Montane Chameleon Care Sheet
So I have noticed that since there are a lot of great care sheets out there for veiled and panther chameleons I thought that I would put down my ideas for the proper care of montane chameleons, as there are a few subtle yet key differences. I will explain montane as a species of chameleon that’s typical habitat is that of an area at elevation typically above 2000feet and as high as 8000ft, and such are exposed to a different climate with a tempurature range of 66 to 80 deg and RH rarely falling below 75% even in the dry season.
I have gained this knowledge through my own keeping experience and the help of others that keep various montane species.
The current trend seems more geared to the veiled and panther chameleons, but as more and more people join this great hobby the variety of chams being kept is ever growing. Without a doubt after the beautiful colors of the panthers and the dominate casque of the veiled grabs your attention you will soon notice the horns and fins of many of the montane species. The Jackson’s chameleon with its amazing horns shows this and falls into a middle zone here and keepers may find value in this info as well, as they are a species that enjoys many similar keeping techniques.
I currently keep trioceros Deremensis, trioceros cristatus, and trioceros quadricornis quadricornis, and the following techniques are what is, and has been working for me.
Cage/Habitat
Most montane chameleons are not as large as a veiled or panther chameleon and as such can be housed in smaller cages, I like to say 16x16x30 as a minimum and as with most chams bigger is always better. Most keepers recommend screen tanks but montane chams can successfully be kept in glass terrariums of sufficient size, provided certain criteria are made. Glass can have certain advantages for temps and humidity, especially in certain climates, but for this care sheet we will look at the use of screen cages.
Typical horizontal and vertical branches and vines should adorn the cage as well as sufficient foliage for hiding places and areas for water drops to form.
Live plants are always a good idea to help maintain humidity and create a natural environment. Be sure to check your plant and make sure it is non toxic. As always it is a good idea to wash the plant and cover the soil with rocks too large for the cham to eat, so as your chameleon cannot eat the soil. Some common plants are pothos, fiscus and umbrella trees.
Lighting ( explained later in this care sheet ) will be placed above the cage as well as possible dripper and/or mister.
Bottom of cage I recommended left bare ( no substrate ) for ease of cleanup and to avoid bacteria and accidental ingestion of substrates.
Temperature and humidity
Since we are talking about montane chameleons one of the biggest differences in basic keeping are the temp/humidity levels. As these chameleons typically live at higher elevations they are subject to much lower temperatures and higher humidity, and as such can suffer from over heating and dehydration.
Baby or very young montane chams are even more susceptible to over heating and dehydration and should be kept at lower temps and monitored closely.
Ambient cage temp high 60’s to low 70’s
Basking site temp high 70’s to mid 80’s
Nigh time temp drop of 10-15 degrees is allowable and beneficial
Humidity 70-90%
To the keeper:
This means you will require a typically lower wattage basking bulb, ( I start with 40w and work up from there ) as well I create a rather small basking area, and have found the chams to utilize it in the morning for a hour on so and then move off to other areas of the cage. More frequent mistings will also be needed in order to maintain proper humidity levels. I suggest the use of an automated misting system and in dryer climates possibly a cool air humidifier, also the use of air conditioning unit may be required in hotter climates, as these chams do not respond to heat well. ( even myself here in Canada use air conditioning in the hot summer months to keep the montane room comfortably in the low 70s.)
Lighting Requirements
Along with the basking light we will also need to provide a source of UVB. As with all chameleons they require exposure to uvb rays to help produce vitamin D, which is essential in calcium absorption.
Now most montane chameleons are found to live closer to the ground and in dense vegetation and thus expose themselves to lower amounts of uvb radiation. ( I do not notice my chams spending much time basking in uvb high areas of their cages ) I still provide my montane chameleons with the typical 5.0 range uvb bulb but will change less frequently say every 8-10m.
UVB fixture and Bulb, in the 5.0 range, typically recommended is the linear tube style
Change bulb approx, every 8-10m
To the keeper.
You are going to want to maximize the area to which you provide uvb light, most keepers suggest the use of a linear tube style fluorescent uvb bulb and fixture that is the same length as the enclosure is wide.
Supplementing
Following the thought that most montane chameleons are closer to the ground and such require less uvb exposure, we must look at the use of supplements with montane chams.
This can be a tricky topic as there are many schools of though out there and many different products with different strengths and compositions.
I will generalize by saying that montane chams require a much lighter amount of the typical supplements, than most commonly kept species and have been known to show signs of gout and hypervitaminosis when not properly supplemented.
