Advice for an uncertain new keeper?

[BlueSky]

Hello, chameleon forums!
I'm a brand new member to this forum, though I've been lurking around here for quite awhile. I'm a big fan of chameleons and reptiles in general, but haven't owned one before. You all seem really nice and super helpful, which is why I'm going to ask for your honest opinions on whether or not I should buy a chameleon right now.
Like I said, I have never owned a reptile before, but I've worked at my local Petsmart for years in the pet care department, which involves cleaning, feeding and caring for all sorts of animals, including various reptiles. I've been working with them forever, but I've never had the space or money to take the step and take one home. However, now I feel I'm in a good position financially and spatially to take on a scaly baby of my own. At the store, we recently got a new juvenile veiled chameleon, who I fell in love with immediately.

We're guessing she's somewhere around 4 months old, and probably female, but nobody is really sure.
I've been asking around for advice on chameleon keeping, and I've gotten conflicting answers on whether or not I would be able to take proper care of her given my experience. Some have told me chameleons are very difficult to care for, and have a lot of special needs, while others have said they get a bad rap because so many are wild-caught, and therefore come with all sorts of mental and physical problems right out of the gate. I've been told they are not a "starter reptile," but over the years, I've had experience with most of the needs of chameleons--dusting crickets, misting the tank, etc. Even with this in mind, do you guys think I'm really ready to give this lovely lady a proper home?

Sorry for the unnecessarily long post, but thank you for reading and thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Dumzy]

Hello, chameleon forums!
I'm a brand new member to this forum, though I've been lurking around here for quite awhile. I'm a big fan of chameleons and reptiles in general, but haven't owned one before. You all seem really nice and super helpful, which is why I'm going to ask for your honest opinions on whether or not I should buy a chameleon right now.
Like I said, I have never owned a reptile before, but I've worked at my local Petsmart for years in the pet care department, which involves cleaning, feeding and caring for all sorts of animals, including various reptiles. I've been working with them forever, but I've never had the space or money to take the step and take one home. However, now I feel I'm in a good position financially and spatially to take on a scaly baby of my own. At the store, we recently got a new juvenile veiled chameleon, who I fell in love with immediately.

We're guessing she's somewhere around 4 months old, and probably female, but nobody is really sure.
I've been asking around for advice on chameleon keeping, and I've gotten conflicting answers on whether or not I would be able to take proper care of her given my experience. Some have told me chameleons are very difficult to care for, and have a lot of special needs, while others have said they get a bad rap because so many are wild-caught, and therefore come with all sorts of mental and physical problems right out of the gate. I've been told they are not a "starter reptile," but over the years, I've had experience with most of the needs of chameleons--dusting crickets, misting the tank, etc. Even with this in mind, do you guys think I'm really ready to give this lovely lady a proper home?

Sorry for the unnecessarily long post, but thank you for reading and thanks in advance for the help.

Chameleons are very easy reptilesto care for, they can be expensive, but in the long run, they are well worth it. if they are given the correct enviroment, heat, etc. I think chameleons make a great starter reptile, but some may disagree, and wild caught chams can be just as good of pets as captive bred chams. But they do require attention, if you dont have an automatic misting system, they are going to need to be misted 3 -5 times a day, they are going to need a somewhat large cage (2x2x4), and if it is a female, its going to be harder. Females have to lay eggs, wich means you are going to need to have a laying bin setup, males are not as needy, they dont need a laying bin, or as much attention as a female would. I would say, if you know how to feed, to dust everyday, to mist everyday, you should be ready for one. Anyways, they need a basking spot of 85 - 95F, a UVB bulb, and lots of vines and plants. I recommend live plants, Shleffara are going to be the easist plants to care for, they are pretty much indestructable. And if you can, an automated misting system is very much recommended due to them having to be misted so often. I would recommend either a MistKing, or a Monsoon Rs400, wich i beleive petsmart actually sells the Monsoon. Reptibreeze cages are the best cages for these little guys, as living in a glass terrarium will cause respiratory problems. You should also have a drainage system and a dripper running at all times. By the way, an easy way to tell if it is a male or female, if you look at the back legs, if there is no spur, like a little bump, its a female, if it does have a spur, its male. Very cute little cham btw.

