Introducing Myself + What's it like to own a chameleon? ^_^

[imwithyou]

Hey everyone! I'm pretty new to this site, so I apologize if there has already been a thread about my questions, or if I've posted this in the wrong category, etc. I currently do NOT own a chameleon, but for a long time I have had thoughts about getting one. I've read a lot about chameleons lately, and I know that their requirements are a bit complicated, as far as upkeep goes, but I'm quite willing and ready to handle that ...but I have a couple questions about it, and I'm wondering if I could be categorized as a person capable of taking care of them. (I'm still a student in school, so I'm not exactly alone, but it is Summer break so)

To start off, what chameleons do you guys own? What would you suggest for a beginner. From what I've read, Panthers, Jacksons, and veileds are good starters, is that true? Also, how long should you wait for your chameleon to adjust once it get's home? What is your minimum for that? I know for sure that I will try my hardest not to hold the chameleon too much since I know that they get stressed from it. Also, I'm aware that people try to coax their chameleons and it takes time to get them to tolerate it or trust you, if at all. My question is, after you've some what got your chameleon to be tolerant about it, how many times in a month would you say you hold your chameleon? How much is too much, and what other things stress chameleons? My dad plays loud music sometimes, so should I close up my room for it?

I don't have a store nearby my house that has chameleons, so I think I'm going to buy online. What places do you deem to be safe to order from, and what places should I stay away from? I heard backwater reptiles was bad, does anyone have any experience? Also, most importantly, what's it like to have a chameleon? Obviously I wouldn't know (yet) because I don't have one right now, but want one really bad, my parents own a cat, but the cat doesn't go in my room ever. As far as my room, it's a bit dark, and there isn't much traffic as far as I can tell/hear. Is watching a chameleon going to stress them? I'm planning on getting a chameleon some time after Summer, because I want to help my parents out and stuff (to convince them XD), as well as study and research as much as possible before that, so when I get one it won't die too quickly, or dislike it's home.

I'm sorry I have a lot of questions I know >_< but really you don't have to answer them all, unless you want to, I just wanna know what it's like for you all to have one and care for it... answers are much appreciated :3

 

[jannb]

Welcome to the forums! You're gonna love it here. There's tons of chameleon keepers to help you and answer questions.

I keep veileds and they have an awesome personality. Mine are very sweet and friendly. I do spend allot of time interacting with them. Attached below is my blog for new keepers of veileds and panthers. I hope it will help you out with what all you will need to keep a chameleon.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html

 

[Carlton]

I know that their requirements are a bit complicated, as far as upkeep goes, but I'm quite willing and ready to handle that ...but I have a couple questions about it, and I'm wondering if I could be categorized as a person capable of taking care of them. (I'm still a student in school, so I'm not exactly alone, but it is Summer break so)

The first answer I would give is actually a question for you...how stable is your housing situation? Cham setups take time and daily attention to fine tune. If you are going to be moving or changing schools in the near future you probably won't want to do this. If you know you are not moving for a couple of years and can spend time EVERY DAY taking care of a pet, maybe. And, next, is how much free $$ will you have? Setting up a cham correctly isn't cheap! The cham itself is not the main cost at all. Their caging requires a lot more space than most other pet herps except monitors or big snakes, and big cages are expensive.

From what I've read, Panthers, Jacksons, and veileds are good starters, is that true?

Veileds and panthers are easier mostly because they don't need the cooler more humid cage setups jackson's do. Depending on your local weather and house climate it can be a little harder to get right. They don't tolerate temps over mid 70s especially at night, and they will need more daily misting or fogging.

Also, how long should you wait for your chameleon to adjust once it get's home? What is your minimum for that? I know for sure that I will try my hardest not to hold the chameleon too much since I know that they get stressed from it. Also, I'm aware that people try to coax their chameleons and it takes time to get them to tolerate it or trust you, if at all. My question is, after you've some what got your chameleon to be tolerant about it, how many times in a month would you say you hold your chameleon? How much is too much, and what other things stress chameleons?

Chams are quite individual about this. Kind of hard to generalize, but most healthy cbb chams will settle in in a couple of weeks if you don't change things around all the time. Getting a cham used to you also varies. Some never do like handling and others don't mind. You don't want to force a shy or pissy cham into frequent handling. If you end up with one that seems comfortable with you (doesn't flare up into bright coloration all the time) the amount of handling is OK. Flashing brighter colors at every disturbance is a sign that the cham is being disturbed too much.

