Hello from UK

H

herriotfan

Member
Hi
I'm from the UK and I've just joined this forum.
I've got lots of pets, including lots of reptiles, and I'm going to get my first chameleon soon.
I've purchased an Exoterra Flexarium and will get all the other gear so I can get the whole thing set up and running before I get my chameleon. I want to make sure all the temps and humidity are correct and stable ready for the little guy.
My research tells me that veiled/yemen are the best species for a first chameleon. Would you folks agree with that? What would be the best sort of age to get? I would prefer a fairly young one that would be easier to tame but do understand that tiny creatures can be more difficult to care for.
What was the best bit of advise you were given when you got your first chameleon?
Let me know your opinions please. :)
 
Hi and welcome! I am also in the UK - there are quite a few of us on here now! The best age to start with is from 3 months upwards really. Veileds are considered more a starter chameleon, but Panthers can be a first cham if you do plenty of research first. My first cham was 6 months old and my second I got at 3 months and she was tiny! As for 'taming' you can't really do that with chams - some tolerate handling and some don't. Having said that both mine will scratch on their doors to be let out and are very happy with handling. The key is to earn their trust by handfeeding. Also starting with a male would be better otherwise you will have to deal with egglaying too!
 
Welcome to the forum!

I would suggest that you get a male so you don't have to worry about reproductive issues.

This is information I often post for newbies....
Exposure to proper UVB, appropriate temperatures, supplements, a supply of well-fed/gutloaded insects, water and an appropriate cage set-up are all important for the well-being of your chameleon.

Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption.

Exposure to UVB from either direct sunlight or a proper UVB light allows the chameleon to produce D3 so that it can use the calcium in its system to make/keep the bones strong and be used in other systems in the chameleon as well. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic no matter whether its from the sun or the UVB light.

Since many of the feeder insects have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects before you feed them to the chameleon with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it.

If you dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder it will ensure that your chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it. It leaves the chameleon to produce the rest of what it needs through its exposure to the UVB light. (Some UVB lights have been known to cause health issues, so the most often recommended one is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light.) D3 from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it.

Dusting twice a month with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A will ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamins without the danger of overdosing the vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert the beta carotene and so some people give some prEformed vitamin A once in a while.

Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs....so its important too.

Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are important players in bone health and other systems in the chameleon (muscles, etc.) and they need to be in balance. When trying to balance them, you need to look at the supplements, what you feed the insects and what you feed the chameleon.

Here are some good sites for you to read...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200604210...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/
http://web.archive.org/web/20060114031124/http://www.adcham.com/
 
Thanks. It sounds as if the chameleon is very much like the bearded dragon with the need for sunlight/uvb, basking, feeding etc. All things we are used to having beardies.
Do they benefit from a sunny spot near a window or is the heat too much through the glass? Should the flexarium be placed away from windows?
How often should I aim to handle the chameleon to tame it? I know they are more 'look at' pets rather than 'touch' but I want it to be tame enough to handle in case I need to for checking health etc.
All advise appreciated. Thanks. :)
 
herriotfan said:
Thanks. It sounds as if the chameleon is very much like the bearded dragon with the need for sunlight/uvb, basking, feeding etc. All things we are used to having beardies.
Do they benefit from a sunny spot near a window or is the heat too much through the glass? Should the flexarium be placed away from windows?
How often should I aim to handle the chameleon to tame it? I know they are more 'look at' pets rather than 'touch' but I want it to be tame enough to handle in case I need to for checking health etc.
All advise appreciated. Thanks. :)
Click to expand...

Hi mate im from the Uk too:),

I would not put the setup near a window that gets the sun imo,
direct sunlight from the window, as this could cause issues with the temps rising in the summer which could cause problems etc,

Plus Uv is not meant to penetrate glass very much so there will be no benefit,

Like said above Veileds are a good starter i have a panther as well and to be honest i find them the same to to look after, just slightly different basking temps and humidity,

There is quite alot of places in the Uk now for Veileds and Panthers, so there is a good choice to choose from,
 
welcome, as said veileds are the best starter chams as i did but have just bought a panther yesterday

where you from mate
 
In reply;
I know uv won't go through glass, I will have the tube the same as my beardies and torties need. I just wondered if they appreciated natural sunlight in their flexariums through windows.
I'm from a little village near Cambridge.
Thanks guys for your answers. :)
 
herriotfan said:
In reply;
I know uv won't go through glass, I will have the tube the same as my beardies and torties need. I just wondered if they appreciated natural sunlight in their flexariums through windows.
I'm from a little village near Cambridge.
Thanks guys for your answers. :)
Click to expand...
the viv should not be in direct sunlight or near a radiator, the extra heat can from the sun will overheat the viv.
i`m coming to cambridge soon, looks like weve drawn you in the f.a. cup
 
Thanks for help and advise.
Which team do you support then? I've no idea who Cambridge are playing!! :p
So who are the best breeders to go to in East Anglia for a male chameleon? I'm not too fussy if it's a veiled or panther. I gather from the general research on here that they are both pretty much the same to look after just differing temps and humidity needs. :)
 
Welcome to the forums! It seems like we have a British Invasion lately! lol! Glad to have you! Lots of people from the UK on here. Just wanted to officially welcome you here from the U.S. Good luck with your new cham.
 
Welcome to the forum I'm from the uk too and this is a great place to find loads of info about chams I have a 13 month old panther and he is wicked I'm sure your find a fanstastic cham
 
kinyonga said:
herriotfan...is this name referring to James Herriot?? If so, his books are terrific!
Click to expand...

It is indeed. I think he's amazing. I've read his books over and over and they still make me laugh, cry and go through just about every emotion one can feel. He was a super guy. :D
 
When I was 8 and my Mum gave birth to my brother, I insisted that he be called Tristan after the character in the TV show, lol! :D Great TV!
 
Random thought, with all our different accents wouldn't it be funny if our chams could talk and they to had the same accent as there owner? I just got the giggles thinking of my cham Mia with my geordie accent (im a right strange one i know) :eek::p
 
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