Chameleon bashing?

[Carlton]

What makes this all the much better is that we now have the internet. Back when I got my first Veiled Chameleon all I had was my local pet store owner and the only chameleon book I could find at my local Barnes and Nobel. The funny thing is, the pet shop owner sold me "all the equipment I needed". You know.... 20 gal. fish tank with a screen top, day and night heat lamps, water bowl, ect.

I sure remember those days, but was a little luckier than you were. The first cham I ever saw (jax probably as it was leaf green with horns) belonged to a nursery manager who kept it in his greenhouse. When I asked about it he warned me off immediately in some detail.

Many years later I saw a juvenile very early generation cbb veiled in a NJ pet shop. I knew I wanted him, but also knew chams were misunderstood and tricky. UVB needs were just surfacing. Diet and dusting were still pretty archaic. I bought the store's one copy of Phillippe de Vosjoli's book first, asked for the breeder's name and grilled him, then went back and got him. He did live in a tank for a while which at his age was OK, but at least I was told about UVB and screen cages. The breeder mentioned the CIN so I called either Ardi or Ken. The internet was still a dream then. I can't imagine taking on an unknown exotic animal now without it.

 

[Swayne8998]

Lol!! I have not gotten to that point yet but she will definitely let me take her out without hesitation which is nice to have a pet that recognizes and befriends me, they are such interesting reptiles it is crazy! They all have unique personalities which makes it so much fun.

You have no idea. I actually hand WATER my cham...LOL. I have all the mister nozzles pointing on leaves, I spray leaves, etc. But NO... My guy doesn't drink like that. So I have cups that catch the water drops so the bottom doesn't get soaked. And what does Yoshi do? He reaches down and drinks out of the cups! So one time I decided "What the heck?" and I put some fresh clean water in a cup and held it in front of him and sure enough, he drank from me. LOL... they definitely have personalities

 

[Carlton]

You have no idea. I actually hand WATER my cham...LOL. I have all the mister nozzles pointing on leaves, I spray leaves, etc. But NO... My guy doesn't drink like that. So I have cups that catch the water drops so the bottom doesn't get soaked. And what does Yoshi do? He reaches down and drinks out of the cups! So one time I decided "What the heck?" and I put some fresh clean water in a cup and held it in front of him and sure enough, he drank from me. LOL... they definitely have personalities

Well, it's what they happen to learn. All my melleri learned to drink directly from hand held syringes. Such a time saver and a pleasure. I had a wc verrucosus who learned to lick water out of my hand. If I started spraying his cage down he'd start reflex swallowing and licking his lips. Then I started holding a large leaf in front of him and he'd lick that, but soon he was fine with water cupped in my hand. Except for that slimy tongue on my skin I loved it!

 

[DanSB]

I sure remember those days, but was a little luckier than you were. The first cham I ever saw (jax probably as it was leaf green with horns) belonged to a nursery manager who kept it in his greenhouse. When I asked about it he warned me off immediately in some detail.

Many years later I saw a juvenile very early generation cbb veiled in a NJ pet shop. I knew I wanted him, but also knew chams were misunderstood and tricky. UVB needs were just surfacing. Diet and dusting were still pretty archaic. I bought the store's one copy of Phillippe de Vosjoli's book first, asked for the breeder's name and grilled him, then went back and got him. He did live in a tank for a while which at his age was OK, but at least I was told about UVB and screen cages. The breeder mentioned the CIN so I called either Ardi or Ken. The internet was still a dream then. I can't imagine taking on an unknown exotic animal now without it.

I honestly wonder how any Chameleons even lived in captivity in the early 90s. In the Pet Store I worked at we had a supplier out of Hawaii who sent us Jacks which was the the only supply we could even find. None of us knew about CIN. We did some things right like screened cages and misting as well as using a modified rodent water bottle to keep a drip going.

We were also told they needed to eat pinky mice twice a week as soon as they were big enough and and the idea of UVB seemed optional and I don't really know how good the UVB bulbs at the time were...

The internet really has enabled exotic animal keeping more than any other medium in my opinion.

 

[Nuclear Cham]

I like to refer to chameleons

as the saltwater fish of the reptile world. Anyone can have a fish tank, but only the true "fish geeks" have saltwater tanks because they require so much more care and knowledge. Same with chameleon owners vs the average reptile keeper. You could probably make a good argument that saltwater fish are harder to take care of than chams, so I guess they must be terrible pets as well.

 

[Carlton]

I honestly wonder how any Chameleons even lived in captivity in the early 90s. In the Pet Store I worked at we had a supplier out of Hawaii who sent us Jacks which was the the only supply we could even find. None of us knew about CIN. We did some things right like screened cages and misting as well as using a modified rodent water bottle to keep a drip going.