I supplement baby and younger chams in the same method, but with the exception that they are fed everyday and as a result get more feeding with plain calcium which is needed for healthy growth and bone development.
Below I will go over 3 different supplementing schedules. For most cases in my care sheets I avoid mentioning the exact product as to remain unbiased, but with regards to supplements and how different levels of the elements can be I feel it is a much more accurate and simple way to explain.
First is with the use of typical products of rather high levels of d3 and vitamins,
( I do not recommend this approach )
Plain calcium without D3 at most feedings ( rep-cal )
Calcium with D3 once a month ( rep-cal )
Multivitamin once a month ( rep-cal )
Second is a schedule I have used and had positive results with.
Plain calcium without D3 most feedings
Multivitamin with D3 twice a month ( reptvite )
Third is my new current schedule and has been working with positive results.
Plain calcium at most feedings
All in one multivitamin with D3 four times a month ( repashy calcium plus )
To the keeper:
As with supplementing with any cham, less is more, and with montanes this is more true than ever. I tend to only feed my adults 4 days a week and with only a very light dusting.
Feeding/Watering
I have definitly found that the montane chameleons I have kept eat far less at all ages than that of a comparative aged veiled or panther. As adults I feed only 4 times a week.
I use the same types of feeder as with most chameleons, with crickets and dubia as a staple and various worms as treats.
I tend to feed females slightly less and cut back their amounts earlier in life, not only does it help slow/lower egg production, it helps with the fact that many females tend to have an endless appetite if not regulated.
Babies ( hatched - 3m ): fed all they can eat
Young/Juvenile ( 3m - 1yr ): approx, 10 crickets a day
Adult ( 1yr + ): approx 5 crickets, 4 days a week.
Females: fed slightly less
To the keeper:
As with all chameleons feeder variety and gut loading is very important. I have found my quadricornis especially, welcome any new feeder offered. Typical feeder size determined by mouth width is also applied.
As with most chameleons water is offered through either a mist ( hand sprayer or auto mist system ) and/or a dripper. With montane chameleons living in areas of higher humidity and rainfall they should be offered more water than a veiled or panther, this can be achieved by longer misting and dripping sessions. This will help insure you cham will not suffer from dehydration. This is even more true with younger chams as they can dehydrate very quickly.
Breeding/Egg laying
Breeding with the montane chameleons does not significantly differ from other commonly kept species of chameleons. They do sometimes seem to require some seasonal type cues, such as changes in light cycle timing and rainfall. Clutches seem to be smaller and less frequent than that of veiled or panthers and non bread females seem to develop less infertile clutches, especially if kept at cooler temps and not overfed.
A typical egg laying bin, container of approx, 10x10x10 filled with moist washed play sand and or soil, should be offered to suspect females I encourage that keepers of females do more research on this.
Once a female has begun to dig or explore the laying bin she should be left alone and not disturbed as she may abandon the site. After eggs have been laid they can be carefully dug up and incubated in vermiculite or other appropriate medium. Eggs are often incubated at lower temps than that of more commonly kept species ( high 60’s - low 70’s ) Incubation times vary for many species but most seem to fall in the 5-7 month range.
Other species such as jacksons give live birth after a pregnancy of 6-7 months and drop their live young in birth sacs amongst the branches of their environment.
After egg laying or birth females with be drained and require close attention, such as frequent offerings of water and food properly supplemented with calcium as they use a lot during this time.
This topic could have its own sheet and I have just scratched the surface, when keeping or breeding a female chameleon I engcourage you to do much further research.
Closing
Although most montane species are not what I would consider common amongst the average chameleon keeper they are growing in popularity and soon most likely availability as keepers and breeders alike find the interest and beauty in “the horns and fins”
I will say the biggest challenge for many keepers is realizing the lower temps and higher humidity required, and even more so for younger chams.
So montane chameleons are a slightly more delicate species, and require a few modifications to the common techniques of keeping veiled or panther chameleons. But with close attention to these changes they are a very rewarding chameleon and quickly become the jewel of many keepers collections.
This sheet has been put together assuming that the keeper has some previous knowledge of common chameleon keeping and requirements. As always each chameleon is different, and female chams have their own special requirements for the egg laying process.
All information is of my opinion and statements of what has worked for me, the knowledge I have gained from research, other keepers teachings and input. Please always use your own better judgment and seek the advise or help of a veterinarian or other qualified professional when required.
