getting ready to start out!!

[ckranz]

My name is Christian live in Kansas City ,
I have been into pets since a little boy always having dogs, fish, birds , turtles, hamsters, and even a veiled Chameleon. Over the last 10 years it has been reef tanks. Taking a break from the reef tanks for a while (to much $$$) SO the family and I are wanting to get a Panther Chameleon in the next month or so. I have read every sticky and all kinds of info (as this has been something I wanted to get into for the last couple of years). I feel I have prepared myself as good as I can.
My questions
1. Where is the best place to get a Chameleon and what species of Panther is the best? What should I expect to pay. We want to get a young one the kids want to watch him grow. (They are really excited)
2. The question about feeders. We have stores around here some are 45min (one way) away not something want to have to drive every week. What should I breed or buy in larger quantities?

These are my first questions I'm sure I will have tons. I am glad their is a forum like this so much to learn.
Thanks,
Christian

 

[camimom]

Wlecome!
Beware, they are very very addicting!

Chameleons cost $$$ too.
not jsut to buy them,
but bugs, lights, vet visits. etc.
any of our site sponsors are good for buying one.

theres no particular type of panther thats better.
panthers are pantehrs, they are one species. the difference is the locales.
the different locales have different colors, so choose based oncoloring.
for a male panther, you can expect to pay anywhere from 150 and up. it just depends.
I buy in bulk crickets, 2000 every month and half or so.
I buy from mulberryfarms.com they are a site sponsor.
you can breed crickets fairly quickly.
you can also breed dubia roaches, but starting a colony large enough to keep up with your feeding requirements can take some time.

Any more questions, just postem here!
GOod luck!

 

[ckranz]

Thanks for the info
I'm sure they are they look like it (I'm becoming addicted already) .

 

[ckranz]

Ok wanting to put a shopping list together!!!
1.Thinking about a cage from DIY cages (can I put a drain in their cage or do I need to buy the substrate bottom?)
2. Lights
3. Temp and humidity gauges
4. Plants,vines
5. Mister (do I need it or just go with little dripper and spray bottle?)
6. Supplements
7. Bugs and places to put them catchers, heating pads ect..
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
38.
98.
134. LOL

Please help with brands and what works good for you trying to lean from all the years of experience on the forum. Coming form the reef tank world I hated to see guys go out and buy a bunch of stuff and then find out most of it is junk.
Love Forums

 

[camimom]

Ok wanting to put a shopping list together!!!
1.Thinking about a cage from DIY cages (can I put a drain in their cage or do I need to buy the substrate bottom?)
2. Lights
3. Temp and humidity gauges
4. Plants,vines
5. Mister (do I need it or just go with little dripper and spray bottle?)
6. Supplements
7. Bugs and places to put them catchers, heating pads ect..
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
38.
98.
134. LOL

Please help with brands and what works good for you trying to lean from all the years of experience on the forum. Coming form the reef tank world I hated to see guys go out and buy a bunch of stuff and then find out most of it is junk.
Love Forums

FIRST- NO HEATING PADS. these can cause burns, for heat, they use basking lights, not pads.
now to the other stuff

basking light- regulard house bulb- 40-100 watt, depending on temp readings.

uvb bulb- reptiglo or reptisun- 5.0. replace every 6-9 months. tube is better, but coil works ok too.

plants- pothos and scheffelara are great. easy to care for, and provides lots of coverage.

mister- dont need an auto one, but many of us use them for convience, or if we work and no ones home. mistking- 99 bucks. basic kit.
if you will be home, hand mister and driper is fine.

supplements- two options
1- calcium without d3 for every feeding (online purchase) calcium with d3 for twice a month, multivitamin twice a month.
2- repashy all in one calcium plus- (online purchase, repashy is a site sponsor) this is used on every feeding, no other supplements required.

bugs- crickets, hornworms (also called goliath, and grow super fast) silkworms, dubia roaches, waxworms, pheonicx worms (also called calci or repti worms, and can be fed daily, with no supplement dusting). you can use crickets, silks, and dubias as a staple feeder,cali worms can be staple, but they are normally small. everything else is a treat feeder.

 

[carol5208]

Ok wanting to put a shopping list together!!!
1.Thinking about a cage from DIY cages (can I put a drain in their cage or do I need to buy the substrate bottom?)
2. Lights
3. Temp and humidity gauges
4. Plants,vines
5. Mister (do I need it or just go with little dripper and spray bottle?)
6. Supplements
7. Bugs and places to put them catchers, heating pads ect..
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
38.
98.
134. LOL

Please help with brands and what works good for you trying to lean from all the years of experience on the forum. Coming form the reef tank world I hated to see guys go out and buy a bunch of stuff and then find out most of it is junk.
Love Forums

No substrate in bottom of cages. They can eat it and that poses a hazard. No heating pads! Chams don't use them!!! So welcome to the forums and future chameleon ownership! Edit: I guess you meant heating pads for the bugs, sorry! Also, I use dripper and spray bottle but many use misters on timers.