We were also told they needed to eat pinky mice twice a week as soon as they were big enough and and the idea of UVB seemed optional and I don't really know how good the UVB bulbs at the time were...

The internet really has enabled exotic animal keeping more than any other medium in my opinion.

Oh, you didn't try the IV bag from a medical supply? I thought I was being so creative with that one. Bought all sorts of tubing, drip controls, various bag types from a shop employee who couldn't wait to see me go far far away. Then trying that first room humidifier modification with rigid PVC pipe and silicone caulk! Roaming the hardware store isles getting ideas...FUN!

 

[Carlton]

as the saltwater fish of the reptile world. Anyone can have a fish tank, but only the true "fish geeks" have saltwater tanks because they require so much more care and knowledge. Same with chameleon owners vs the average reptile keeper. You could probably make a good argument that saltwater fish are harder to take care of than chams, so I guess they must be terrible pets as well.

Tropical fish are the only creature I haven't tried to keep yet. It's one thing to keep an animal that relies on you for heat, light, food and water, but quite another to keep something that relies on you to breathe! What do they do in power failures? The only fish I've ever had much interest in are the lionfish, pipefish, and the kelp seahorses; the latter which are notoriously difficult and all wc from threatened habitats.

 

[ISA my Veiled]

You have no idea. I actually hand WATER my cham...LOL. I have all the mister nozzles pointing on leaves, I spray leaves, etc. But NO... My guy doesn't drink like that. So I have cups that catch the water drops so the bottom doesn't get soaked. And what does Yoshi do? He reaches down and drinks out of the cups! So one time I decided "What the heck?" and I put some fresh clean water in a cup and held it in front of him and sure enough, he drank from me. LOL... they definitely have personalities

LOL!! that is too funny man, i cannot believe that, I can hand feed my chameleon most days but hand watering lol that is for sure a keeper in my mind, those are the things you remember about your pets long after they have passed, the fun and the joy of everyday things just like that.

 

[ZPavDesign]

as the saltwater fish of the reptile world. Anyone can have a fish tank, but only the true "fish geeks" have saltwater tanks because they require so much more care and knowledge. Same with chameleon owners vs the average reptile keeper. You could probably make a good argument that saltwater fish are harder to take care of than chams, so I guess they must be terrible pets as well.

I've kept many saltwater reef aquariums. I just actually took a break from them to try reptiles out. Saltwater is defiantly a tricky hobby to deal into. I read for months and finally jumped into it.

My 10gal nano reef I just took down.

I loved every minute of it, so relaxing.

I'm hoping my Cham experience is just as fun/eventful.

 

[Swayne8998]

LOL!! that is too funny man, i cannot believe that, I can hand feed my chameleon most days but hand watering lol that is for sure a keeper in my mind, those are the things you remember about your pets long after they have passed, the fun and the joy of everyday things just like that.

Oh I have the most unique animals xD I have a cat that crosses her eyes the opposite way you might think they would go... she is totally a spas but I love her anyway She rolls over like a dog, too LOL

 

[Montium]

I find saltwater tanks to be much easier than freshwater tanks. I've kept salt off and on for 20+ years. I collect deep water exotics for the trade. The one thing you will learn about saltwater or most other things, is that everyone has the only right way to do it. I have had tanks that my fish spawned in that never had water changes in five years. If I posted than on a fish forum I would be burned alive. As for chameleons, now that mine live outside year 'round I'd say they are one of the easier reptiles to deal with but then my location temps are pretty favorable year 'round. I only need to deal with a few real cold days per year.

 

[Chamlo]

My parents and friends sometimes care for my cham when i'm away. They do an ok job, but is scared of them. Non reptile people don't understand that chams have a personality and respond to you aggressively or kindly. They don't see them as intelligent. The think they are like a frog. Feed give them water. You can just pick them up. No worries. Wayyyyy different then that friends. They are smart and show their feelings. My male chameleon seems bored a lot and angry. I think he is lonely and I want to introduce him to a female to see what he does. O yeah do they need a visual barrier if they can see each other across the room? I don't plan on breeding, I just want the challenge of a female. A little kid asked me if chameleons were expensive. I told him yes and they are hard to keep. I don't want a 7 year old that puts salamanders in a hat and thinks they'll be all right to consider one. He seems very unknowledgeable about any animal and I don't trust him even to touch my Monty.

 

[chamluvr]

Chameleons were kept in captivity in the 1990's- I had a pair of Jackson's. But there was nothing like the wealth of information provided by this forum. Properly caring for these living works of art is a BIG responsibility. I spent 2 months deciding whether or not to go for it again before ordering my baby that is coming in 2 weeks. Unfortunately there are too many unscrupulous vendors out there just using chameleons to make a buck. Last Sat I went to the Repticon show in Ft Myers. There were 2 WEEK old Veilds being sold to kids. Those babies don't stand a chance. It was disgusting. All those folks that shelled out he money are not going to have good things to say.