My dad plays loud music sometimes, so should I close up my room for it?

Chams have very limited hearing, mostly very low frequency, so the bass and vibrational noise is what the cham will pick up on.

I don't have a store nearby my house that has chameleons, so I think I'm going to buy online. What places do you deem to be safe to order from, and what places should I stay away from? I heard backwater reptiles was bad, does anyone have any experience?

We don't wade into the whole vendor rating thing on this forum. Use the Fauna Classifieds BOI for that. Forum sponsors are reliable sources for chams.

Also, most importantly, what's it like to have a chameleon?

Maybe the best way to describe this is to say that you will have a pet that doesn't really care about what you want, but will be interesting to observe in its own space. Chams don't like change...routine is calming for them, and they require daily attention to lights, water, feeding, cleaning, maintaining the live cage plants, tracking the temps and humidity levels. Sure you can handle it occasionally and should for health checks, but it may not really like it. Hard to predict. The more space you can give it the more active and interesting it will be. You must be committed to a daily routine, and if you plan to be gone, you need a backup person to handle the chores. Plus, caring for several colonies of live insects which in turn need feeding and cleaning. The really creative part of this is getting the setup just how you want it. Do this before you bring a cham home.

Obviously I wouldn't know (yet) because I don't have one right now, but want one really bad, my parents own a cat, but the cat doesn't go in my room ever. As far as my room, it's a bit dark, and there isn't much traffic as far as I can tell/hear.

Be sure the cat does not hassle the cham by staring at it. Make sure it can't get into your room. A dark room will need more general lighting probably. If you make sure to have a lot of foliage in the cage you can watch your cham. As long as it feels it can hide from view when it wants, should be OK.

Is watching a chameleon going to stress them? I'm planning on getting a chameleon some time after Summer, because I want to help my parents out and stuff (to convince them XD), as well as study and research as much as possible before that, so when I get one it won't die too quickly, or dislike it's home.

I'm sorry I have a lot of questions I know >_< but really you don't have to answer them all, unless you want to, I just wanna know what it's like for you all to have one and care for it... answers are much appreciated :3[/QUOTE]

 

[kplatvoet]

There is much more information on keeping veiled and panthers - jacksons are a bit harder to keep - I wouldn't start with a jackson. (Well, actually I did but I think she's more difficult than my other two) I have a panther and a flapneck also - My flapneck's care is similar to a veiled. I had to wait quite and pay extra for her because I wanted a captive born not a wild caught as most wild caught have more problems and aren't recommended for new keepers. I'm pretty sure backwater reptiles sells a lot of wild caught chameleons which really need a more experienced keeper and start out with more problems. If you read up in the health clinic your find that most of the problems new keepers have is they got their chameleon at a pet store and they were given totally wrong information on how to care for them or they got a wild caught at a reptile show.

I suggest you do a lot of research and check the classified here. I find the people who sell their chameleons here want you succeed - where as in a pet store they tend not to care - as long as you spend tons on supplies that you may or may not need. If you buy from someone selling here your much more likely to get a healthy one - a lot of the sponsors here are also members and it's easy to tell from their posts that they aren't in it just to make a buck. You might be able to find some one close enough to save on shipping -

I'm not a big handler of my chameleons - I do like to hand feed them (when they aren't being cranky) If you have a room where you can keep the cat out you can think about a free range set up so he can come out of the room and hang out with you without actually handling when your there - I take mine out to go into their outside cages when it's nice and when I need to give their cages a good cleaning. They don't mind being watched though when I first got them they were more shy about it till they get into a routine-

They have really bad hearing so loud music will most likely not bother him- there's a blog about having cats and chameleons in the same house- mostly not a problem - basic safety measures like making sure the cat has no way (even if he doesn't go in the room) to knock over or jump on top of the cage. Most cats ignore them - my cats think the crickets are way more interesting.

Owning a chameleon is also about owning bugs- they like more than just crickets - I've learned to hatch silkworms and hornworms from eggs and flies from spikes. A good gut load and variety makes a big difference in a chameleon's health-

So anyway Welcome to the forum - sorry about the long winded answer - I tend to go on and on and on sometimes...I hope i at least answered most of your questions and I hope you'll feel free to ask more when you decide on what kind of chameleon really interests you - the resources section has care sheets which might help you decide -

 

[Psychobunny]

I would recommend that you start with a veiled male.
They are very hardy, have very spunky, independent, personalities, much like a cat.
Jax are a little trickier to care for, but it depends on your location.
Your climate, humidity and such, may be well suited to a jax.

