Cant Decide

[jtesagain625]

Thankfully I am not rushing into buying a chameleon w/o studying up (I've been impulsive with other things). That being said, I've narrowed my preference down to either Jackson or Panther. Guess when choosing between different chameleon breeds, it boils down to looks/size ?

 

[Rottsko]

i guess the question to ask yourself is..which chameleon do you like better? does the color of panthers attract you the most to it or do you like the look of horns on a jackson? what do you like more?

if you're looking for colors, panthers are the way to go. they're also imo the easiest starter cham...but i'm also partial. veileds are very similar but they don't display the variety colors that panthers show.

 

[jtesagain625]

i guess the question to ask yourself is..which chameleon do you like better? does the color of panthers attract you the most to it or do you like the look of horns on a jackson? what do you like more?

if you're looking for colors, panthers are the way to go. they're also imo the easiest starter cham...but i'm also partial. veileds are very similar but they don't display the variety colors that panthers show.

I'd say the colors would be the main attraction. I have 2 young children and think they'd get a bigger kick outta the color, than the horns. I'm def leaning towards panther right now (that could change by tomorrow).
Thanks for the insight.

 

[fluxlizard]

Panthers are easier than jacksons.

You can find a captive bred individual that will be healthy and make a great pet. Jacksons are usually wild caught and a little bit harder (still a good cham if you start with a healthy one).

Panthers are more expensive though..

 

[SRTtoZ]

I know it sounds bad to say but I recommend Veiled for first timers since they arent nearly as expensive as the others, just incase you decide this hobby isnt for you or god forbid something goes wrong. They are also, like Panthers, very hardy chameleons compared to the other breeds (Panthers are too). Panther colors however are VERY VERY hard to resist. If you can dish out the cash and take care of the little fella and want a Panther, go ahead, they are amazing pets to watch.

 

[stacy76]

i also think its according to what you like and to your envornment in your houe..if you live somewhere hot, id go with a higher temp like veiled or panther....if you are somewhere cool go with montanes..some find it easier that way say instead of living somewhere hot and trying to cool temps and raising humidity for montanes and vice versa..

 

[bugboy]

I've always been a big believer in the phrase "Get what you want, not what you can afford or what's easier". Just do your research and you should be ok. But I will say that Panthers are so much easier to care for. As stated already Jacksons are usually wild caught. Most if not all of them are imported from Hawaii, but even a trip like that can be hard on them. They don't eat or drink the whole way here; dehydration can be killer on the kidneys, which is a chameleon's worst nightmare. If anything goes on them, usually the first thing is the kidneys. I have kept Jacksons before, a pair I bought from a reputable dealer. They drank water CONSTANTLY. On top of a misting system, they readily drank from a homemade dripper; and they drank, and drank, and DRANK. I actually lost the male after about a year and a half of having him. With all of the water I offered him, my vet told me from the bloodwork he had done that this animal had the highest uric acid content he had ever seen in any animal he had ever worked with. He also told me that this animal was the "healthiest dying chameleon" he had ever seen. The female actually did better than he did, going about 2 years after I had bought her. Both were approximately 4-5 months old when I got them (maybe older), judging by size.

The nice thing about Panthers is that almost all of them are captive bred, and therefore don't endure the stresses of shipping. I bought a young male (about 3 months old) almost 4 years ago and he is still going strong, one of my healthiest animals. He greets me every day as I'm dusting his crickets (he sees the bag shaking and comes running down haha). Costly yes; I paid a fair price for him. But if it's a first time chameleon, you can't go wrong with a Panther. Ease of care coupled with the amazing colors make these one of the best chameleons to start with (as long as environmental and nutritional requirements are met).

These are just my personal experiences. As I stated before, "Get what you want"; buying an animal just because it's easier to care for isn't what keeping reptiles is about. Just makes you bored of the animal and more likely to neglect it. Do your research and make your decision based off of it. I love my Panther and I loved my Jacksons, but I sure had a lot of work with the Jacksons. Good luck and feel free to ask any more questions!

 

[Olimpia]

You may have this chameleon for 5-8 years, potentially, so get whomever you would like to live with for that long

 

[jtesagain625]

Thanks everyone. Making my decision a little easier. This is a great forum

 

[spottea]

I got a captive bred Jackson's from FL Chams, one of the sponsors of this site, after doing research for a couple of months.
Because:
1. I have cats, and I wanted to be able to keep her outside.
2. I live in southern california so this is doable.
3. I fell in love with the Jackson's after seeing them in Hawaii!

It took me while to get a handle on all the bugs and where to get them, and the misting/ watering stuff, but after 6 months, and reading the forums almost daily, I think i have it down now! Piko is a year old now I think, and doing well. The cats don't really bother her, she's too slow, and I let her out when I'm home to wander around the shrubbery. So, that's my 10 cents, for what it's worth!

 

[melble68]

Thanks everyone. Making my decision a little easier. This is a great forum

This forum is the best. Welcome, and just like your name says we'll see ya "again". Never stop asking questions.