 

[ckranz]

Heating pads where for my Roach colonie that I want to start. Ok so the list is growing. With the mister do I get both mister and dripper?
Also can I just get a fluorescent light fixture from Lowes and get the right bulb? Also I have a dome light for basking?
Were do i find the plants in the winter time?
Thanks for the info and welcome.

 

[ckranz]

No substrate in bottom of cages. They can eat it and that poses a hazard. No heating pads! Chams don't use them!!! So welcome to the forums and future chameleon ownership! Edit: I guess you meant heating pads for the bugs, sorry! Also, I use dripper and spray bottle but many use misters on timers.

Yeah for the substrate tray I'm just talking about how to install a drain so I don't have water running on the floor. With this cage http://www.diycages.com/15201/15243.html
will I be able to hook a drain up or should I get this to add?
http://www.diycages.com/26527.html

Hope that makes sense!
Thanks

 

[ckranz]

bugs- crickets, hornworms (also called goliath, and grow super fast) silkworms, dubia roaches, waxworms, pheonicx worms (also called calci or repti worms, and can be fed daily, with no supplement dusting). you can use crickets, silks, and dubias as a staple feeder,cali worms can be staple, but they are normally small. everything else is a treat feeder.

Do you breed any of these? Do buy them monthly biweekly or?

 

[camimom]

Heating pads where for my Roach colonie that I want to start. Ok so the list is growing. With the mister do I get both mister and dripper?
Also can I just get a fluorescent light fixture from Lowes and get the right bulb? Also I have a dome light for basking?
Were do i find the plants in the winter time?
Thanks for the info and welcome.

well the pad for the roaches is fine then.
i am buying a mister in a few weeks, and i will still use a dripper. this way they always have access to water. during the day.
yes lowes is fine.
LLL (Site sponsor) sells plants.

 

[camimom]

Do you breed any of these? Do buy them monthly biweekly or?

I breed the crickets, and am trying to breed hornworms. (just started)

i buy 2000 crickets about every month in a half or so. sometimes they breed, sometimes they dont. but they are breeding cuz i find babies in my bin all the time.

i buy 2k cuz i feed two chameleons who eat differetn sized bugs.

all others i just buy online.

 

[ckranz]

I breed the crickets, and am trying to breed hornworms. (just started)

i buy 2000 crickets about every month in a half or so. sometimes they breed, sometimes they dont. but they are breeding cuz i find babies in my bin all the time.

i buy 2k cuz i feed two chameleons who eat differetn sized bugs.

all others i just buy online.

Ok thanks
What about roaches?
I will look and see about the plants.

 

[REPTILES4RMLU]

Camimom is right about them being addictive! I was thinking of starting a Chameleoholics Anonymous for people struggling with chameleon addiction...
But I'm too addicted to see it through!

 

[ckranz]

Camimom is right about them being addictive! I was thinking of starting a Chameleoholics Anonymous for people struggling with chameleon addiction...
But I'm too addicted to see it through!

First part is to admite it!!!!!

 

[camimom]

Ok thanks
What about roaches?
I will look and see about the plants.

i dont deal with roaches.

i live in an apt, and already have seen 3 roaches (and i am ocd about cleaning).
i jsut cant bring myself to intentinally bring roaches in my house.

thouggh i have heard they are easier to breed, but it just takes longer to get the colony size big enough where you can feed regularly.

 

[camimom]

Camimom is right about them being addictive! I was thinking of starting a Chameleoholics Anonymous for people struggling with chameleon addiction...
But I'm too addicted to see it through!

we are all totally addicted. i have two, and i will be breeding both my males this summer, and then keeping half the clutch laid.

 

[ckranz]

i dont deal with roaches.

i live in an apt, and already have seen 3 roaches (and i am ocd about cleaning).
i jsut cant bring myself to intentinally bring roaches in my house.

thouggh i have heard they are easier to breed, but it just takes longer to get the colony size big enough where you can feed regularly.

Yeah I'm already telling my wife we are going to breed beetles we will see when she sees them.

 

[camimom]

Yeah I'm already telling my wife we are going to breed beetles we will see when she sees them.

even saying its a beetle doesnt help me.
though lindawaz, a forum member, tricks her self by saying they are beetles...

i just cant do it.
the only tme i will ever buy roaches/beetles, is if the 'kids' go on a hunger strike and eat nothing else.