Kids and pets

[LemonFresh]

My dog is a gundog with an amazing prey drive...theres no way I could keep flurries safe from him without constant vigilance which is too stressful for all concerned. I love the lovebird I used to look after my pals when she went away...one time Mr Messy( who was a girl) escaped and spent the fortnight pooping on my curtain pole...had the put welding gloves on to catch him/her...would nip the fingers right off you!!

 

[LemonFresh]

My beardy likes to chill and hang out. A good 'hands on' compared to the 'hands off' of the cham.

What a beaut!

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi! Just gotta add my 2 cents. It’s not really the age of your child that I would see as a concern. There have been some younger folks here (kids) that are actually more mature and responsible in caring for their chameleons than some adults have been. Having your full support and supervision is also a big plus. But...you do need to be concerned about the age of any chameleon you may get. Under 3 months old are very fragile and not recommended, especially as a first chameleon. The younger the chameleon is, the more sensitive it is to even the smallest husbandry error and too often there’s a very sad result. I do suggest learning all you can about keeping chameleons thru https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-basics/ and do check out Neptune the chameleon on YouTube for more accurate and up to date education. It is always best to get everything set up and make sure temps, humidity and all else is correct before actually getting the animal.
As for roaches, I hate and fear roaches just as much as anybody, yet I’ve got a couple of colonies of them in my garage. I have discoid and Surinam. They aren’t at all like the icky German roaches or palmetto bugs. I’ve had roaches for about 1 1/2 years now and am yet to touch any of the big ugly adult ones. It’s been rare that I’ve even needed to touch any of the smaller kinda cute baby ones either. I use tongs and this wonderful apparatus.

Strangely enough, I have actually grown rather fond of my icky roaches. For some unGodly reason, I enjoy watching when I feed them and often feel bad when I sacrifice the babies to my chameleon masters.

 

[Crossingtami]

My dog is a gundog with an amazing prey drive...theres no way I could keep flurries safe from him without constant vigilance which is too stressful for all concerned. I love the lovebird I used to look after my pals when she went away...one time Mr Messy( who was a girl) escaped and spent the fortnight pooping on my curtain pole...had the put welding gloves on to catch him/her...would nip the fingers right off you!!

My mitzi gives kisses. I'm glad she has never bitten me. I wouldn't want me lip pierced!

 

[Flick boy]

Hi there are locusts the only one of my feeders I handle the rest crickets dubia roaches I use looong habistat tongs also bsfl and silkworms are staple feeders

 

[Crossingtami]

Hi there are locusts the only one of my feeders I handle the rest crickets dubia roaches I use looong habistat tongs also bsfl and silkworms are staple feeders

Flick boy..Are locusts and cicadas the same bug? I read that there's going to be a huge explosion hatch coming up in a month or so.

 

[LemonFresh]

Hi! Just gotta add my 2 cents. It’s not really the age of your child that I would see as a concern. There have been some younger folks here (kids) that are actually more mature and responsible in caring for their chameleons than some adults have been. Having your full support and supervision is also a big plus. But...you do need to be concerned about the age of any chameleon you may get. Under 3 months old are very fragile and not recommended, especially as a first chameleon. The younger the chameleon is, the more sensitive it is to even the smallest husbandry error and too often there’s a very sad result. I do suggest learning all you can about keeping chameleons thru https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-basics/ and do check out Neptune the chameleon on YouTube for more accurate and up to date education. It is always best to get everything set up and make sure temps, humidity and all else is correct before actually getting the animal.
As for roaches, I hate and fear roaches just as much as anybody, yet I’ve got a couple of colonies of them in my garage. I have discoid and Surinam. They aren’t at all like the icky German roaches or palmetto bugs. I’ve had roaches for about 1 1/2 years now and am yet to touch any of the big ugly adult ones. It’s been rare that I’ve even needed to touch any of the smaller kinda cute baby ones either. I use tongs and this wonderful apparatus.
View attachment 293188
Strangely enough, I have actually grown rather fond of my icky roaches. For some unGodly reason, I enjoy watching when I feed them and often feel bad when I sacrifice the babies to my chameleon masters.

I've only really known the big skittering roaches that you get in hot places where theres food and rubbish lying around....they're what I think of as roaches...however this forum has already made me look at all the different types you get and actually some are not too horrific! Just goes to show everydays a school day!

