Importing

[kameleons jvo]

If your in the hobby and are interested in breeding not just because you are passionate about chameleons in general, the first hand experience with biology at home, or the academic opportunity to study an amazing family of reptiles. You are leaning towards looking for a species that have got financial opportunities for financial gain such as seen with the cash cow of the hobby Furcifer pardalis. The new Madagascar quotas species are going to provide a new list of species that are going to offer many new species that can provide greater financial opportunity especially if the North American markets mirror the markets in Europe at all. Even though these species are known for their difficulty to breed.

There of course are going to be available Calumma parsonii parsonii and the prospects of all the species color phases (Orange Eyes, Yellow Lips, Yellow Giants, Cristifers, and possibly Green Giants). There is the Elephant Eared Chameleons Calumma brevicornis, malthe and crypticum along with Furcifer campani that seem to go for prices about the same as Panthers Chameleons from what I have seen and expect. Then lastly there are two species Calumma oshaughnessyi (I have seen sold at much higher prices that Orange Eye Parsonii) and Furcifer bifudus that could end up selling regularly at prices higher than Calumma parsonii parsonii. If people think the hobby is lacking species that are not lucrative enough to keep and breed to keep the hobby going these 11 new quota chameleons I just listed if done properly should solve that problem.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

Most of the species you are mentioning are very difficult to breed and keep specially starding from wc animals.
Even breeders that are working with these species for more than 20 years still have a hard time to hatch one baby out.
So better keep all of this in mind before you start with them.

 

[Leslie11]

4 New species

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/Mozambique-chameleons tml#cr
Wonder when these will appear. I hope their environment stays virgin!

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

I don’t think people complain about the lack of species in North America, I find people don’t pony up and purchase them when they are available.

Furcifer campani entered the hobby two years ago after a long hiatus. As anyone had any long term success with them so far? None. Nada. Zip. Please don’t assume that any of these new Calumma species are going to be established in a short while.

Good luck with your Calumma, I certainly won’t buy into them now.

Trace your not keeping the best of tabs about Furcifer campani. There are two or three keepers keeping Furcifer campani in the USA. One has got a couple clutches of eggs going now. Thanks for the good luck with Calumma that is a great genus. Sad thing to watch keeper such as you not keep a genus because some of the species can be lucrative to work. Even though they are exceptionally difficult to breed in the first place and breeding probably is going to only happen with the most experienced keepers. Sad to see you not step up to the challenge.

Most of the species you are mentioning are very difficult to breed and keep specially starding from wc animals.
Even breeders that are working with these species for more than 20 years still have a hard time to hatch one baby out.
So better keep all of this in mind before you start with them.

Jurgen I am know I stated that detail in my previous statement that you quoted. I actually think there difficulty is a good thing (there is still puzzles to be solved). It is just previous posters were complaining about not having chameleon species that were financially rewarding enough to keep their interest in the hobby and that just is not an accurate statement if these species I listed are captive bred.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[Lpsouth1978]

...It is just previous posters were complaining about not having chameleon species that were financially rewarding enough to keep their interest in the hobby and that just is not an accurate statement if these species I listed are captive bred.

I'm sorry Jeremy, but I do not agree with this statement. While I am not an expert chameleon keeper, I am a hobbiest who is interested in breeding, and have some Ambilobe eggs incubating right now. As a hobbiest I can say that I would not be willing to pay the ~$2000 price that some of these species demand, nor do I think anyone should sell them to me.

Unfortunately, I do not see the prices dropping on these rare species anytime soon, because it takes A LOT of time and money to establish a strong, healthy, captive population of any species. I believe this is what people are talking about when they say that they are not financially rewarding enough to warrant the expense and risk involved with breeding some of the VERY difficult species. The market for chameleons in that price range is incredibly limited, therefore those who do attempt to breed them, generally do it for the love of the species not for the possible financial gain.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

I'm sorry Jeremy, but I do not agree with this statement. While I am not an expert chameleon keeper, I am a hobbiest who is interested in breeding, and have some Ambilobe eggs incubating right now. As a hobbiest I can say that I would not be willing to pay the ~$2000 price that some of these species demand, nor do I think anyone should sell them to me.

Unfortunately, I do not see the prices dropping on these rare species anytime soon, because it takes A LOT of time and money to establish a strong, healthy, captive population of any species. I believe this is what people are talking about when they say that they are not financially rewarding enough to warrant the expense and risk involved with breeding some of the VERY difficult species. The market for chameleons in that price range is incredibly limited, therefore those who do attempt to breed them, generally do it for the love of the species not for the possible financial gain.

Your actually not disagreeing with me I keep a greenhouse that is one of the most expensive ways to keep a group of chameleons. However I hear what you are saying about prices being amazingly high and I keep that as a consideration. However the higher price range was a tool/strategy that began to be used by keepers in the mid and late 1990's when some of these species were being sold a dime a dozen, such as Calumma parsonii parsonii. Many of these keepers and inexperienced keepers were buying these (Calumma parsonii parsonii) chameleons for $100 and 3 months later the 6 Wild Caught Parsonii would be dead. A species that is thought to have a lifespan of possible 20 years. This high price range I think is a necessary tool to prevent or even slow this from happening. It makes potential buyer consider their acquisition completely if a Calumma oshaughnessyi costs $3000 compare to $50. It was a subject of much interest among many CIN members. At least one high profile CIN member concurred that high prices for certain species were necessary to slow over collecting, poor importation and lack of husbandry from buying keepers (personnel communications).

I keep chameleon because I am passionate about them and only have started considered breeding them again in the last two years. However whatever species I am keeping if there is the opportunity for a lucrative gain because I bred a rare species or difficult to breed species of Calumma, Trioceros, Kinyongia or Furcifer I am not going to complain.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich