fester2226
Member
i just ordered my first chameleon a male jacksons chameleon
does anybody have any good advice to help him thrive
does anybody have any good advice to help him thrive
jacksons cham
- Thread starter fester2226
- Start date
fester2226
Member
oh about 8 months to a year ive done plenty but i just wanted advice from people who have had them before
Bush baby
Avid Member
Ah, you live in MD too.
Jacksons love water, so mist him frequently.
I keep mine in the basement, so there's a nice temperate drop at night when his lights go out. Drops to around 50 degrees. That seems to enhance their sleep.
When it get's warm take him/keep him outside. I have a small reptibreeze cage that i leave him outside in when the temps are in the 70's/80's and it get no colder than 45 degrees at night.
Feed him a variety of food and make sure you gut load them well. My two staples are crickets and super worms, with other food items (i.e wax worms) being just weekly snacks.
Everything else you should already know…oh, the less you handle him the better.
Jacksons love water, so mist him frequently.
I keep mine in the basement, so there's a nice temperate drop at night when his lights go out. Drops to around 50 degrees. That seems to enhance their sleep.
When it get's warm take him/keep him outside. I have a small reptibreeze cage that i leave him outside in when the temps are in the 70's/80's and it get no colder than 45 degrees at night.
Feed him a variety of food and make sure you gut load them well. My two staples are crickets and super worms, with other food items (i.e wax worms) being just weekly snacks.
Everything else you should already know…oh, the less you handle him the better.
chamfriend1
New Member
the more climbing area and greenery the better.. plenty of water.. physical water (not standing water) as well as humidity.. plenty of roaming room...
my Jackson's info is as follows
I have one male and female Jackson's... had them both for over a year... they get to live in a 4ft (T) X 4ft (W) X 2ft (D) home.. there's more than 20ft of vines meandering through for climbing.. automatic misting system.. plenty of over head lighting.. ambient temp is around 77/79..hot spot is at around 85/89.. no substrate other than a reptile carpet (mainly for esthetics).. handle them very sparingly.. mine know me and don't seem to be too bothered with me handling them... but for that privilege it took me several months...
housing more than one in a single enclosure is not recommended.. I just seem to have a very "compatible" pair.. they have no issues with each other that I have ever seen... they are not stressed, or suffering in any way.. may have something to do with the size of their house.. according to a lot of what you read or see... the home I have mine in is over twice the recommended... but I see it this way... I wouldn't want to live my entire life in a room the size of a bathroom...so why make them do it....
my Jackson's info is as follows
I have one male and female Jackson's... had them both for over a year... they get to live in a 4ft (T) X 4ft (W) X 2ft (D) home.. there's more than 20ft of vines meandering through for climbing.. automatic misting system.. plenty of over head lighting.. ambient temp is around 77/79..hot spot is at around 85/89.. no substrate other than a reptile carpet (mainly for esthetics).. handle them very sparingly.. mine know me and don't seem to be too bothered with me handling them... but for that privilege it took me several months...
housing more than one in a single enclosure is not recommended.. I just seem to have a very "compatible" pair.. they have no issues with each other that I have ever seen... they are not stressed, or suffering in any way.. may have something to do with the size of their house.. according to a lot of what you read or see... the home I have mine in is over twice the recommended... but I see it this way... I wouldn't want to live my entire life in a room the size of a bathroom...so why make them do it....
RobSquared
Member
Plenty of green. My male likes to blend. Set up your enclosure that when you walk up to him he is higher than you. Even when I hold him he likes to climb onto my head. Give him lots of branches to walk around on as well. Mine likes to explore. I think he does security checks sometimes I swear. And if you really want to see how handsome he can get real sunlight when you can. Mine shows all his markings when he has natural sunlight. Good selection. Although I love all my chameleons my Jackson is my favorite.
Psychobunny
Avid Member
Comments from another Marylander
As already said, jax like lots of water, they also like a lot of space.
A large screen cage, well packed with vines and such will make him happy.
The biggest problem with jax is keeping them hydrated.
I recommend an automated rain system instead of the standard misting.
From my experience, they respond better to the simulated rain.
As already said, jax like lots of water, they also like a lot of space.
A large screen cage, well packed with vines and such will make him happy.
The biggest problem with jax is keeping them hydrated.
I recommend an automated rain system instead of the standard misting.
From my experience, they respond better to the simulated rain.
fester2226
Member
thank you for all your replys
mnlwfan
Member
I agree with the rain system. My jackson hated being misted but she tolerates the rain system. And have as many real plants as possible. That helps with the humidity and offers your cham places to climb and hide.
Try a variety of feeders. Each cham will have their own preferences. My girl loves dubias, reptiworms, flies of any variety, and butterworms. She is not at all interested in superworms. And crickets only interest her if they're hiding in her plants and she gets to hunt them. She ignores them if they're just hanging out on the screen of her enclosure.
Oh, and if you can give your cham a view of a window he just might love it. My girl's enclosure is right next to a window and she stares out the window half the day. The natural cycle of sunlight also helps with her sleeping cycle. I coordinated her enclosure lights to come on and off with the sunrise and sunset.
Try a variety of feeders. Each cham will have their own preferences. My girl loves dubias, reptiworms, flies of any variety, and butterworms. She is not at all interested in superworms. And crickets only interest her if they're hiding in her plants and she gets to hunt them. She ignores them if they're just hanging out on the screen of her enclosure.
Oh, and if you can give your cham a view of a window he just might love it. My girl's enclosure is right next to a window and she stares out the window half the day. The natural cycle of sunlight also helps with her sleeping cycle. I coordinated her enclosure lights to come on and off with the sunrise and sunset.
fester2226
Member
my cage basking is 82 and ambient 68
