Cage Size

[Ninkylou]

I don't want you to think I am discouraging you from getting your Cham. Not at all, but you will enjoy your pet much more if you are aware of the costs you will incur.

No one likes financial surprises. Like Windex I have spent well over $2000 on the purchase, setup and keeping of my 2 panther chameleons over the last few months.

I just think an informed keeper is a better keeper. Do your research. You certainly can be an excellent keeper on a budget. Just make sure to get the things you REALLY need to keep your Cham safe and healthy.

You can often find good deals on light ballasts (I wouldn't buy used UVB bulbs) on Craigslist. I order all my feeders online to and the saves money over time. I don't feed crickets anymore and Dubias and Supers are sooooo easy to keep. I don't breed the Dubias but that is another way to reduce costs.

 

[windex]

My thoughts exactly Ninkylou.. I'm not trying to discourage you as well drm, Id just hate for you to get the little fella and then 2 months down the road have to give him up because he is ill or you can't afford him any more.. And like I said earlier in a different post, if this is your first cham stay away from jacksons, there are experienced owners on here that have trouble keeping them healthy.. Veiled or Panthers is a good beginners breed.. Like Ninkylou said, buying online helps out a lot, I also buy crickets online for about 1/2 the price of pet store ones, and I also breed them so that I save money there as well..
Compared to a bearded dragon a chameleon is a lot more delicate and sensitive to it's environment.. They are very needy animals and require a lot of maintenance.

 

[Lathis]

No one likes financial surprises. Like Windex I have spent well over $2000 on the purchase, setup and keeping of my 2 panther chameleons over the last few months.

Ditto. Getting everything set up with the "must haves" - cage, lights, supplements, plants, etc - probably cost over $600. The "wants" add up quick!

Starting from scratch you don't realize how much you will spend on things you don't even think about - like dowels, zipties, potting soil, fake vines, silicone, plastic tubs for bugs, tongs, timers, extension cords, feeder bowls, extra bulbs, twine, more plants, buckets, tubing, storage bin for everything, etc. Then you start adding expensive things in like an automated mister...

After getting everything all set up, getting the cham, making a few mistakes, buying bugs, setting up breeding colonies... $1500 seems about right. Add another easy $300 and a lot of elbow grease for the custom enclosure I built and about $200 on vet expenses over nine months... Yep, I agree with that $2000.

Full disclosure... nothing is too good for my baby, so I tend to go over board , but just be aware that chameleons are a bigger financial investment than you originally might expect.

Two great resources to consult on the overall cost of getting a chameleon:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/olimpia/522-average-cost-owning-chameleon.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/tyaeda/833-what-expect-when-youre-expecting-chameleon.html

Both Olimpia and Tyaeda do a great job of breaking it down by item. We're not trying to scare you! Knowledge is power