iwantachameleon
New Member
so i want a chamelon thats likes being handeled. i have never owned one before so whats the best kind for that. also want am i going to need. thanks to who ever can answer my questions
i want a chameleon
- Thread starter iwantachameleon
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elrojo
New Member
Ditto. I can't stress enough (no pun intended), that wanting a chameloen that "likes" being handled is akin to wanting a tropical fish that likes being handled. Appreciate them for what they are. You have to remove them to clean their cage and so forth, but if you want an animal to pet or carry, a mammal would be a better choice. Even a bearded dragon or cornsnake if you must have a hands-on reptile. But a handled chameleon is a stressed chameleon, and a stressed chameleon is a miserable (if not dead) chameleon.
jannb
Chameleon Enthusiast
You will need to do ALLOT of research BEFORE you get a chameleon. You will need to have all supplies set up and tested BEFORE your chamelon arrives. If you want a friendly one you will need to buy one that is already friendly.
This is a great blog to start your research.
http://raisingkittytheveiledchamele...-max=2008-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=11
This is a great blog to start your research.
http://raisingkittytheveiledchamele...-max=2008-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=11
iwantachameleon
New Member
i know they are not like mamels in being handled but i want to see if theres a bread that is well lets say less aggressive towards being picked up. i dont mean like i want to play with him or anything like that. i mean is there a kind where i can open its cage and it will want to chill with me?
morpheon
New Member
If you want to handle your pet, i suggest getting a dog or a cat, or maybe a bearded dragon (i heard they don't mind being handled - i actually don't know though!).
From a breeder point of view, i wouldn't like to sell one of my babies to someone who wants to handle a chameleon at first. Determining if a chameleon likes or tolerate handling is really hard and a new owner must not overestimate his capacities.
Now, don't get me wrong! I don't see any problem with you getting a chameleon as long as you understand that no matter what chameleon you have, no matter what species you will get, you should never handle your chameleon more than once a week or so. It doesn't mean that you won't be able to take your chameleon out of his enclosure to move him on a plant in the living room or outside a few times a week, but having it on your shoulder or in your hands is something that should remain VERY rare. Chameleons are very easily stressed out, and stress affect their immune system. And since they usually are full of parasites/bacterias that are under control, a drop in their immune system can mean death.
I remember getting my first chameleon before. I remember how much i wanted to handle him, but i was lucky to have someone tell me to do it very rarely. I am now trying to pass the info to you. Your job is then to decide if you still want a chameleon or not!
From a breeder point of view, i wouldn't like to sell one of my babies to someone who wants to handle a chameleon at first. Determining if a chameleon likes or tolerate handling is really hard and a new owner must not overestimate his capacities.
Now, don't get me wrong! I don't see any problem with you getting a chameleon as long as you understand that no matter what chameleon you have, no matter what species you will get, you should never handle your chameleon more than once a week or so. It doesn't mean that you won't be able to take your chameleon out of his enclosure to move him on a plant in the living room or outside a few times a week, but having it on your shoulder or in your hands is something that should remain VERY rare. Chameleons are very easily stressed out, and stress affect their immune system. And since they usually are full of parasites/bacterias that are under control, a drop in their immune system can mean death.
I remember getting my first chameleon before. I remember how much i wanted to handle him, but i was lucky to have someone tell me to do it very rarely. I am now trying to pass the info to you. Your job is then to decide if you still want a chameleon or not!
morpheon
New Member
This is really easy to find a chameleon that isn't agressive. The problem is that non-agressive chameleons can still be stressed out when you take them out. And as i explained previously, stressing them out might end up in a fatal way... Just remember that one way the chameleon has to remain "invisible" is to stand still, not moving at all, for quite long periods. Now, if the chameleon feels threatened or in danger in your hands, and decide to not move at all, how will you know that he is stressed out?
iwantachameleon
New Member
thanks man. i love chameleons and diffently getting one. i just wanted to know if i could take him out of his cage put him somewhere to hang out
draetish
Avid Member
Actually I think panthers are the most tolerate providing you get them young and let them out on a timed schedule. I know I'm going to get hell for this but.......
iwantachameleon
New Member
so moveing it around too much will stress it and stressing it can be fatel. got cha
morpheon
New Member
Alright! What i suggest you is to think about it and then choose if you really want a chameleon and if you can provide it the proper conditions (including handling) or not. Jannb gave you a link to a very good blog. Take a look at it, see if you can afford everything, if it seems fun, and then take your decision with all the infos you have!
If you have more questions, feel free to come here and ask us some questions! We are usually pretty fast at answering!
EDIT: Something you could do is to find someone who has a few chameleons close to where you live. Visit them, and see how you feel about it!
If you have more questions, feel free to come here and ask us some questions! We are usually pretty fast at answering!
EDIT: Something you could do is to find someone who has a few chameleons close to where you live. Visit them, and see how you feel about it!
iwantachameleon
New Member
so how much will cageing and the fake vines and the blub cost. also how much is the food(which i read is manly silk worms and chrickets)
iwantachameleon
New Member
how often will i have to take them to the vet?
morpheon
New Member
Jannb is right about the price. A good chameleon is easily 200$ or more. Then add a 50 to 100$ for the caging, a good 50$ for some live plants, for the vines you can get some natural ones if you want. You also need a hand mister that can be bought for a few dollars, the lighting is a good 100$ easily for the lamp and the bulb. Let's not forget about supplements, maybe 30$ for all, and of course the live insects to feed, maybe a few dollars per week, 10$ max.
I suggest you to visit the sales section of these forums. Maybe you could find a few things that would make it less expensive!
Overall, for what i like, a chameleon and everything needed is approximatively 800 to 1000$, but it can be cheaper of course!
I suggest you to visit the sales section of these forums. Maybe you could find a few things that would make it less expensive!
Overall, for what i like, a chameleon and everything needed is approximatively 800 to 1000$, but it can be cheaper of course!
iwantachameleon
New Member
so whats better, live plantes or fake ones?
morpheon
New Member
For the vet it depends where you take your chameleon in fact. If you take your chameleon from a well-known breeder, and if you provide the proper setup, it shouldn't need to see any vet. At least in my opinion.
However, if you take a wild caught animal (not bred in USA) or if you buy a chameleon from a petstore, you will need to see a vet at start, and have some fecals done (more than 1 fecal, maybe 3 to 4) to make sure it doesn't have any parasites. That and the vet visit can become costly.
Also, if you don't have the right lamps, the right food or the right housing, you might end up having to see vets more often than you could think of!
However, if you take a wild caught animal (not bred in USA) or if you buy a chameleon from a petstore, you will need to see a vet at start, and have some fecals done (more than 1 fecal, maybe 3 to 4) to make sure it doesn't have any parasites. That and the vet visit can become costly.
Also, if you don't have the right lamps, the right food or the right housing, you might end up having to see vets more often than you could think of!
morpheon
New Member
Do some reading and you'll find the answer to that very easily! I don't mind answering some questions, but start off by reading some posts on the subject you want!
Also, there is a search engine on this forum that is very handy! iwantachameleon
New Member
sorry bout that. dume qustion
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