Content Ear
New Member
Hey y'all, I'm new around here and I need a second opinion
- Thread starter Content Ear
- Start date
Content Ear
New Member
What you see is essentially all there is. I am not in there while there are people, but it's still daytime and I spray water in there (it seems so dry to me I can't help it) I don't know if they feed it or spray manually, but it doesn't seem to me that they should have it as a class pet.
Content Ear
New Member
Yep, just a tree in a pot, and a vine hanging on the side. They have a heating light, but i don't think it has seen the sun since they got it. Her you say? urks me and I'm thinking of trying to get it a new home (possibly my home)
Theveiled
Avid Member
Yes I believe it is a her. If they have not supplemented with calcium or have a uvb light there is a very high chance of mbd. A new home may help her, but she also could be in very bad health.
Content Ear
New Member
I have all the supplies needed to care for a chameleon, and I believe proper nutrients (and a place to lay her possible eggs) could be beneficial. I don't know the age, but I don't think it is more than a year old? I'mean willing to bet that they will not take her home for the upcoming break; I just have to say the poor thing died. I'm just messing, I believe the teacher will let me have her, if not pay for her.
Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
Well the problem is, if she's got uvb or any sort of serious health problem, which if her care is as poor as you say she likely does. Home care and supplements will not be enough, she will need to see a good exotic vet and preferably one who is well versed in chameleons. Just because they know reptiles does not mean they know anything about chameleons and chameleons tend to be very different in terms of care and vet care compared to other reptiles. However if you can't find a vet who knows chameleons, find a good reptile vet at least. She will most likely need their help. And usually they are not always cheap. I am lucky to have a good exotic vet who is relatively well versed with chameleons and doesnt charge an arm and a leg.
Lizzie The Chameleon
Avid Member
fun fact: chameleons are actually the 2nd hardest reptiles to care for in the world 
KeopiCat
Avid Member
What's the first? 0.0
Lizzie The Chameleon
Avid Member
i believe it is the varanid because they need a 140-160 degree fahrenheit basking spot
wavingsnail
Established Member
So....Buy a higher wattage bulb?
What actually makes varanids challenging to keep is not only meeting their varied and sometimes complex dietary requirements, but allowing them to properly behave (providing 3+ ft of soil for digging, large water sources for swimming, etc). When monitors are mentally stimulated and enriched, they make fantastic and rewarding (but still dangerous) pets. The problem is that a good 50% of them are kept incorrectly, which turns them into obese eating machines who eventually die from liver failure.
Lizzie The Chameleon
Avid Member
yes i don't really know much about them but i figured that if you had something that got THAT your whole house would be warmer. when my chams lights were on (basking spot around 83) it made my room a lot warmer. imagine 160 degrees. like i said i'm not an expert on them and i've breifly read up on them
Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
Iguanas I would also consider harder to keep happily in captivity. Considering most people who get then end up giving them to rescues. They need huge cages, cages that easily should reach 14x14x9 feet in length width and height. However 24x24x12 feet is much better. They need safe platforms and things to climb on, because as the grow heavier they often can't climb thin things like wooden branches. They also need an extremely healthy diet full of fruits and veggies, plus a high quality vitamin and mineral mix and possibly a high quality pelleted mix if your diet is missing something. They need a huge amount of uvb. They also need a high basking heat level and high heat levels at night. They need relatively high humidity. But they do well with large wading pools with a slightly deeper end that allow more swimming abilities. Sadly even rescues have to go very limited on decorations for their iguanas, because iguanas will literally eat anything and everything. Which means regularly replacing safe to eat plants or using nothing at all. Iguanas are very expensive to keep and if you get one who doesn't have a good disposition and can't be worked with because they weren't worked with when they were younger, they can be not only extremely dangerous but almost impossible to care for safely.
Monitors I agree can be hard to work with, they too like iguanas are rarely given large enough enclosures in captivity and what some people don't realize is that though a safe monitor may be a good lizard to free range, it is not always good for the monitor to constantly free range them, they need to have an appropriately sized enclosure with appropriate things so mental stimulation etc. so they can escape and destress. Relaxation is important. Think of it like a stressed out dog who purposefully uses a crate to relax. Monitors also should be fed a very specific diet spending on their subspecies. If they are completely carnivorous it is very important for them to have a certain amount of edible bone in their diet, meat, fat, and secreting organs. It's like feeding dogs a completely raw diet of just meat. Technically everything they need is there, you just need to make sure they get the right ratios.