So I have noticed that since there are a lot of great care sheets out there for veiled and panther chameleons I thought that I would put down my ideas for the proper care of montane chameleons, as there are a few subtle yet key differences. I will explain montane as a species of chameleon that’s typical habitat is that of an area at elevation typically above 2000feet and as high as 8000ft, and such are exposed to a different climate with a tempurature range of 66 to 80 deg and RH rarely falling below 75% even in the dry season.
I have gained this knowledge through my own keeping experience and the help of others that keep various montane species.
The current trend seems more geared to the veiled and panther chameleons, but as more and more people join this great hobby the variety of chams being kept is ever growing. Without a doubt after the beautiful colors of the panthers and the dominate casque of the veiled grabs your attention you will soon notice the horns and fins of many of the montane species. The Jackson’s chameleon with its amazing horns shows this and falls into a middle zone here and keepers may find value in this info as well, as they are a species that enjoys many similar keeping techniques.
I currently keep trioceros Deremensis, trioceros cristatus, and trioceros quadricornis quadricornis, and the following techniques are what is, and has been working for me.
Cage/Habitat
Most montane chameleons are not as large as a veiled or panther chameleon and as such can be housed in smaller cages, I like to say 16x16x30 as a minimum and as with most chams bigger is always better. Most keepers recommend screen tanks but montane chams can successfully be kept in glass terrariums of sufficient size, provided certain criteria are made. Glass can have certain advantages for temps and humidity, especially in certain climates, but for this care sheet we will look at the use of screen cages.
Typical horizontal and vertical branches and vines should adorn the cage as well as sufficient foliage for hiding places and areas for water drops to form.
Live plants are always a good idea to help maintain humidity and create a natural environment. Be sure to check your plant and make sure it is non toxic. As always it is a good idea to wash the plant and cover the soil with rocks too large for the cham to eat, so as your chameleon cannot eat the soil. Some common plants are pothos, fiscus and umbrella trees.
Lighting ( explained later in this care sheet ) will be placed above the cage as well as possible dripper and/or mister.
Bottom of cage I recommended left bare ( no substrate ) for ease of cleanup and to avoid bacteria and accidental ingestion of substrates.
Temperature and humidity
Since we are talking about montane chameleons one of the biggest differences in basic keeping are the temp/humidity levels. As these chameleons typically live at higher elevations they are subject to much lower temperatures and higher humidity, and as such can suffer from over heating and dehydration.
Baby or very young montane chams are even more susceptible to over heating and dehydration and should be kept at lower temps and monitored closely.
Ambient cage temp high 60’s to low 70’s
Basking site temp high 70’s to mid 80’s
Nigh time temp drop of 10-15 degrees is allowable and beneficial
Humidity 70-90%
To the keeper:
This means you will require a typically lower wattage basking bulb, ( I start with 40w and work up from there ) as well I create a rather small basking area, and have found the chams to utilize it in the morning for a hour on so and then move off to other areas of the cage. More frequent mistings will also be needed in order to maintain proper humidity levels. I suggest the use of an automated misting system and in dryer climates possibly a cool air humidifier, also the use of air conditioning unit may be required in hotter climates, as these chams do not respond to heat well. ( even myself here in Canada use air conditioning in the hot summer months to keep the montane room comfortably in the low 70s.)
Lighting Requirements
Along with the basking light we will also need to provide a source of UVB. As with all chameleons they require exposure to uvb rays to help produce vitamin D, which is essential in calcium absorption.
Now most montane chameleons are found to live closer to the ground and in dense vegetation and thus expose themselves to lower amounts of uvb radiation. ( I do not notice my chams spending much time basking in uvb high areas of their cages ) I still provide my montane chameleons with the typical 5.0 range uvb bulb but will change less frequently say every 8-10m.
UVB fixture and Bulb, in the 5.0 range, typically recommended is the linear tube style
Change bulb approx, every 8-10m
To the keeper.
You are going to want to maximize the area to which you provide uvb light, most keepers suggest the use of a linear tube style fluorescent uvb bulb and fixture that is the same length as the enclosure is wide.
Supplementing
Following the thought that most montane chameleons are closer to the ground and such require less uvb exposure, we must look at the use of supplements with montane chams.
This can be a tricky topic as there are many schools of though out there and many different products with different strengths and compositions.
I will generalize by saying that montane chams require a much lighter amount of the typical supplements, than most commonly kept species and have been known to show signs of gout and hypervitaminosis when not properly supplemented.
