
Chameleons do best with a slight drop in temperature at night. There is no need for any other type of nighttime lighting or heater.
Chameleons need sleep at night so no lights. Lights should come on it the morning and turn off when the sun goes down in the evening.
#3. HYDRATION
Chameleons DO NOT drink for a dish! In the wild, chameleons would drink dew or rain off the leaves. To simulate this in captivity you need to spray/mist the cage several times a day. Thoroughly wet all the leaves in the enclosure. Your chameleon will lick the running water and the water collecting on the leaves. You can also buy or make a dripper that drips through out the day providing the chameleon with a place to drink when he feels the need.
All water should be treated with a reptile conditioner to remove harmful chlorine!
#4. FEEDING
Chameleons are insectivores.. meaning they eat any non poisonous bug they can fit in their mouth. The main staple feeder is crickets. You can buy crickets at the pet store or order them in bulk 500 to 1000 at a time through the mail.
A growing baby veiled or panther should eat 7 to 10 crickets a day. Once they reach adult hood they should eat about 5 crickets everyday or every other day if obesity becomes an issue.
Crickets can be kept in a tote bin with a ventilation hole cut in the top. The hole can be covered with screen to prevent escape.
Crickets need to be 'gut-loaded' before they are fed to you chameleon. To properly gut-load, feed your crickets fresh green like Mustard green, collard greens, carrots. Also a dry gut-load can be used, such as Chamalot Chameleons King Kricket Feast™. The idea is, if you feed your crickets nutritious things then your chameleon gets to eat nutritious crickets. Avoid feeding spinach and broccoli
Other feeders can be offered such as Super worms (as a treat) Butter worms (treat) Silkworms and roaches. Meal worms can be fed but are not recommended because they are hard to digest.
Non toxic wild caught bugs can be fed too if you wish (moths, dragonflies).
Wild caught bugs must come from a pesticide free area
*DUSTING
Every two weeks your gut-loaded cricket should be dusted with a calcium dust such as reptical. Reptical with Vit D is recommended for chameleons who do not get natural sunlight much . Also use multi-vitamin dust such as Herptivite
To dust the crickets, toss a few in a Ziploc bag or cup. Place a pinch of dust in with them and shake the crickets around. The crickets should be coated in the dust. Then feed them to you chameleon.
Crickets and other feeders can be fed free range or cup fed. Free range allows the chameleon to hunt down the crickets, while cup feeding means placing crickets in a cup and letting you chameleon pick them out. This may be helpful because it lets you know how much you chameleon is eating.
Veiled chameleons, especially females are known for eating vegetables in addition to the insects. They will often pull off leaves of the plant in their cage and eat them. It is very important to get a safe plant that is non toxic for this reason!
#5 HEALTH – When to visit a chameleon vet
If a chameleon is not feeling well, he will try to hide it from you. This is a instinct behavior so not to appear vulnerable to predators. This behavior may make it difficult for a keeper to spot a problem before it advances too far.
Closely monitor your chameleon and look for any changes in behavior. Here are some basic ‘warning signs’
- A chameleon should be alert during the day. First sign of sickness is finding a chameleon sleeping during the day.
- A chameleon should not be on the floor of its cage.
- Eye turrets should never appear sunken in. Sunken eyes are a sign of dehydration
- A chameleon should have a strong grip, not seem clumsy or fall frequently. Bones in the arms should not be bowed or deformed (possible sign of MBD)
-Frequent breathing through the mouth can indicate too high of a temperature. It can also be a sign of a respitory infection if accompanied by ‘spit bubbles’ in the mouth of a crackling breathing sound.
-Female Chameleons will lay eggs whether they are mated or not. If a female appears gravid, a laying bin MUST be provided for females. If a proper laying bin is not provided, females could die from eggbinding.
If you have any concerns, consult your vet!