 

[Decadancin]

So first I would say that although chameleons may not be the easiest animals to take care of, they can be a great first reptile if you are willing to do your homework and use proper husbandry techniques. The first thought that came to mind was that you would instantly be the store's reptile resource . That would not be such a bad thing. Before purchasing supplies, I would suggest reading up on the proper lighting and enclosure needs, and even though you work in a store that likely carries Monsoon misters, I would advise against it as an option. The more you learn, the more you will be able to help others with their reptile needs. I will caution you that chameleons may not show signs of issues until they may already be very serious, so understanding what to look for and how to try to avoid problems is key.
Here's a link to the care sheet for veiled chameleons to get you started in case you haven't come across it yet...
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
Welcome to the forums!

 

[BlueSky]

Aw, thank you guys for the encouragement so far! I'm researching supplies right now--does anyone know a good place to get quality supplies as cheap as possible?

 

[Dumzy]

Aw, thank you guys for the encouragement so far! I'm researching supplies right now--does anyone know a good place to get quality supplies as cheap as possible?

Amazon is definently cheapest, if your looking for live plants, go for FredMeyers, i got a 2 ft shleffara for $10. If you are trying to get them same day, i would go to a locally owned petshop, they are usually pretty cheap, but, as a last resort, Petco/Petsmart. Right now Amazon is selling the 2x2x4 ReptiBreeze for only $99

 

[Dumzy]

So first I would say that although chameleons may not be the easiest animals to take care of, they can be a great first reptile if you are willing to do your homework and use proper husbandry techniques. The first thought that came to mind was that you would instantly be the store's reptile resource . That would not be such a bad thing. Before purchasing supplies, I would suggest reading up on the proper lighting and enclosure needs, and even though you work in a store that likely carries Monsoon misters, I would advise against it as an option. The more you learn, the more you will be able to help others with their reptile needs. I will caution you that chameleons may not show signs of issues until they may already be very serious, so understanding what to look for and how to try to avoid problems is key.
Here's a link to the care sheet for veiled chameleons to get you started in case you haven't come across it yet...
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
Welcome to the forums!

Just asking about the Monsoon, what do you mean by "Advise against them" I have one and its great. I do plan on upgrading to a mist king soon, but, as something cheap that will last you a pretty long time its alright.

 

[Millz&Jukka]

When I was researching if I was capable of being a Cham owner I read on loads of different websites that they are for adults only because they're hard pets to care for and keep healthy, but I've found out that I( a 13 year old girl) can handle the responsibility of a chameleon. I've had mine since Christmas and he's only had one or two issues. One was because he had a sperm plug that I was unaware of because it had dried up inside him befor it came out. But that's fine now. They seem like intimidating pets to care for before you get one but it's well worth it because in the long run you have an amazing buddy you can bond with for years. What's not to love about them?

 

[BlueSky]

When I was researching if I was capable of being a Cham owner I read on loads of different websites that they are for adults only because they're hard pets to care for and keep healthy, but I've found out that I( a 13 year old girl) can handle the responsibility of a chameleon. I've had mine since Christmas and he's only had one or two issues. One was because he had a sperm plug that I was unaware of because it had dried up inside him befor it came out. But that's fine now. They seem like intimidating pets to care for before you get one but it's well worth it because in the long run you have an amazing buddy you can bond with for years. What's not to love about them?

That's adorable! And makes me feel a little more confident--as a 20 year old adult living on her own I should be able to keep up with the responsibilities.

 

[Dumzy]

That's adorable! And makes me feel a little more confident--as a 20 year old adult living on her own I should be able to keep up with the responsibilities.

Yea, people can intimidate you and make you think they are hard animals to take care of, but they really arent.

 

[Decadancin]

Just asking about the Monsoon, what do you mean by "Advise against them" I have one and its great. I do plan on upgrading to a mist king soon, but, as something cheap that will last you a pretty long time its alright.

I started out with one also. A few months in the timer went, it wouldn't turn off, and it drenched the enclosure and the surrounding area. After I researched more I realized that this was not an uncommon issue. I mentioned it here because it looks like the OP still works in a place that usually sells them and without researching for options they may go with a product that is not the best quality and have similar luck. Many people that are just starting out purchase things that inevitably get replaced by better ones as they learn and this will cost more money in the long run. I was lucky enough to get my money back even though the return policy time limit had just run out.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Aw, thank you guys for the encouragement so far! I'm researching supplies right now--does anyone know a good place to get quality supplies as cheap as possible?