Monitors I agree can be hard to work with, they too like iguanas are rarely given large enough enclosures in captivity and what some people don't realize is that though a safe monitor may be a good lizard to free range, it is not always good for the monitor to constantly free range them, they need to have an appropriately sized enclosure with appropriate things so mental stimulation etc. so they can escape and destress. Relaxation is important. Think of it like a stressed out dog who purposefully uses a crate to relax. Monitors also should be fed a very specific diet spending on their subspecies. If they are completely carnivorous it is very important for them to have a certain amount of edible bone in their diet, meat, fat, and secreting organs. It's like feeding dogs a completely raw diet of just meat. Technically everything they need is there, you just need to make sure they get the right ratios.
wavingsnail
Established Member
Well said , @Andee .
I personally feel that iguanas are probably the worst lizard to keep as a pet, and they are unfortunately extremely cheap as hatchlings, and of course very cute, which makes them a common impulse buy.
I have an aunt with a very large and normally friendly male iguana, but during breeding season he becomes unpredictable and dangerous. He is also able to detect when a woman is menstruating , and becomes almost irate in that particular situation.
As far as monitors, I have rescued and fostered several of the larger breeds, as well as a few of the dwarf species. I remember at one point ackies were being billed as the next bearded dragon , but because of their more challenging requirements and potential to inflict a fairly serious bite, even at their small size, it never really happened.
Vadanids are still my absolute favorite, though. Once my son is older, I look forward to keeping one or two again.
I personally feel that iguanas are probably the worst lizard to keep as a pet, and they are unfortunately extremely cheap as hatchlings, and of course very cute, which makes them a common impulse buy.
I have an aunt with a very large and normally friendly male iguana, but during breeding season he becomes unpredictable and dangerous. He is also able to detect when a woman is menstruating , and becomes almost irate in that particular situation.
As far as monitors, I have rescued and fostered several of the larger breeds, as well as a few of the dwarf species. I remember at one point ackies were being billed as the next bearded dragon , but because of their more challenging requirements and potential to inflict a fairly serious bite, even at their small size, it never really happened.
Vadanids are still my absolute favorite, though. Once my son is older, I look forward to keeping one or two again.
Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
Yes I remember reading about the problem with males during breeding season when I was researching about iguanas when I was considering taking in an extremely stressed one at a pet store I used to work at. The problem with this one is that it was constantly bullied by the bigger iguanas in the cage so much that it hid for a month and by the time the reptile care person did a clean out on the cage she didn't even realize that we still had him. By the time she pulled him out and put him in the back to fatten him up, he was literally terrified of everything. He tried desperately to hide 24/7. The store environment wasnt healthy for him. Technically I have an enclosure that is easily big enough for him to last him year or so and if I couldn't keep him I could have found him a rescue by that time. In fact I honestly wish I would have taken him. He would have done so much better with a safer place to just decompress and be an iguana for a bit and just have more of a structured life style. However after reading the minimum care requirements for an adult iguana I decided against it because I couldn't provide it where I live now. But even if I ended up rehoming him somewhere it would have been better. Poor baby.
He most likely would have started out in a 20 gallon long, because he would need time to adjust, and he was so tiny. And then he would have moved hopefully to my 110 gallon when he felt comfortable enough. However I ended up leaving soon after that as I didn't agree with our reptile care person getting the official title over me considering I knew far more than her over all reptiles and fish... And even small animals and birds.. sadly I probably knew more about animals in general than anyone there. It's been that way every pet store I have ever worked, and I've even worked in small specialty pet stores... And for some reason people who have worked there longer get really mad when the new worker knows more than them about almost everything. And most of the time I just do tons of research form numerous sources and then apply it in real life. Then I either get fired for some bull shit reason or quit because they treat their animals like shit, or they treat me like shit because I know more and there fore tell them when I realize an animal is sick. I also don't sell people shit they don't need. This is why I don't work in the pet industry and if I ever do its only going to be breeding, rescue work, and making healthy foods/treats/feeders that are unavailable in the commercial market.
He most likely would have started out in a 20 gallon long, because he would need time to adjust, and he was so tiny. And then he would have moved hopefully to my 110 gallon when he felt comfortable enough. However I ended up leaving soon after that as I didn't agree with our reptile care person getting the official title over me considering I knew far more than her over all reptiles and fish... And even small animals and birds.. sadly I probably knew more about animals in general than anyone there. It's been that way every pet store I have ever worked, and I've even worked in small specialty pet stores... And for some reason people who have worked there longer get really mad when the new worker knows more than them about almost everything. And most of the time I just do tons of research form numerous sources and then apply it in real life. Then I either get fired for some bull shit reason or quit because they treat their animals like shit, or they treat me like shit because I know more and there fore tell them when I realize an animal is sick. I also don't sell people shit they don't need. This is why I don't work in the pet industry and if I ever do its only going to be breeding, rescue work, and making healthy foods/treats/feeders that are unavailable in the commercial market.
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