I supplement baby and younger chams in the same method, but with the exception that they are fed everyday and as a result get more feeding with plain calcium which is needed for healthy growth and bone development.
Below I will go over 3 different supplementing schedules. For most cases in my care sheets I avoid mentioning the exact product as to remain unbiased, but with regards to supplements and how different levels of the elements can be I feel it is a much more accurate and simple way to explain.
First is with the use of typical products of rather high levels of d3 and vitamins,
( I do not recommend this approach )
Plain calcium without D3 at most feedings ( rep-cal )
Calcium with D3 once a month ( rep-cal )
Multivitamin once a month ( rep-cal )
Second is a schedule I have used and had positive results with.
Plain calcium without D3 most feedings
Multivitamin with D3 twice a month ( reptvite )
Third is my new current schedule and has been working with positive results.
Plain calcium at most feedings
All in one multivitamin with D3 four times a month ( repashy calcium plus )
To the keeper:
As with supplementing with any cham, less is more, and with montanes this is more true than ever. I tend to only feed my adults 4 days a week and with only a very light dusting.
Feeding/Watering
I have definitly found that the montane chameleons I have kept eat far less at all ages than that of a comparative aged veiled or panther. As adults I feed only 4 times a week.
I use the same types of feeder as with most chameleons, with crickets and dubia as a staple and various worms as treats.
I tend to feed females slightly less and cut back their amounts earlier in life, not only does it help slow/lower egg production, it helps with the fact that many females tend to have an endless appetite if not regulated.
Babies ( hatched - 3m ): fed all they can eat
Young/Juvenile ( 3m - 1yr ): approx, 10 crickets a day
Adult ( 1yr + ): approx 5 crickets, 4 days a week.
Females: fed slightly less
To the keeper:
As with all chameleons feeder variety and gut loading is very important. I have found my quadricornis especially, welcome any new feeder offered. Typical feeder size determined by mouth width is also applied.
As with most chameleons water is offered through either a mist ( hand sprayer or auto mist system ) and/or a dripper. With montane chameleons living in areas of higher humidity and rainfall they should be offered more water than a veiled or panther, this can be achieved by longer misting and dripping sessions. This will help insure you cham will not suffer from dehydration. This is even more true with younger chams as they can dehydrate very quickly.
Breeding/Egg laying
Breeding with the montane chameleons does not significantly differ from other commonly kept species of chameleons. They do sometimes seem to require some seasonal type cues, such as changes in light cycle timing and rainfall. Clutches seem to be smaller and less frequent than that of veiled or panthers and non bread females seem to develop less infertile clutches, especially if kept at cooler temps and not overfed.
A typical egg laying bin, container of approx, 10x10x10 filled with moist washed play sand and or soil, should be offered to suspect females I encourage that keepers of females do more research on this.
Once a female has begun to dig or explore the laying bin she should be left alone and not disturbed as she may abandon the site. After eggs have been laid they can be carefully dug up and incubated in vermiculite or other appropriate medium. Eggs are often incubated at lower temps than that of more commonly kept species ( high 60’s - low 70’s ) Incubation times vary for many species but most seem to fall in the 5-7 month range.
Other species such as jacksons give live birth after a pregnancy of 6-7 months and drop their live young in birth sacs amongst the branches of their environment.
After egg laying or birth females with be drained and require close attention, such as frequent offerings of water and food properly supplemented with calcium as they use a lot during this time.
This topic could have its own sheet and I have just scratched the surface, when keeping or breeding a female chameleon I engcourage you to do much further research.
Closing
Although most montane species are not what I would consider common amongst the average chameleon keeper they are growing in popularity and soon most likely availability as keepers and breeders alike find the interest and beauty in “the horns and fins”
I will say the biggest challenge for many keepers is realizing the lower temps and higher humidity required, and even more so for younger chams.
So montane chameleons are a slightly more delicate species, and require a few modifications to the common techniques of keeping veiled or panther chameleons. But with close attention to these changes they are a very rewarding chameleon and quickly become the jewel of many keepers collections.
This sheet has been put together assuming that the keeper has some previous knowledge of common chameleon keeping and requirements. As always each chameleon is different, and female chams have their own special requirements for the egg laying process.
All information is of my opinion and statements of what has worked for me, the knowledge I have gained from research, other keepers teachings and input. Please always use your own better judgment and seek the advise or help of a veterinarian or other qualified professional when required.
