Hi! I am totally new here, & just recently (today actually) bought what I have been told is, 2 female Jackson's chameleons. They are about 5 inches head to tail, & have no horns. They are eating well, as well as drinking. I have had numerous pets in the past, including iguanas, but these are my first chameleons. They are seemingly healthy, and are quite friendly. They're bright bright green almost always, and everyonce in awhile turn a brownish grey. I have been told they are NOT handle friendly pets, just for displaying. Is this true? I would love to start handling them and getting them use to me, but don't want to stress them out. Is it true that I can't ever handle my beloved babies? I hate to just have them as display pets, but all of my research claims I shouldn't handle them at all? Any advice?
help! im a total newbie & have some questions..
- Thread starter faithxw
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sulfurboy1o3
New Member
If you just got them, let them settle in for a while.
Its not true at all that they are a hands off cham. Just dont force handle it and rip it off branches or mesh.If the lizard will come to you for food, thats a start to create a relationship. food and baby warm water. You may find yourself with chameleons that are rushing you once the door opens.
Do you keep them together?
Its not true at all that they are a hands off cham. Just dont force handle it and rip it off branches or mesh.If the lizard will come to you for food, thats a start to create a relationship. food and baby warm water. You may find yourself with chameleons that are rushing you once the door opens.
Do you keep them together?
twatts704
New Member
I am iffy on this subject... I have had iguanas too and wouldn't say they are like iguanas by any means. Not something you can walk around with on your shoulder for hours. But I do handle mine daily. At most for maybe 5 minutes a day just to be use to me. I take them all outside as well. They are very shy creatures and some more so than others. Some of them don't mind people at all. The main thing is you don't want to stress them out. Thats where the whole don't handle them thing comes from. People think the more you handle them the more they stress. Which is true for some chameleons but they all are different. You just have to feel them out and stay away from the things that they hate.
For instance my female will come from hiding in her plants when she sees me enter the room. She will run to her branch and wait for me to open the door, for me to feed her a cricket from my hand, then walk onto my arm and do a lap up to my shoulder then back to her branch.
For instance my female will come from hiding in her plants when she sees me enter the room. She will run to her branch and wait for me to open the door, for me to feed her a cricket from my hand, then walk onto my arm and do a lap up to my shoulder then back to her branch.
The breeder I bought them from, told me to keep them separated for.now. she also had 'graceful' chams, who had to be segregated for fighting reasons. So right now, they are apart. She also told me to let them get use to their.new homes (which of course I already.knew to let them settle in) she said she has handled them daily, slowly increasing the handling time every other day.. so I.guess it will take time.. ? Any advice would help, like I said these are.my first ever chAmeleons..
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
welcome to the forum
you might find this link useful: https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/hoj/634-montane-chameleon-care-info.html
you might find this link useful: https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/hoj/634-montane-chameleon-care-info.html
sulfurboy1o3
New Member
welcome to the forums! pictures!?
my girl!
my girl!
sulfurboy1o3
New Member
natural if they are sleeping and relaxed. What time zone are you from? Its 930 right now in california and been dark for a while.
Sorry for so many posts! I just have so many questions.. but glad people like y'all are here to help.. another question.. I have noticed, both of my Jackson's (when they aren't fully bright green) are a darker green (like olive color) with red tints.. ? It's hard to explain.. they have red colored colorations on them.. normal for a Jackson?
I just have so many questions.. but glad people like y'all are here to help.. another question.. I have noticed, both of my Jackson's (when they aren't fully bright green) are a darker green (like olive color) with red tints.. ? It's hard to explain.. they have red colored colorations on them.. normal for a Jackson?
sulfurboy1o3
New Member
my female is usually an olive green with on and off shades. They vary SOOOO much throughout the day, just relax, no need to micromanage each change. What you can keep an eye out for is no eating for a week or more. Sunken in eyes, sitting eyes closed during the day. Something is off with your conditions then. My chameleon are super pretty at night all the time. In my opinion, its because it hasnt really started to drop that low here in california yet. Its like 70 something right now in my room with the window open. who knows, maybe they are having sweet dreams.
Hope so! I'm trying not to micromanage.. I just want them to.be healthy. I've heard they are pretty hardy. But I'm.not sure.. they haven't ate since being here, hopefully it's just that they're not.hungry since eating earlier in the day, or maybe still getting use to their new home, surroundings, etc. The breeder says, these chams that I have, only eat once a day, if at all, every other day?
twatts704
New Member
They won't eat for the first couple of days. Are they still up at midnight? Are the lights still on? If so turn them out. They are not nocturnal and will get cranky and stressed if on an off sleep schedule. Put them on a clock work schedule of like 7-7 or 8-8. And where in Texas are you from? I'm from Houston. Curled tails are a sign of relaxation most of the time or getting ready to sleep. If they don't eat after the first 3 days then post back here.
sulfurboy1o3
New Member
Yea. can snap, that should be a clear sign that they dont want to be mucked with.
If they are mid sized now, its best to manage what girls eats. 5 to 10 every other day or so. I feed my girl a mixture of roaches, crickets, and worms randomly throughout the week. i dust with plain calcium only 3 or 4 times a week maybe and make sure my bugs are gut loaded. i use mostly collared greens and dark leafy greens and just started using the product cricket crack for montane species. The type of cham we keep are known for over supplementing. i also sun my chams a few times week so i try not to use soo much powder as long as foods healthy. If you dont expose them to natural sunlight, if dust at least a few times a week with plain calcium and then calcium with d3 and multivitamin 1 or 2 x a month.
Spray a lot!!!! they rise early and sleep early.
If they are mid sized now, its best to manage what girls eats. 5 to 10 every other day or so. I feed my girl a mixture of roaches, crickets, and worms randomly throughout the week. i dust with plain calcium only 3 or 4 times a week maybe and make sure my bugs are gut loaded. i use mostly collared greens and dark leafy greens and just started using the product cricket crack for montane species. The type of cham we keep are known for over supplementing. i also sun my chams a few times week so i try not to use soo much powder as long as foods healthy. If you dont expose them to natural sunlight, if dust at least a few times a week with plain calcium and then calcium with d3 and multivitamin 1 or 2 x a month.
Spray a lot!!!! they rise early and sleep early.
GreenWithEnvy
New Member
They sleep with their tails all curled up, so no it is not true!
I'm from north east texas! I live around pittsburg, mount pleasant area. They're actually sleeping now I.think.. lights are off. Curled tails, being pretty still. The.breeder said these girls eat one cricket each, every one to two days, and not to.over feed.. hopefully I'm doing everything right. Breeder said to keep mist on their leaves 2 to 3 times daily. And get on a feeding schedule, so I'm trying.. if I.notice they're still not eating after a week or so, I will tell yall and we will go.from there I guess.. any other info I need to know?
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