Chameleons and Salamanders!

[Ilike4hornedchams]

About a year ago I asked the forum here if anyone had experience with salamanders and chameleons coexisting peacefully. I got the idea because salamanders thrive in damp wet areas that have mosses, rocks and barks for hiding places.
When I asked a year ago everyone said it was a bad idea because salamanders are all poisonous. Which is true. Yet chameleons do not eat salamanders, ever and thus would not be interested in such a large meal to begin with so I tried out my experiment and I am pleased to announce that my marbled salamander and Jackson Chameleon have peacefully coexisted for a whole year now!
I included some pics of anyone wants to try a similar enclosure set up. Just make sure the Enclosure is big enough that the two will not be meeting face to face often enough to upset each other I suppose!

 

[Lazy Boy]

I guess it a good way to save on a few bucks. WAY to much risk for me and my family. Don't Sals climb around? Wouldnt he be leaving his toxins around?

 

[MelissaB]

I'm glad that it seems to be working ok, so far. In my opinion, I'd rather have them separate so that each gets an enclosure that's 100% dedicated to what they need. I don't see the need to force them to live in the same cage.

 

[pigglett79]

Yeah I guess some people insist in forcing animals to live together. I just wouldn't do it. The chameleon may not appreciate the roommate whether you think so or not and besides the risks to the chameleon I'm not sure the salamander appreciates walking around in chameleon poop.

 

[MelissaB]

About a year ago I asked the forum here if anyone had experience with salamanders and chameleons coexisting peacefully. I got the idea because salamanders thrive in damp wet areas that have mosses, rocks and barks for hiding places.
When I asked a year ago everyone said it was a bad idea because salamanders are all poisonous. Which is true. Yet chameleons do not eat salamanders, ever and thus would not be interested in such a large meal to begin with so I tried out my experiment and I am pleased to announce that my marbled salamander and Jackson Chameleon have peacefully coexisted for a whole year now!
I included some pics of anyone wants to try a similar enclosure set up. Just make sure the Enclosure is big enough that the two will not be meeting face to face often enough to upset each other I suppose!

Just curious, are you referring to this post from this May? Did you put them together before you posted your question about doing so?
https://www.chameleonforums.com/crazy-question-large-cham-enclosure-samalander-living-bottom-129140/

 

[Lazy Boy]

Just curious, are you referring to this post from this May? Did you put them together before you posted your question about doing so?
https://www.chameleonforums.com/crazy-question-large-cham-enclosure-samalander-living-bottom-129140/

3 months 12 months same thing lol

 

[xephyr17]

Haters gonna hate. It's all good I think

 

[Carlton]

Yeah I guess some people insist in forcing animals to live together. I just wouldn't do it. The chameleon may not appreciate the roommate whether you think so or not and besides the risks to the chameleon I'm not sure the salamander appreciates walking around in chameleon poop.

I think that would be my lingering concern...we all can see that most of the time a salamander and a cham might not really interact, but living in a space with a rain of cham poop, skin, etc. wouldn't be my idea of a nice habitat. The bacteria and potential addition of parasites might not do the sally much good over the long term. Besides, I like to create habitats that mimic (as much as is reasonable in captivity of course) the features of habitats each animal would prefer in the wild.

 

[Olimpia]

I don't have salamanders nor do I know much about how to keep one but the habitats of both are a little, eh :/ I bet the Jackson's would LOVE more plants and I suppose the salamander would like a bigger cage. But because they are together they both get a little less than they deserve/would like, so it ends up being a mediocre-ish set-up for both animals.

I work with a lot of enclosures that house 2-3 species at my job, but the enclosure generously provides what every one of those species needs in terms of space, hiding places, decor, temps, humidity, whatever, so they do well together (usually, I still have an issue with one species combo, personally...) But as it's currently set-up it's like the salamander was an afterthought to the cage, and the Jackson's has lost plants as a result and the salamander has lost space to whatever plastic container was small enouhg to fit in the bottom.

 

[Viv]

I don't know if it's just me but that foliage looks extremely sparse for a cham. I'm no expert but I think he should have more than that in his enclosure.

 

[xephyr17]

I would say Viv is right.

Why have them together, anyway? As I said earlier, haters gonna hate, but sometimes haters make good points you CAN keep them together, but really, what's so hard about keeping them seperate?