Read carefully the care sheets posted on this website, and ask yourself if you can really maintain a cham.
Where are you going to be in a year, 2 years, etc.? Going off to college, getting married, etc.

Do the people you live with approve? Nothing worse then family friction caused by bringing home an animal that some family member does not like!!

Remember, at some point, you will need a large cage, proper basking and UVB, a misting plan, a dripper, drainage for the cage, live feeders, which require care, cleaning, gutloading, and vet bills.

 

[imwithyou]

I would recommend that you start with a veiled male.
They are very hardy, have very spunky, independent, personalities, much like a cat.
Jax are a little trickier to care for, but it depends on your location.
Your climate, humidity and such, may be well suited to a jax.

Read carefully the care sheets posted on this website, and ask yourself if you can really maintain a cham.
Where are you going to be in a year, 2 years, etc.? Going off to college, getting married, etc.

Do the people you live with approve? Nothing worse then family friction caused by bringing home an animal that some family member does not like!!

Remember, at some point, you will need a large cage, proper basking and UVB, a misting plan, a dripper, drainage for the cage, live feeders, which require care, cleaning, gutloading, and vet bills.

Yeah, I heard many people suggest a veiled to start I'm thinking either that or a panther, we'll have to wait and see (If and when I get my cham, I'll post pics and update in case anyone would be interested in seeing mine )

I think I still have enough years under my belt that I'd be able to sufficiently withstand the years pass by, (I'm not going off to college for a couple more years yet b/c I'm still not that old enough) so I'm thinking I'll be fine in the mean time. I also rarely take trips that often, and when I do, it's for 1 night at most, so leaving it alone for days and weeks won't happen, just when I go to school for 8 hours.

My family ehhh I think so, you see I've wanted a tarantula or a snake, but my mom is really afraid of both, but she says chameleons don't scare her, and maybe she'd even find it as beautiful as I do when he grows up ^^ (I'm getting a male, as I'm too scared of my female laying eggs and me not knowing what to do/her becoming "egg bound" )

As I said to some one else, I'm working on getting profits from little jobs, and working my way up to buy all the supplies I need, I'm not a slacker teen, I know I won't let my cham die because of my faulty care. So no worries, my chameleon will be safe from harm.

Thanks for your post ;D

 

[kplatvoet]

Your mother most likely will have one or two of her own in a year-

 

[OldChamKeeper]

So many responses with in depth and helpful information. Lets provide another viewpoint to give you some perspective.



Your very first chameleon will die.



Now before anybody is angry with me I'll explain.


I am somebody with 40 yrs of continuous experience in keeping reptiles. I have worked in the pet retail industry. I have helped and spoken with numerous new hobbyists over the years. I am speaking from experience when I say something so blunt as "your first chameleon will die".

A reactive individual will simply take that statement as provocative, or perhaps just shy away from the animals as a result. Another person may however ask another question:

"How long will it take before it dies?"


That question is what separates a person just looking for some new reptile as a pet from somebody who is a chameleon keeper.

For example, a person just looking for a new pet many times does not really invest in the animal. In the case of iguanas the animals are hardy enough to where they can go without their needs being met for quite sometime resulting in the keeper sometimes making the investment as the animal goes down hill and saving it. Or maybe it gets given away to a person who can turn it around.

In the case of chameleons, time is never on their side. They go downhill fast and tend to be incredibly hard to save. They die quickly when not cared for, even sometimes when they are in the care of the very best keepers.

On the other hand, you are coming here to start out. Looking for information. That is a positive start. As others have pointed out there are certain things you need to address such as housing, lighting, water drainage, feeding, and of course your own ability to provide those things. Failure in those areas results in "Your very first chameleon dying" and dying damn quickly sometimes.

However if you plan ahead, set things up before hand, make sure you can provide what is needed.... then you can potentially keep a chameleon alive for years.


Here is the #1 question I ask before I go out on a limb and help a person looking for their first chameleon. Normally I just stay in my cave and read posts.

"What reptiles have you kept before and how long did they live?"

That one question always gave me the info I needed to start steering a new customer towards a pet they would be happy with. If you say "none" they I'd say stay away from the chameleons until you have kept a crested gecko or a bearded dragon. If on the other hand you've kept a number of critters then perhaps we can chat a bit more.