 

[Chamlo]

Chameleons were kept in captivity in the 1990's- I had a pair of Jackson's. But there was nothing like the wealth of information provided by this forum. Properly caring for these living works of art is a BIG responsibility. I spent 2 months deciding whether or not to go for it again before ordering my baby that is coming in 2 weeks. Unfortunately there are too many unscrupulous vendors out there just using chameleons to make a buck. Last Sat I went to the Repticon show in Ft Myers. There were 2 WEEK old Veilds being sold to kids. Those babies don't stand a chance. It was disgusting. All those folks that shelled out he money are not going to have good things to say.

Thats sad. But it sounds like the were in better shape than petsmart chams. Yes, they are doomed

 

[jscott67]

I was pleasantly surprised when I decided to get my little veiled girl. I had been considering one, had been reading and then fell for a tiny girl at Petsmart. She had just come in and was in the display case. I was talking to an employee about chams and their care. She was surprisingly blunt and td me they don't like selling them as so many are returned within the first 14 days dead.

When I told her I was interested in the one that came in she assured me she was eating and seemed healthy. She began quizzing me on my knowledge of chams, my proposed setup and time I had for another pet and it seemed she did her best to talk me out of it. After I told her I had an enclosure setup and auto misters her tone changed. I put Jessie on hold until the weekend.

When I went to go pick her up the cashier let me know that she was considering the same animal (she was there only one) and she said she was glad I was taking her, she did ask for updates and photos.

It was nice to see a large store like that not encourage a sale for the sake of a sale. Another store I visited told me chameleons were great pets because they are so easy to care for and "anybody can do it", they said the best thing about them was that they required do little care.

I don't see trying to talk someone out if an animal as bashing, if it saves the life of the animal.

 

[cricketkilla]

I agree with Kmw except I have seen it on non-cham centric herp forums.

I think a lot of it is warranted though these little guys are tricky and take some general experience and intelligence to care for and breed where as something like a leopard gecko or bearded dragon can pretty much be kept by a six year old.

I would never tell anyone a chameleon makes a great pet. they are gorgeous, interesting, and in my opinion one of the most amazing creatures on the planet. Not a good pet... unless you are diligent, responsible, observant, and intelligent.

Ever notice the collective IQ on this forum is much higher than average herp forums? There is a reason for that...

I totally agree with everything you just said.. I love chameleon keeping and started at nine years old with a T. Melleri (not a great idea btw) and plan to do it the rest of my life! It takes many hours of research and observation to truly understand their psyche and physiology, and I hope the stigma they carry as pets changes. I think they are excellent companions and can take just as much work as any other animal..

 

[bootsiemonroe]

No Regrets

My Cham has been a wonderful Experience. Yoshi is a great companion, but, yes they are high maintenance. BUT! What pet is not?? Not my dog or cat, or Cham goes without my attention!! Yoshi is my day companion, as I work at home, and my husband says I can spoil anything, even a Cham. He loves me! I never thought you could get such great satisfaction from a pet, but a Cham is my perfect little pet. But they do require one to do their homework. I would not recommend to just anyone.

 

[SarahcoadunatioZac]

I bought my Melon (male veiled) with little to no understanding of chameleon care.

Weeks of stress and headaches before I brought him home, and thanks to this forum his first and very recent VET visit got us a clean bill of health.

Still learning and just ordered my first bulk buy of dubias.

It's not easy, but if you dont back away from a challenge you'll be rewarded with the experience.

 

[asongforyou]

I don't see trying to talk someone out if an animal as bashing, if it saves the life of the animal.

I totally agree with this. I believe it applies to any pet. I hate it when people decide to get a pet because they can "afford" the animal but they haven't planned out the costs for the year or the entire lifetime of the pet. The pet is usually the cheapest. The food, vet care, supplies cost a whole lot more.

I believe that getting a pet means that you are agreeing to take care of it for the rest of it's life. They shouldn't be given or sold away because they are no longer that cute baby you purchased or that didn't meet your expectations.

I always wanted a chameleon when I was younger. I'm glad I was scared into not keeping them. I probably wouldn't have done a good job lol. Now, as an adult, I don't find it as challenging as I thought it would and I'm really glad that I waited until I did my research.

 

[leet13]

I am a total noob at this and I have other pets too but to me my chameleon is less work than my koi pond. Right now I have a basement winter pond set up for them to move them to (tomorrow). At least we will all be under the same roof lol.