Chameleons as Christmas presents -- Input needed!

[Gingero]

Thank you everyone!!

@MissSkittles -- I have not. I get comments like "Does this apply to Veileds or Jackson's?" so I have been trying to include more species in my videos so people are aware the advice isn't just for Panthers. That little Veiled was at my local reptile shop

 

[Uri]

Personally I don’t think any living thing should be a gift they are a LOT of responsibility even if someone has been asking for one it’s not a gift or something you receive as a present to just get bored of it later they deserve the best lives possible and should be cared for as any dog or child would be given you wouldn’t give a child as a gift so you shouldn’t give a chameleon or any living creature as a gift if it breathes it’ll be a responsibility

 

[Lindasjackson]

Personally I don’t think any living thing should be a gift they are a LOT of responsibility even if someone has been asking for one it’s not a gift or something you receive as a present to just get bored of it later they deserve the best lives possible and should be cared for as any dog or child would be given you wouldn’t give a child as a gift so you shouldn’t give a chameleon or any living creature as a gift if it breathes it’ll be a responsibility

I agree totally!

 

[Tarzanfam]

I see I am totally late to this. We did this last year and it ended up being a very sad situation for our poor Tarzan and our kids. We got a very sick lizard but when I picked him up, he was acting quite normal. Once in our care, there was nothing we could do. The store wouldn't let us talk to the breeder (red flag) to see why he may have the problems he did, and it all just fell apart. Took him a week to settle in and start showing his ailments and by then we just had to give him the best life we could. He was SO cranky with all the stuff I had to do just so he could be alive and after 5 months, we could see he wasn't ok at all and wasn't going to improve. The vets were floundering trying to help him and it was SO expensive. Poor guy. We did love him even though it was so difficult. We recently got a panther to replace our Tarzan, who was a veiled, and now I am learning all over again because they are quite different after a few veiled friends. Our choice to get him for Christmas was a poor one. Tying a pet to a holiday is something I will never do again. Getting a cham I don't feel was a bad choice. I have two 7 year olds and a 9 year old and they are very good helpers with him for their ages. We can't have furry pets due to allergies and I had a very fun 7.5 years with a veiled when I was a young adult, so it seemed a good fit. My panther is an interesting new challenge. Anyhow, just my two cents on the subject in case anyone is reading this post-video and looking for first hand experience.

 

[Snuits]

"they are a look at pet, not an interact pet"
"they need a low traffic area of the house" (have you seen how "quiet" a teenagers room can be?"
"the food needs a place to live"
"you will need to buy food on an almost weekly basis"

Id say 12-14 years old is a good time to start herping.

Im not a wordsmith, and you already have a "how to care" video, but you need to really hit it home on frequency of care per week, and how long care takes, and cleaning. Ive seen many of parents end of being full time caretakers of hedghogs when the child loses interest.

I can still remember getting my drivers license, and trying to figure out the parents directions to the vet using only the back roads because the highway was a no no...

I like your tips.. but I'm a little thrown off about buying food on a weekly basis.
I buy my bugs every couple of months.

 

[nightanole]

I like your tips.. but I'm a little thrown off about buying food on a weekly basis.
I buy my bugs every couple of months.

You cant buy crickets every couple of months...

And a lot of people still will not buy "roaches". Even a decade later the family is not 100% that they will not escape and have to tent the house

And its just going to be "one" reptile right now, so bulk mail isnt really an option.

Everyones situation is different, but im just going for the generic pet store crickets etc. So every two weeks get the baggy with a few dozen crickets, maybe some "worms" and call it good.

Even i had the option of we have a monthly reptile show at the local armory where i could pickup unique "food".

 

[MissSkittles]

You cant buy crickets every couple of months...

I usually buy my crickets once a month or so. I usually get around 500 banded 5/8” or 3/4” and they last/live quite well until my next order.

 

[PlanetRemulak]

Handling! They need to be okay that chams are not animals that can be ‘played with’.
Since veileds seem to be most common, you may also want to mention temperament and aggression. My girls have bit me several times and are always trying to get me more.
Gender. Males would be a better choice to avoid the whole egg laying thing.
Age of the chameleon. Avoiding those adorable babies that are way too young and fragile.
Rather than age of the child, I think it’s better to go by responsibility level and parental involvement.

Absolutely seconding this, especially given that veiled chameleons seem to be the most widely available.
I adored my veiled, but he was a beastly little creep. Prospective cham owners of all ages/walks of life need to know this about veiled chameleons before bringing one home.

 

[Casket_Case]

"they are a look at pet, not an interact pet"
"they need a low traffic area of the house" (have you seen how "quiet" a teenagers room can be?"
"the food needs a place to live"
"you will need to buy food on an almost weekly basis"

Id say 12-14 years old is a good time to start herping.

