Furcifer Campani (Jeweled Chameleon) Care/Husbandry and Info

[ERKleRose]

I’m interested in learning more about jeweled chameleons, but I can’t really find any info on them. If anyone here has experience or helpful links, please let me know! Thanks!

 

[Syreptyon]

Kevin Stanford is the guy you'd probably want to talk to for that! @Dooley1

I'm not positive, but I think their care is somewhat similar to carpet chameleons and F. minor

 

[CJ's Exotics]

@NHenn @frankpayne32
These little guys are not something I heard you want to get into.

 

[ERKleRose]

@NHenn @frankpayne32
These little guys are not something I heard you want to get into.

Why?

 

[Ekona]

Why?

If you google “chameleon breeders podcast” and search for the Furcifer lateralis (Carpet Chameleon) episode 14 and the Carpet Chameleon Roundtable episode 84, you will hear some comments from those who probably have the most experience with F. campani in the US to the effect that F. campani are way more difficult to keep, let alone breed, than carpets (as well as a ton of info on keeping F. lateralis).
Perhaps you could try your hand with the latter, and once you get that down move on to F. campani?

 

[ERKleRose]

If you google “chameleon breeders podcast” and search for the Furcifer lateralis (Carpet Chameleon) episode 14 and the Carpet Chameleon Roundtable episode 84, you will hear some comments from those who probably have the most experience with F. campani in the US to the effect that F. campani are way more difficult to keep, let alone breed, than carpets (as well as a ton of info on keeping F. lateralis).
Perhaps you could try your hand with the latter, and once you get that down move on to F. campani?

Thanks!

 

[OldChamKeeper]

I kept a pair of these back in the 90's. They seemed to be the definition of a delicate chameleon. Compared to a panther that can handle swings in temps, or even swings in humidity, these little critters really needed a greenhouse or a constantly controlled habitat. I lost one in the first six months and the other lived for two years which some said was the upper end of their life span not that I believed that. Females are aggressive, it was the first time I came across that in any species. There was one time I let the little female, barely more than two inches, onto the free range I had for my old Parson. He was a beast at over 1000g. The little female spied him at the top of the branches and to my surprise she immediately made a bee line for him displaying aggression. As she approached, he never moved. He just rested his chin on his branch and eyed her. It took her over 10 mins to get close to him since she was rocking and swinging the whole slow walk up to him. Such beautiful colors too!

She got about a foot from him when the old man suddenly raised himself up fully, compressed his body and looked even bigger before opening his mouth and curling up his tail. If cellphone cameras had been around I would have taken a 1st place picture of that old lizard.

The female turned a drab color and hauled ass back down the branch, she covered the distance in about a minute.

This definitely NOT an easy species to keep. They are not as forgiving as others types in their care requirements.

 

[ERKleRose]

I kept a pair of these back in the 90's. They seemed to be the definition of a delicate chameleon. Compared to a panther that can handle swings in temps, or even swings in humidity, these little critters really needed a greenhouse or a constantly controlled habitat. I lost one in the first six months and the other lived for two years which some said was the upper end of their life span not that I believed that. Females are aggressive, it was the first time I came across that in any species. There was one time I let the little female, barely more than two inches, onto the free range I had for my old Parson. He was a beast at over 1000g. The little female spied him at the top of the branches and to my surprise she immediately made a bee line for him displaying aggression. As she approached, he never moved. He just rested his chin on his branch and eyed her. It took her over 10 mins to get close to him since she was rocking and swinging the whole slow walk up to him. Such beautiful colors too!

She got about a foot from him when the old man suddenly raised himself up fully, compressed his body and looked even bigger before opening his mouth and curling up his tail. If cellphone cameras had been around I would have taken a 1st place picture of that old lizard.

The female turned a drab color and hauled ass back down the branch, she covered the distance in about a minute.

This definitely NOT an easy species to keep. They are not as forgiving as others types in their care requirements.

Thank you! Just wanted some more info to see about keeping them later on! What are the specifics of their husbandry?

 

[CJ's Exotics]

Why?