 

[Psychobunny]

I'm afraid I have to agree with you ock!

The truth of the matter is, first cham's last maybe a year, if that.

Not because the owners are stupid, or careless, not at all, but simply because there is more to keeping a cham then what is written in any care sheet, book, etc. that is why this website is of so much value.
We hear of new and odd things every day, and we learn from each other.

Your first cham will be your learning curve test subject!!

I know my first cham didn't even live a whole year, but that was way back in the late 1970's! no internet, no care sheets, no books!!

Even now, as much as I have learned over the years, I still have questions, do things wrong, and learn from others.

No one is a 100% expert on chams, there is still so much we don't know about these exotic and sensitive creatures.

 

[FlChamMom]

I have to admit OCK is right, although the mom in me winced a little at the "your first chameleon will die" part. We read the hundreds of posts in the Health section where keepers have first chams go downhill fast and many times it is due to rookie mistakes. There are many keepers on this forum who were/are teen keepers and many do a great job. That said , though DO NOT get a cham unless your parents are on board 100%. You will have vet visits, they need a variety of feeders that you have to order online (not just crickets), and unless you get a misting system, Mom will be misting when you are at school. My son got a cham as a teen- we had a great time and I am still in the hobby.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

<<Sticks his head out of his cave and cocks his head to hear better>>

OCK? Holy crap batman I have a nickname after being a member here since 07 yet keeping my post count well below 500

Took you all long enough.....


Back to the point at hand if the original poster is still reading this even....


Young man are you still considering a chameleon as a pet or have I given you something to think about?

The last teenager I was wiling to talk to online was some punk named Chris Anderson and that was over fifteen years ago. He also had an interest in these things, not sure what he did with himself. He might have gone into the oil industry I think

 

[imwithyou]

I know that their requirements are a bit complicated, as far as upkeep goes, but I'm quite willing and ready to handle that ...but I have a couple questions about it, and I'm wondering if I could be categorized as a person capable of taking care of them. (I'm still a student in school, so I'm not exactly alone, but it is Summer break so)

The first answer I would give is actually a question for you...how stable is your housing situation? Cham setups take time and daily attention to fine tune. If you are going to be moving or changing schools in the near future you probably won't want to do this. If you know you are not moving for a couple of years and can spend time EVERY DAY taking care of a pet, maybe. And, next, is how much free $$ will you have? Setting up a cham correctly isn't cheap! The cham itself is not the main cost at all. Their caging requires a lot more space than most other pet herps except monitors or big snakes, and big cages are expensive.


From what I've read, Panthers, Jacksons, and veileds are good starters, is that true?

Veileds and panthers are easier mostly because they don't need the cooler more humid cage setups jackson's do. Depending on your local weather and house climate it can be a little harder to get right. They don't tolerate temps over mid 70s especially at night, and they will need more daily misting or fogging.

Also, how long should you wait for your chameleon to adjust once it get's home? What is your minimum for that? I know for sure that I will try my hardest not to hold the chameleon too much since I know that they get stressed from it. Also, I'm aware that people try to coax their chameleons and it takes time to get them to tolerate it or trust you, if at all. My question is, after you've some what got your chameleon to be tolerant about it, how many times in a month would you say you hold your chameleon? How much is too much, and what other things stress chameleons?

Chams are quite individual about this. Kind of hard to generalize, but most healthy cbb chams will settle in in a couple of weeks if you don't change things around all the time. Getting a cham used to you also varies. Some never do like handling and others don't mind. You don't want to force a shy or pissy cham into frequent handling. If you end up with one that seems comfortable with you (doesn't flare up into bright coloration all the time) the amount of handling is OK. Flashing brighter colors at every disturbance is a sign that the cham is being disturbed too much.

My dad plays loud music sometimes, so should I close up my room for it?

Chams have very limited hearing, mostly very low frequency, so the bass and vibrational noise is what the cham will pick up on.

I don't have a store nearby my house that has chameleons, so I think I'm going to buy online. What places do you deem to be safe to order from, and what places should I stay away from? I heard backwater reptiles was bad, does anyone have any experience?

We don't wade into the whole vendor rating thing on this forum. Use the Fauna Classifieds BOI for that. Forum sponsors are reliable sources for chams.

Also, most importantly, what's it like to have a chameleon?