Im not a wordsmith, and you already have a "how to care" video, but you need to really hit it home on frequency of care per week, and how long care takes, and cleaning. Ive seen many of parents end of being full time caretakers of hedghogs when the child loses interest.

I can still remember getting my drivers license, and trying to figure out the parents directions to the vet using only the back roads because the highway was a no no...

I’m a teenager and my room is the quietest place in the house. You go upstairs down a hall and across a catwalk to get to my room. Very isolated. Van enjoys the solidarity

 

[Mountain Dragon]

I’m a teenager and my room is the quietest place in the house. You go upstairs down a hall and across a catwalk to get to my room. Very isolated. Van enjoys the solidarity

I agree I’m a teenager and my room is very quiet and clean etc

 

[JacksJill]

If your child can't keep plants alive then maybe a chameleon isn't the right pet for them.

 

[nightanole]

I agree I’m a teenager and my room is very quiet and clean etc

mean while im not even sure what color the carpet is in several teen rooms for the neighbor kids, but hey their hedge hogs are living the good life...

 

[Casket_Case]

I agree I’m a teenager and my room is very quiet and clean etc

We’re not like other teens though, we’re kinda like the exclusive ones. So I don’t know if we really count because we’re just too legit.

 

[Mountain Dragon]

We’re not like other teens though, we’re kinda like the exclusive ones. So I don’t know if we really count because we’re just too legit.

totally I agree we’re the premium gold level teenagers

 

[Casket_Case]

totally I agree we’re the premium gold level teenagers

Us:

 

[Casket_Case]

Sorry got off topic, was turning to a self praise thread . But yeah, teens can be noisy, they can have commitment issues, and they go through phases. I wouldn’t get one unless the kid is paying for it to show that they really want it and they’ll take good care of it.
Or, if you have chameleons and your kid is interested. Then, if that doesn’t go over well you can gain Chameleon Custody.

 

[MzLaurie11]

It's that time of the year when parents, etc. start to consider getting their kids a chameleon as a pet. At this point my YouTube channel covers all the basic husbandry videos such as what supplies a chameleon needs, cost, what cham is recommended for beginners, how to set up an enclosure, etc. But I would love to do a video tailored to parents who are looking at getting a chameleon for their kid. So I am asking for help from the parents and kids on the forums to help me pull together some advice, things to consider, etc for parents who would be watching this video. Here are some things I want to mention in the video. Just remember this isn't a video to teach someone how to care for a chameleon -- I already have videos on how to do that that go into more detail than this video could provide.

1. They're a look-at pet
2. What age is appropriate for a child to get a chameleon (Anyone have any thoughts on this?)
3. The parent needs to be able to oversee the care of the cham
4. They will need to be okay with live bugs
5. Chameleons have advanced care requirements
6. Buy from a good breeder
7. Make sure the child will want the chameleon for 7+ years -- have a back up plan in case your kid loses interest
8. Look up a good reptile vet in your area
9. Be prepared to spend hundreds of dollars on the set up and care
10. Reoccurring costs include food, supplements, bulbs, and plants
11. Chameleons cannot travel between homes or travel in planes to go to college

What else would you add?

A chameleon is costly to maintain, gets sick just from stress, requires advanced care giving and a lot of time. Few adults can handle this let alone children. i am a parent and when my son was six he was given a tortouise for his birthday. needless to say he lost interest in a month and it became mine. I have heard that bearded dragons are the best starter pet due to thier temperment and hardyness. I strongly discourage people from getting chams when they approach me when i am walking around with mine. he is very tame and likes people and as everyone knows this is not the usual temperment of chams. i do not think any pet for anyone should be a surprise.for children or adults. thus is a permanent addision to the family. Unless the person wants one and knows everything it entails. Also vet visits for chams is very expensive and must be taken into consideration.

 

[MzLaurie11]

Handling! They need to be okay that chams are not animals that can be ‘played with’.
Since veileds seem to be most common, you may also want to mention temperament and aggression. My girls have bit me several times and are always trying to get me more.
Gender. Males would be a better choice to avoid the whole egg laying thing.
Age of the chameleon. Avoiding those adorable babies that are way too young and fragile.
Rather than age of the child, I think it’s better to go by responsibility level and parental involvement.

I think your gender consideration is a very valid point and should be included in the video.

 

[ChamelaChameleon]

I need your product list. I just went through the process again and spent $1k including the cost of the chameleon, cage, plants, etc. And I'm sharing some timers and the mist king. But I guess me going bioactive adds to the cost since good soil is $$.

Another thing I've found is if you can take your time in hunting for deals you can find the right lights and cages for cheaper. If you rush to get everything around Christmas, that might increase startup costs.

Well, I started out with pet store advice. I've returned as much as possible but they sold me so much wrong stuff or sub-performing products. I'm about 1000.00 in. and I have plastic plants and vines that have no use.

 

[DaChameleon66]

I think in order to have a chameleon you need to be very dedicated. But it's definitely worth it!