I remember inquiring about them earlier, as a possible project. They just aren't meant to be real good captive chameleons. (yet)

 

[Dooley1]

I kept a pair of these back in the 90's. They seemed to be the definition of a delicate chameleon. Compared to a panther that can handle swings in temps, or even swings in humidity, these little critters really needed a greenhouse or a constantly controlled habitat. I lost one in the first six months and the other lived for two years which some said was the upper end of their life span not that I believed that. Females are aggressive, it was the first time I came across that in any species. There was one time I let the little female, barely more than two inches, onto the free range I had for my old Parson. He was a beast at over 1000g. The little female spied him at the top of the branches and to my surprise she immediately made a bee line for him displaying aggression. As she approached, he never moved. He just rested his chin on his branch and eyed her. It took her over 10 mins to get close to him since she was rocking and swinging the whole slow walk up to him. Such beautiful colors too!

She got about a foot from him when the old man suddenly raised himself up fully, compressed his body and looked even bigger before opening his mouth and curling up his tail. If cellphone cameras had been around I would have taken a 1st place picture of that old lizard.

The female turned a drab color and hauled ass back down the branch, she covered the distance in about a minute.

This definitely NOT an easy species to keep. They are not as forgiving as others types in their care requirements.

Ralph & Rose,

It is a terrible species to keep because of babies. I've bred and hatched more than anyone in the United States along with Nick Henn. I have hatched out multiple generations of animals. The babies are extremely delicate with a very low survival rate until they reach 3 months old. Adults have a short life-span but are not difficult to keep.

As far as temperature extremes Ralph, it's actually quite the opposite. They can deal with extreme temperature swings because they come from an area that sees the coldest temperatures in all of Madagascar. My longest lived individual was a captive-bred female I hatched myself that lived 2 1/2 years and died a few months ago. I have 2 eggs from her. Most individuals don't live past 18 months. The story about your female's aggression towards the parsonii is comical. With their own species, campani are way less territorial towards each other than carpets and minor. I routinely kept captive-bred individuals together until adult size before separating them.

Kevin

 

[ERKleRose]

Ralph & Rose,

It is a terrible species to keep because of babies. I've bred and hatched more than anyone in the United States along with Nick Henn. I have hatched out multiple generations of animals. The babies are extremely delicate with a very low survival rate until they reach 3 months old. Adults have a short life-span but are not difficult to keep.

As far as temperature extremes Ralph, it's actually quite the opposite. They can deal with extreme temperature swings because they come from an area that sees the coldest temperatures in all of Madagascar. My longest lived individual was a captive-bred female I hatched myself that lived 2 1/2 years and died a few months ago. I have 2 eggs from her. Most individuals don't live past 18 months. The story about your female's aggression towards the parsonii is comical. With their own species, campani are way less territorial towards each other than carpets and minor. I routinely kept captive-bred individuals together until adult size before separating them.

Kevin

Thanks! I’ve been trying to get some more info on them but was shut down on Facebook in the Chameleon Enthusiasts group! Obviously I’m not getting one, but just want to learn more about their husbandry since nothing is out there for it! If I ever loook into getting one, it’d be at least five years from now. I’d obviously do tons of research, pick the brains of people like yourself and Nick Henn, etc. past the point of annoyance, and have their husbandry down 100% with everything set up. If you don’t mind, could you go into more detail of their husbandry? Again, I’m stating I’m not getting one, since that”s all every one thinks, just want to learn!

 

[OldChamKeeper]

Ah, that's why I had the issues. I live in SoCal and it was just too hot. The A/C would swing the temps and also affect the humidity. Those issues never affected my others critters, hence me considering them so damn delicate.

 

[Dooley1]

Ah, that's why I had the issues. I live in SoCal and it was just too hot. The A/C would swing the temps and also affect the humidity. Those issues never affected my others critters, hence me considering them so damn delicate.

Sometimes your climate works for or against you

 

[Dooley1]

Thanks! I’ve been trying to get some more info on them but was shut down on Facebook in the Chameleon Enthusiasts group! Obviously I’m not getting one, but just want to learn more about their husbandry since nothing is out there for it! If I ever loook into getting one, it’d be at least five years from now. I’d obviously do tons of research, pick the brains of people like yourself and Nick Henn, etc. past the point of annoyance, and have their husbandry down 100% with everything set up. If you don’t mind, could you go into more detail of their husbandry? Again, I’m stating I’m not getting one, since that”s all every one thinks, just want to learn!

Rose,

If you get one just treat it like you would a panther or carpet (smaller scaled caging of course). Adults can do quite well, but just have the short lifespan to deal with

 

[ERKleRose]

Rose,

If you get one just treat it like you would a panther or carpet (smaller scaled caging of course). Adults can do quite well, but just have the short lifespan to deal with

Thank you so much! If I ever seriously look into getting one, I’ll reach out to you for sure!