Maybe the best way to describe this is to say that you will have a pet that doesn't really care about what you want, but will be interesting to observe in its own space. Chams don't like change...routine is calming for them, and they require daily attention to lights, water, feeding, cleaning, maintaining the live cage plants, tracking the temps and humidity levels. Sure you can handle it occasionally and should for health checks, but it may not really like it. Hard to predict. The more space you can give it the more active and interesting it will be. You must be committed to a daily routine, and if you plan to be gone, you need a backup person to handle the chores. Plus, caring for several colonies of live insects which in turn need feeding and cleaning. The really creative part of this is getting the setup just how you want it. Do this before you bring a cham home.

Obviously I wouldn't know (yet) because I don't have one right now, but want one really bad, my parents own a cat, but the cat doesn't go in my room ever. As far as my room, it's a bit dark, and there isn't much traffic as far as I can tell/hear.

Be sure the cat does not hassle the cham by staring at it. Make sure it can't get into your room. A dark room will need more general lighting probably. If you make sure to have a lot of foliage in the cage you can watch your cham. As long as it feels it can hide from view when it wants, should be OK.

Is watching a chameleon going to stress them? I'm planning on getting a chameleon some time after Summer, because I want to help my parents out and stuff (to convince them XD), as well as study and research as much as possible before that, so when I get one it won't die too quickly, or dislike it's home.

I'm sorry I have a lot of questions I know >_< but really you don't have to answer them all, unless you want to, I just wanna know what it's like for you all to have one and care for it... answers are much appreciated :3

[/QUOTE]




Hey, thanks for the warning, and the informative text. I understand your skepticism and unease, but it's no worry for me. I'm still quite young, and won't be going off to college for a couple more years, I've also lived in the same house since I was born, so It will be fine for a cham

I'm pretty stable on my end, if I get a veiled, or a panther, I'll make sure to light up my room a bit more. I'm also well aware that the expenses for a cham are quite high, that's why I'm doing work and jobs during the Summer before I buy, I'm pet sitting and mowing lawns, so as long as I'm increasing savings/getting a profit, I'm good with working with animals, and for money, each time I get closer to an amount.

I know for certain though that I won't buy one until I have all my supplies, I know that I need a uvb light, gut loaded and variety type food, a case that allows air flow, a basking site/temp, etc. I'm not the type of teenager who would slack off on care and needs, and then eventually have my cham die of something stupid I did wrong, I'm capable and responsible, so don't worry, I swear on oath I would not kill my chameleon

Other than that, I'm sorry for asking about breeder/seller ratings, I was not aware of the preferred method of not talking about experiences on this site. I sincerely apologize. Rest assured it won't happen again on the forums

I'm very relieved to hear that chameleons aren't disturbed my music as much, I'll also say that I'd keep my cat out of my room at all times when necessary.

So thanks again for being so patient in answering and waiting for a reply (maybe?) You were very helpful and gave me something to think about in terms of if I could care for a cham. Thank you ^-^

 

[imwithyou]

Welcome to the forums! You're gonna love it here. There's tons of chameleon keepers to help you and answer questions.

I keep veileds and they have an awesome personality. Mine are very sweet and friendly. I do spend allot of time interacting with them. Attached below is my blog for new keepers of veileds and panthers. I hope it will help you out with what all you will need to keep a chameleon.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html

Hey Jan thanks for writing/linking your blog, it's extremely thorough and informative, I'll make sure to reread it several times before I make a purchase Also, I won't be getting a cham just yet, but if you happen to still have some after Summer I might check into it. :> Thanks so much ^^

 

[imwithyou]

So many responses with in depth and helpful information. Lets provide another viewpoint to give you some perspective.



Your very first chameleon will die.



Now before anybody is angry with me I'll explain.


I am somebody with 40 yrs of continuous experience in keeping reptiles. I have worked in the pet retail industry. I have helped and spoken with numerous new hobbyists over the years. I am speaking from experience when I say something so blunt as "your first chameleon will die".

A reactive individual will simply take that statement as provocative, or perhaps just shy away from the animals as a result. Another person may however ask another question:

"How long will it take before it dies?"


That question is what separates a person just looking for some new reptile as a pet from somebody who is a chameleon keeper.

For example, a person just looking for a new pet many times does not really invest in the animal. In the case of iguanas the animals are hardy enough to where they can go without their needs being met for quite sometime resulting in the keeper sometimes making the investment as the animal goes down hill and saving it. Or maybe it gets given away to a person who can turn it around.