 

[LemonFresh]

Hi there are locusts the only one of my feeders I handle the rest crickets dubia roaches I use looong habistat tongs also bsfl and silkworms are staple feeders

I'm honestly surprised how many people here dont love the roaches...nice to know it's not just me

 

[Flick boy]

I haven't heard of cicadas but they are not the same as locusts. I dont mind roaches lol when I clean the feeder boxs and change to fresh gutload I do it on the drain board as its slippy they can't scurry away then with the tongs I have to be like mr muagi. (Karate kid . I do hate crickets though cant be doing with them jumping. But personally getting over and on with creepys is well rewared with my cham or whatever you decide. I personally find more normal /household insects around the house

 

[LemonFresh]

I haven't heard of cicadas but they are not the same as locusts. I dont mind roaches lol when I clean the feeder boxs and change to fresh gutload I do it on the drain board as its slippy they can't scurry away then with the tongs I have to be like mr muagi. (Karate kid . I do hate crickets though cant be doing with them jumping. But personally getting over and on with creepys is well rewared with my cham or whatever you decide. I personally find more normal /household insects around the house

Mr Muagi...wax on wax off

 

[Flick boy]

Hello. Last week we went to the local independent pet store to buy dog food (Ozzy Hungarian Vizsla 4 years old part good boy part idiot) The owner who I know well nipped in the back and brought out a wee green chameleon that she handed to my boy ( J aged 11 mostly a good boy) and he was instantly fully entranced. He loves all wee creatures, picks up worms on a dry day and puts them in the grass, rescues bees that are tired and generally wants to turn the house into a zoo.

So now I have to make the decision as to whether we go ahead and get a chameleon.

I've not got a problem in general. We've previously kept fish ( until the mother in law came over and fed them when we were on holiday even tho I told her there was a block in...)

I'd be happy to go bioactive as I already have a house full of plants and keep an outdoor pond....but the kicker for me is the bugs!!

I just dont know if I can voluntarily bring roaches and crickets into my house. I hate cockroaches the absolute most. We dont have many in Scotland where we live but am constantly terrorized by the thought of them when we go abroad to the Mediterranean or Florida. I just hate them. Happy with worms and flies and spiders but roaches...

I cant seem to get my head round how and where you keep them, how you feed them and how you prep them to give to the chameleon. My boy and husband have both said they'll do the bugs but I fear that eventually it will fall to me.

I've been lurking around here for a while trying to get a handle on how you deal with your bugs but I'm not much clearer. Do people handle the feeders? How do you get the dust on them and what happens if they get out!! I've always encouraged my boy in his love of animals but I'm worried the bug aspect of keeping a chameleon is a step too far for me. I've attached the photo of the wee chameleon that we saw. It was tiny and the pet store owner wasnt happy such a small one had been sent. She assured me if we got one it wouldnt be this young.

Can I have your thoughts please on my situation. Thank you View attachment 293006

Smooth or wire vizsla . Sorry dog mad lol

 

[LemonFresh]

Smooth or wire vizsla . Sorry dog mad lol

Smooth. Will send pic

 

[Flick boy]

Beautiful elegant

 

[LemonFresh]

Smooth. Will send pic

Smooth. Will send pic

 

[Mrjamwin]

I prefer pets over kids. Oh wait this isn't exactly what we're talking about is it?

 

[LemonFresh]

I prefer pets over kids. Oh wait this isn't exactly what we're talking about is it?

Well I can tell you theres been a few times during the homeschooling I be with you on that

 

[Flick boy]

If you are not sure don't rush . There are other reptiles out there that your family can
have a better interaction with i started off a long time ago with leopard gekos . I worst thing imo is for anyone to jump into something without doing homework and research (just speaking in general) my fiancee is not a rep person but she loved our bearded dragons

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I haven't heard of cicadas but they are not the same as locusts.

Correct.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locust
Locusts (derived from the Vulgar Latin locusta, meaning grasshopper[1]) are a collection of certain species of short-horned grasshoppers in the family Acrididae that have a swarming phase. These insects are usually solitary, but under certain circumstances they become more abundant and change their behaviour and habits, becoming gregarious. No taxonomic distinction is made between locust and grasshopper species; the basis for the definition is whether a species forms swarms under intermittently suitable conditions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicada
Cicadas (/sɪˈkɑːdə/ or /sɪˈkeɪdə/) are a superfamily, the Cicadoidea, of insects in the order Hemiptera (true bugs). They are in the suborder Auchenorrhyncha,[a] along with smaller jumping bugs such as leafhoppers and froghoppers. The superfamily is divided into two families, Tettigarctidae, with two species in Australia, and Cicadidae, with more than 3,000 species described from around the world; many species remain undescribed.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I use tongs and this wonderful apparatus.
View attachment 293188

Ah... a scissor-type tea infuser!

 

[Mrjamwin]

BTW @LemonFresh Welcome to the group.