First Timer...can't decide...Please Help

C

ChuckleCham

New Member
Greetings Everyone,

I am very interested in Chameleon and really like the Jackson Chameleon. I have no experience what so ever with Chameleons, but with a lot of other things such as frogs, fish, dog, and birds. Please make me a recommendation to what i should get. I am debating on ordering a female online, but worry that she might be gravid. Is it really complicated to take care of Jackson babies? Would a male be a better choice? I have a cage set up and everything but worry that I might be prepared enough and end up wasting my money. Chameleon just seems like such cool creature. Please Help! Any recommendation or thoughts would really help me make my decision. There's just something about those Jackson Chameleon.

Thanks!
 
Before we all help you with your decision on the type of chameleon why don't you give us a description of your setup, such as size of the cage, lights, plants, and supplements. i just want to make sure you have all the right equipment before you go out and buy a cham
 
Thanks for your response...
Currently, I have a 18inX36in tall cage(home made). Glass door with a Zoomed three in one light fixture that I got for a really good deal. The Screens are made with Pet screen from Menard. I already bought a 75 watt heat lamp for the light fixture along with a 75 W night heat lamp. I couldn't decided if a UVB light is really a necessary. I will post a Photo as soon as I figure out how to post it on this site.
 
if you live in socal, get a male and then eventually breed ours, i have a female and wanna breed her in a few months
 
ChuckleCham said:
Thanks for your response...
Currently, I have a 18inX36in tall cage(home made). Glass door with a Zoomed three in one light fixture that I got for a really good deal. The Screens are made with Pet screen from Menard. I already bought a 75 watt heat lamp for the light fixture along with a 75 W night heat lamp. I couldn't decided if a UVB light is really a necessary. I will post a Photo as soon as I figure out how to post it on this site.
Click to expand...

The size of the cage seems to be fine for now but you might need to get a bigger one in the future. The heat lamp is good but I would get rid of the night light unless your house gets down past 60 degrees at night. Chameleons need about a 10-15 degree temp drop at night in order to rest well. A UV light is a must have with chameleons for them to survive, I recommend a Reptisun 5.0 linear tube light. Don't buy the compact 5.0 because it will destroy your chams eyes.

I think a good starter chameleon is a male veiled. They seem to be vary hardy and if you go with a male you wont have to deal with gravid. I'm not sure how to make this link work but you should go here and read this blog, its full of great info. http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/.

You really need to do a lot of reading before your ready to have one of your own. Its very easy to listen to the guy that works at your local pet store who's going to sell you all this crap that you don't need, like a waterfall and heat pad. This forum is full of info and will become vary helpful if you use the search bar or ask questions
 
Last edited:
chambabysitter1 said:
Hahaha, dude you just got it. I would do some research on breeding before thinking about finding alot of people for it.
Click to expand...

hahah i know, i thats why i said a few months or so. haha,
i would love to have more and i know a store and some people who are reallly interested in jacksons.
 
Thanks jmdavis
I will do some more research. Would Ve. Cham be more aggressive towards handling or would Jackson be better? I know that they are not to be handled, but I think it would be very cool.
 
I think it all depends on the chameleons personality to tell you the truth. Some don't like it when your in there space and others could care less what your doing with them.
 
Thanks for the post. What kind of Chameleons do you have? From your experience are Chameleon really that complicated? Maybe I'm just to over excited...
 
ChuckleCham said:
Thanks for the post. What kind of Chameleons do you have? From your experience are Chameleon really that complicated? Maybe I'm just to over excited...
Click to expand...

You could be! They are very exciting creatures, but a total responsibility, and not cheap to get started with.
I just got a baby panther myself from a fellow chameleonforums member. He is amazing looking, and a blast to watch. But the maintenance does exist. I found that taking care of the food (bugs) is more of a pain than the actual chameleon.

I started the basis of my research here:
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

It doesn't take long to read from beginning to end and gives you a great idea on what responsibilities are in store for owning a veiled/panther.

Too many people buy chameleons on a whim, and they end up becoming sick because of bad advice from the pet store. My neighbors did this, and ended up with a very sick veiled due to horrible husbandry and bad advice. You can read about it in my first thread.

Good job on doing the research first! Welcome to the forums.
 
Thanks Chamsitter,

Panter Cham. does sound very interesting. And wow! they are so pretty...I will defiantly look more into the Veild/Panter Cham. The Panters usually have a pretty big price don't they?
 
ChuckleCham said:
Thanks Chamsitter,

Panter Cham. does sound very interesting. And wow! they are so pretty...I will defiantly look more into the Veild/Panter Cham. The Panters usually have a pretty big price don't they?
Click to expand...

Yeah, but honestly the setup cost me more.

I kind of lay it out in this post.
Add a few random things, like:
$5 - rack for drainage solution
$10-20 - various tubs for water collection, bug keeping, etc
$35 - humidifier
$12 - Thermometer/Humidity
As a new owner, I am sure there are corners you can cut, but I didn't really take many shortcuts. My wallet thinks I should have though, now that I look at it :(

Chameleo Estevez looks great though!
 
So far i have already spent about $80 on my cage set up. From the looks of your list i think im gonna have to spent a little more. What color is you Panter? Have you raised any other Chameleon?
 
Djscifee -
How big is your female Jackson? I read that they require less space...is that true? With your experience with the Jackson, could you tell me a little more about your hands on experience? (Eating habits, misting, ect)
Thanks
 
ChuckleCham said:
Djscifee -
How big is your female Jackson? I read that they require less space...is that true? With your experience with the Jackson, could you tell me a little more about your hands on experience? (Eating habits, misting, ect)
Thanks
Click to expand...

she is probably about 5 or 6 inches, i havent had her very long, i am pretty new to haha.
i havent seen her eat yet, but crickets are gone and she has pooped... i see her drink a lot, and its pretty cute,
i mist it twice a day, and she doesnt seem to like it so i have a dripper i leave on most of the day which she likes to go under and get wet and drink off the leaves.

i was surprized to read that they dont like to be held, because ive seen a lot of videos of people holding them and having them eat off their hands, and
even a friend of mine had one a few years ago, im not sure if it was a jackson though.. i cant really tell in the pic, but she had it for 2 years or so and she didnt even have a cage, she would hold it everyday and at night she would leave it on a plant with a cup with crickets. and it seemed happy. but it did die giving birth.. :/ so maybe it was too stressed for birth?
but here is a pic of them . hahah
http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/17/l_8ed5cdd78320d98962ba4bad6cfa9d78.jpg
 
Just from a "can I get help" point of view, I would say a Veiled/Panther (their husbandry is pretty similar... more so than compared to a Jackson's at least) is your best bet. Reason being most of the information you'll find discussed on this forum pertains to Veiled/Panther husbandry. Jackson's are a completely different beast. Don't get me wrong, they are quite popular too (and in some ways they are easier to care for than Veiled/Panther IMO), but I think you'll find more forum members with a Veiled/Panther if you need help. That may not be the only deciding factor, but as a new owner, it's one you should consider.
 
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