In the case of chameleons, time is never on their side. They go downhill fast and tend to be incredibly hard to save. They die quickly when not cared for, even sometimes when they are in the care of the very best keepers.

On the other hand, you are coming here to start out. Looking for information. That is a positive start. As others have pointed out there are certain things you need to address such as housing, lighting, water drainage, feeding, and of course your own ability to provide those things. Failure in those areas results in "Your very first chameleon dying" and dying damn quickly sometimes.

However if you plan ahead, set things up before hand, make sure you can provide what is needed.... then you can potentially keep a chameleon alive for years.


Here is the #1 question I ask before I go out on a limb and help a person looking for their first chameleon. Normally I just stay in my cave and read posts.

"What reptiles have you kept before and how long did they live?"

That one question always gave me the info I needed to start steering a new customer towards a pet they would be happy with. If you say "none" they I'd say stay away from the chameleons until you have kept a crested gecko or a bearded dragon. If on the other hand you've kept a number of critters then perhaps we can chat a bit more.

Intimidating...very intimidating :0 I see you are extremely worried/skeptical about my care of a cham, I'll be honest your post scared me a bit. I've had a couple reptiles in my past, I've kept a beardie, and I also have had a chinese water dragon. I wouldn't want to hear that as a first time owner,but I'm guessing it's all for the best you try to warn me away. I also saw you breed snakes (I think,?) I was thinking about getting a tarantula, snake, or chameleon, but my mom is scared of both snakes and Ts. She however, wouldn't mind a cham, on the hopes that I take care correctly. Yes VERY TERRIFYING SCARE YOU GAVE ME.

 

[imwithyou]

<<Sticks his head out of his cave and cocks his head to hear better>>

OCK? Holy crap batman I have a nickname after being a member here since 07 yet keeping my post count well below 500

Took you all long enough.....


Back to the point at hand if the original poster is still reading this even....


Young man are you still considering a chameleon as a pet or have I given you something to think about?

The last teenager I was wiling to talk to online was some punk named Chris Anderson and that was over fifteen years ago. He also had an interest in these things, not sure what he did with himself. He might have gone into the oil industry I think

Anyway, I'll thank you for your feedback though, you're traumatizing reality check is making me think I could not do it, yet I like a challenge so very much, and don't mind doing all the dirty work of owning a cham. I'm sorry the last person you talked to didn't go so well (btw I'm a girl, and although your post scared me, I'm not in any way angry at you) Yeah I'm still pondering the idea, just going to take my time with this, and again NO CHAMELEONS for me, I still need to do a whale's worth of research before I even begin to try. Thank you for your concerns and honest opinion

p.s the forums are being messy for me, my replies aren't coming out well, hope you could read this one.

 

[imwithyou]

There is much more information on keeping veiled and panthers - jacksons are a bit harder to keep - I wouldn't start with a jackson. (Well, actually I did but I think she's more difficult than my other two) I have a panther and a flapneck also - My flapneck's care is similar to a veiled. I had to wait quite and pay extra for her because I wanted a captive born not a wild caught as most wild caught have more problems and aren't recommended for new keepers. I'm pretty sure backwater reptiles sells a lot of wild caught chameleons which really need a more experienced keeper and start out with more problems. If you read up in the health clinic your find that most of the problems new keepers have is they got their chameleon at a pet store and they were given totally wrong information on how to care for them or they got a wild caught at a reptile show.

I suggest you do a lot of research and check the classified here. I find the people who sell their chameleons here want you succeed - where as in a pet store they tend not to care - as long as you spend tons on supplies that you may or may not need. If you buy from someone selling here your much more likely to get a healthy one - a lot of the sponsors here are also members and it's easy to tell from their posts that they aren't in it just to make a buck. You might be able to find some one close enough to save on shipping -

I'm not a big handler of my chameleons - I do like to hand feed them (when they aren't being cranky) If you have a room where you can keep the cat out you can think about a free range set up so he can come out of the room and hang out with you without actually handling when your there - I take mine out to go into their outside cages when it's nice and when I need to give their cages a good cleaning. They don't mind being watched though when I first got them they were more shy about it till they get into a routine-

They have really bad hearing so loud music will most likely not bother him- there's a blog about having cats and chameleons in the same house- mostly not a problem - basic safety measures like making sure the cat has no way (even if he doesn't go in the room) to knock over or jump on top of the cage. Most cats ignore them - my cats think the crickets are way more interesting.