I agree a chameleon can be a good starter reptile but you really have to have them set up right. Cheap is not a word I would put in the same sentence as chameleon. The lizard itself might be cheap but nothing else is.

The longer I have chameleons, the more I believe that an automatic misting system is a necessary piece of equipment. I see all kinds of health problems here that can be traced back to poor levels of humidity and access to drinking that only a mister can give. These health problems are often fatal, so it really is a major concern.

If you get a chameleon, I would recommend a male simply because most females end up with egg laying problems. Why choose that for yourself? If a chameleon ends up with dystocia (the inability to lay eggs) you will end up with a several hundred dollar vet bill and no guarantee you won't be in exactly the same position in a few months. Surgery is very expensive and has a fairly poor prognosis.

You need a big cage, the bigger the better. Many suggest you can get away with a smaller cage for a female but I think it is the opposite. I think one reason so many females end up with reproductive issues is partly to do with their poor level of fitness. I think most chameleons prefer a cage that is quite wide. For a female veiled, I think an ideal cage would be 36" x 24" x 36" tall. They really do appreciate the horizontal space.

You will need a miser and I would recommend a MistKing simply because it won't break if you accidentally run it dry. You need the best lights and I would suggest you get Arcadia lights from Light Your Reptiles. And live plants, of course. Just the start up costs are probably around $400.

There are advantages to buying the best--you will have a healthier chameleon. Often, health issues can be traced to husbandry problems so sometimes buying the cheapest ends up being the most expensive..

 

[Millz&Jukka]

Aw, thank you guys for the encouragement so far! I'm researching supplies right now--does anyone know a good place to get quality supplies as cheap as possible?

Do you live in the uk?

 

[IzzieC]

Aw, thank you guys for the encouragement so far! I'm researching supplies right now--does anyone know a good place to get quality supplies as cheap as possible?

I am sure everyone has their favorite supplier, but PetMountain.com has habitats on sale right now and 10% off for new customers, free shipping over $75. They have all the other items you will need as well.

 

[IzzieC]

Can you re-post your picture? I can't see it.

 

[BlueSky]

Do you live in the uk?

No, I'm in the midwest US.

I am sure everyone has their favorite supplier, but PetMountain.com has habitats on sale right now and 10% off for new customers, free shipping over $75. They have all the other items you will need as well.

I was looking on PetMountain yesterday! It seems like they have really great prices and really quality stuff. But I did just find out that there's a reptile expo coming to my town in a week, so I'm definitely going there to check out their prices!

Can you re-post your picture? I can't see it.

Here's the one I posted earlier:

And I just got to visit him at work today, so I got a picture of his back feet. My coworker guessed he was a male by the little bumps behind his toes, but wasn't sure. Can you guys tell if this is a male spur or just a regular hind foot?

 

[IzzieC]

No, I'm in the midwest US.


I was looking on PetMountain yesterday! It seems like they have really great prices and really quality stuff. But I did just find out that there's a reptile expo coming to my town in a week, so I'm definitely going there to check out their prices!


Here's the one I posted earlier:

And I just got to visit him at work today, so I got a picture of his back feet. My coworker guessed he was a male by the little bumps behind his toes, but wasn't sure. Can you guys tell if this is a male spur or just a regular hind foot?

Awwee!!! He is a cutie!

No, I'm in the midwest US.


I was looking on PetMountain yesterday! It seems like they have really great prices and really quality stuff. But I did just find out that there's a reptile expo coming to my town in a week, so I'm definitely going there to check out their prices!


Here's the one I posted earlier:

And I just got to visit him at work today, so I got a picture of his back feet. My coworker guessed he was a male by the little bumps behind his toes, but wasn't sure. Can you guys tell if this is a male spur or just a regular hind foot?

He is a cutie!!

 

[CharlieCharmingo]

Aw, thank you guys for the encouragement so far! I'm researching supplies right now--does anyone know a good place to get quality supplies as cheap as possible?

Amazon is pretty solid place to get things however I would go to the nearest homedepot/plant store for all your plants they tend to be cheaper.