Crested Chameleons

[lex]

Hi there, first post and i just wanted to ask you folks a question. I've kept chameleons before now to much success and was thinking of getting back into the cham scene, I have the time, money and facilities for one as well as many years reptile experience, and was all set to purchase a stunning jacksons when i was offered a crested cham, which just so happens to be my personal holy grail of chameleons, and I have always wanted to keep one since I started my herp hobby all those moons ago. But here is the snag, they are rare, and for that reason there is very little specific information on habitat and husbandary out there. Would you please be able to help me out with some specifics? Whereas I would love to keep one of these animals I wouldn't want to keep it in a substandard way, so all research and opinions are much appriciate, good and bad... Thank you! Lex

 

[Brad Ramsey]

You're probably aware of this site already, but I will post the link (just in case)

http://www.adcham.com/html/taxonomy/species/chcristatus.html

-Brad

 

[Chuck G]

Hi Lex,
Welcome to the forums! They are a great species to work with.
I have kept them in a medium sized screen cage with alot of plants.
They need high humidity and are big drinkers for their size. A slow almost constant drip I used.I didn't use a basking spot and used the tube lighting.
About 75 daytime and 65 night.Let me know if I can be of any help.

 

[lex]

Thanks you have both been of great help, now you have stuck your necks out i now want to pick your brains, i have my own methods to raise humidity, mostly through custom built backdrops with cyclic waterfeatures inbuilt, but i was wondering how you achieved humidity control, also with the evironment needing to be kept 'wet' your methods on how to avoid the waterlogging of liveplants within the enclosure?

 

[Chuck G]

Hey, I will send you some info later on, I actually have to get some work done today! I will say I don't keep an entirely "wet" environment.

 

[sttines]

Lex, may I ask where you got this cristatus? I'm also looking for some males to match up with what I have heer and there don't seem to be any coming in. Cristatus are not big baskers but all of mine have liked a lot of indirect light over too much shade. I would not recommend glass enclosures as some will tell you. The levels of humidity will need to be clean and glass tanks cannot provide fresh clean air. They like silkworms, superworms, and crickets. None of mine have ever liked flies too much.

I won't say that they are necessarily terrestrial in cpativity but they do like to take in the WHOLE cage so it's not uncommon to see them on the floor. IME, they are usually up closer to the light source in the earlier part of the day and maybe on the p[lant pot edge later on.