Owning a chameleon is also about owning bugs- they like more than just crickets - I've learned to hatch silkworms and hornworms from eggs and flies from spikes. A good gut load and variety makes a big difference in a chameleon's health-

So anyway Welcome to the forum - sorry about the long winded answer - I tend to go on and on and on sometimes...I hope i at least answered most of your questions and I hope you'll feel free to ask more when you decide on what kind of chameleon really interests you - the resources section has care sheets which might help you decide -

Your long winded answer was great I'm all up for more info, I eat it like cereal. The only thing that bothers me about chams, is the food, I hope I could be able to feed it wide variety, and of course....dying as quick as THREE MONTHS :,( does it have to happen to me like evryone else's first? I don't want it to die :C

 

[OldChamKeeper]

Anyway, I'll thank you for your feedback though, you're traumatizing reality check is making me think I could not do it, yet I like a challenge so very much, and don't mind doing all the dirty work of owning a cham.

I'm not trying to scare you, Honest. I'm simply sharing experience I have going back decades in dealing with and introducing new people to the hobby of reptiles.

I'm sorry the last person you talked to didn't go so well

Well that last comment was more of a joke towards the older members here on the forums who know Chris. Do a search on the website and look him up then you'll get the joke.

(btw I'm a girl, and although your post scared me, I'm not in any way angry at you) Yeah I'm still pondering the idea, just going to take my time with this, and again NO CHAMELEONS for me, I still need to do a whale's worth of research before I even begin to try. Thank you for your concerns and honest opinion

And that last comment sets you apart from the many people who just buy a chameleon then come running here when it starts to die looking for help on how to set up a habitat. By then it can be too late. You doing this research, taking the time to search out people who are experienced and not trying to sell you something, shows you are one of the few who most likely will do well with a first time chameleon.

p.s the forums are being messy for me, my replies aren't coming out well, hope you could read this one.

Your replies are fine, they are more complete than some of the experienced keepers I read posts from. You are welcome to send me a PM if you need more help.

 

[imwithyou]

Your mother most likely will have one or two of her own in a year-

UPDATE
This is a bit of a long time lapse to be replying, but I'd like to say I believe you are right and psychic. I went to the pet store near my house to show my parent a chameleon they got in (see new thread if interested) it being my first time actually seeing one, and usually she just is more the type to not find an interest in reptiles, but when she saw that tiny little chameleon in it's tall upright cage, she was fascinated like me. She even called it cute! That is definitely an improvement considering she found them more strange than anything, but I think she liked that little cham as much as me! You were absolutely right there ^^

Also...I do not have a cham yet, and if I do rest assured there will be an update about it in a couple months I'm guessing (if it works out)

 

[ragingreefer]

That's what happened with my folks I asked for a chameleon and did so much research 3 or 4 years ago and I was rejected until recently(December) they went to pick up dog food and saw one in one of the tanks at a pet store. So long story short I got my veiled "gandalf" 3 days before Christmas.


P.s. I kept crested geckos and dart frogs before my veiled and honestly if you start out with a good setup and be PROACTIVE you will be fine. Assuming you get a healthy CB animal.

 

[mnlwfan]

I just got my first cham, a 7 month old female Jackson, three weeks ago and the post about the guarantee that you will kill your first cham has me even more freaked out and worried and I didn't think that was possible. I've been obsessed since I got her. I started coming here for information weeks before getting her and I've been coming here every day since I brought her home. I even sought out a reputable reptile store near my home as soon as I got her and contacted them about their variety of feeders (roaches, crickets, fly larva, etc). I've also been crazy about getting real plants in her enclosure and keeping the humidity and temperature levels just right, as well as making sure she gets enough natural sun and not too many supplements. I keep a close eye on her coloring and worry that she's stressed. Every time she opens her mouth I check for bubbles, worried she might have a respiratory infection. I check her feces to make sure she's hydrated.

It is my goal to keep her alive and healthy for one year. I figure if I can get to the one-year mark I will have gotten over my first big hurdle. I know it will never really be smooth sailing with a cham, but if I can keep her healthy for one year I will know I can do this.

Even though it's only been three weeks I can't imagine not having her and the thought of losing her makes me so incredibly sad.

And I've kept a bearded dragon and leopard geckos before her, just fyi.