JCDenton
New Member
So I'm very psyched to have my first chameleon coming soon, a 3 month old baby panther boy. He's been a very long time coming. I'm 29 years old, just finished law school, and I had previously been into herps from age 10-14 or so, although my leopard gecko from that time lived into my 20's. Back when I was starting out, the herp world was a very different place. The internet was a bill-by-the-minute affair where you might wait half an hour to load a picture-intensive webpage, so all info came from the library or Reptiles magazine, and for animals/supplies you were at the mercy of local pet stores or magazine mail order where you could not easily check the seller's background.
It was in that environment that I wanted a chameleon, but my parents knew they had a rep for dying so I wasn't allowed to get one. Only Jacksons were readily available so those were what I focused on, and I don't recall any stores selling Veileds. I do recall my first and only encounter with a panther though. I was with my dad getting the leopard gecko for my birthday ($120 of 1990's money for a non-morph juvenile!) and he was just there...the baddest lizard I've ever seen chillin in a wood and screen cage, brilliant red with a purple head and blue stripes on the sides. I was in awe that something like that could even exist. He was of course unattainable though. The price was something absurd: at least $1000, possibly $2000 or $3000, and my primary source of income was $15 per week for mowing the lawn.
Fast forward to a couple of months ago. I had all but forgotten chameleons, and just on a whim decided to check out some vids of them eating on youtube. That of course lead to checking out some breeders, and a joking "Honey, can I have $300 for a chameleon?" when my wife got home. I knew it was a no-go since I'm funemployed but it never hurts to ask. About a month late on my birthday, she told me to go get a chameleon.
I came here first for some info and to make sure I could care for one properly, and quickly concluded that I should get a veiled first with a panther to follow after about a year. Jann was offering her babies up for adoption and that looked like the perfect way to start: a veiled baby from a pair of beautiful, good-tempered parents, raised by someone who deeply cares about her pets. Jann was extremely helpful, making sure I had all the info I needed and that I was moving along on getting all the supplies together. As my cage neared completion and I realized how much work it is, particularly live plants and feeder care, I realized I would probably only be able to take care of one. All the activity on the chameleon front got my wife interested in them, and she really took to the panthers. And I also remembered that epic panther from a long time ago and how...epic he was. I ended up backing out of taking one of the veileds which I feel bad about, especially after watching them grow up and how helpful Jann was. She was very understanding though and I have a panther coming soon.
Here's his grandpa:
And his daddy:
And now meet Jigsaw:
I'm so excited and I can't wait to get him. Look forward to trailers of him decimating insects set to SAW music.
It was in that environment that I wanted a chameleon, but my parents knew they had a rep for dying so I wasn't allowed to get one. Only Jacksons were readily available so those were what I focused on, and I don't recall any stores selling Veileds. I do recall my first and only encounter with a panther though. I was with my dad getting the leopard gecko for my birthday ($120 of 1990's money for a non-morph juvenile!) and he was just there...the baddest lizard I've ever seen chillin in a wood and screen cage, brilliant red with a purple head and blue stripes on the sides. I was in awe that something like that could even exist. He was of course unattainable though. The price was something absurd: at least $1000, possibly $2000 or $3000, and my primary source of income was $15 per week for mowing the lawn.
Fast forward to a couple of months ago. I had all but forgotten chameleons, and just on a whim decided to check out some vids of them eating on youtube. That of course lead to checking out some breeders, and a joking "Honey, can I have $300 for a chameleon?" when my wife got home. I knew it was a no-go since I'm funemployed but it never hurts to ask. About a month late on my birthday, she told me to go get a chameleon.
I came here first for some info and to make sure I could care for one properly, and quickly concluded that I should get a veiled first with a panther to follow after about a year. Jann was offering her babies up for adoption and that looked like the perfect way to start: a veiled baby from a pair of beautiful, good-tempered parents, raised by someone who deeply cares about her pets. Jann was extremely helpful, making sure I had all the info I needed and that I was moving along on getting all the supplies together. As my cage neared completion and I realized how much work it is, particularly live plants and feeder care, I realized I would probably only be able to take care of one. All the activity on the chameleon front got my wife interested in them, and she really took to the panthers. And I also remembered that epic panther from a long time ago and how...epic he was. I ended up backing out of taking one of the veileds which I feel bad about, especially after watching them grow up and how helpful Jann was. She was very understanding though and I have a panther coming soon.
Here's his grandpa:
And his daddy:
And now meet Jigsaw:
I'm so excited and I can't wait to get him. Look forward to trailers of him decimating insects set to SAW music.
