Looking at Chameleons

[SEATH22]

I am still doing research, but I am looking to eventually get a chameleon once I get a feel that I know enough to properly care for it. However, I was wondering if anyone could recomend a good breed of chameleon to start off with that is hardy and not too agressiveo or that is friendlier breed. Don't worry I have already red that handling them too much is stressful. Advice would be greatly appreciated.

Best Regards,

Stephen

 

[Justin Carl]

Panthers are less agresive then a Veiled, but they hit you hard on the price tag.
Almost all chameleons are agressive towards there owners.
Maybe a Montaine species would be good for you too.
Do you have a size or apperance preference?

 

[CammieNLeno]

Justin Carl is spot on, chameleons are not really "pets" that you take out and play with, and are never really friendly. What you are looking for is probably one that TOLERATES you better than others. Some say that Mellers are typically more tolerant to humans than say a Veiled, so i recommend looking into one of those. Just a heads up tho, they are the largest species of chameleons (at least to my knowledge) so make sure you are prepared to have some room for a proper size enclosure!

Its great to see you are not impulse buying and doing some research ahead of time, so I defiantly respect that.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I wouldn't recommend any of the mountain species as a first chameleon.
Veiled is a good bet for success.

http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

-Brad

 

[stevereecy]

Female Veileds tend to be less aggressive than the males, though their beauty is more subtle.

Steve

 

[CammieNLeno]

Female Veileds tend to be less aggressive than the males, though their beauty is more subtle.

Steve

True, but I personally don't feel a female is a wise choice for a first chameleon.

 

[stevereecy]

True, but I personally don't feel a female is a wise choice for a first chameleon.

Why not? Its not that big of a deal if you're informed or like this fellow who is willing to ask questions. Female veileds are so underated because of this pervasive thinking. They seem, "nicer" but need to dig once in a while. To me, that just makes them more interesting.

 

[chamlover]

I certainly would not recommend a mellers for a first chameleon. They are no more friendly than the rest of them and can actually stress easier. Some can actually die from just one handling. I keep mine in a very very large enclosure in the master bedroom away from all the noise and stuff. Also captive bred ones are also really hard to find and that presents another problem. I was lucky, the one i got the breeder actually had her for 3 mos and had treated her twice, she still had parasites and needed to be treated by the vet. I would start with a male veiled. Which was my first, he bit me the very first day and it was love at first bite. lol. I actaully have 2 males now and they both are farily friendly. yuk yuk. Actually my first one is very friendly, but boy when he holds on, he holds on. Females are tricker because of eggs and stuff. Do some more research.

Debby

 

[Dean Pulcini]

A veiled for a fist chameleon would be you best choice they are a little more forgiving when it comes to husbandry and they require what most people think a chameleons needs are.

 

[THEO555HUGHES]

a Jackson is a good cham, to start off with. They are just about as easy as a veiled but a lot nicer.

 

[Dean Pulcini]

No montane chameleon is a good chameleon to start with they require high humidity cool temps all year round although an experienced keeper should be able to keep one alive for many years but not a new person just starting out.

 

[rcmike]

Yeah, and please start out with a CB animal first. I recently got two Dwarf Jacksons and both of them died within about a week. The female was loaded with parasites and the male probably had some too. I have a baby veiled now and he is doing wonderful. I kept veiled years ago but I would consider myself a beginner again because many ideas have changed and I forgot most of what hasn't.

 

[Kent67]

While I would personally recommend starting your chameleon experience with a captive bred male veiled or panther chameleon, it is certainly not impossible to be successful with a wild caught montane species. I know someone very well whose second lizard pet ever was an adult male, wild-caught Jackson's chameleon in 1991. Anyone remember how many chameleon related websites there were in 1991? The only "books" about chameleons available back then were the 2-part black and white pamphlets by Philippe de Vosjoli and there were a couple articles in The Vivarium magazine. Using what references were available at the time, that male Jackson's lived for over three years in captivity.

 

[rcmike]

I may have came across a little strong but I do believe most people would be better off starting with CB. It takes some experience to tell if a chameleon is healthy or not. It is true CB can be sick as well but there is a better chance they will be healthy than with WC. Plus CB are usually less stressed than a WC that has to adjust to captivity.

 

[maritza2813]

well i heard females are more delicate than the males so i got a male veiled.he's rarely gotten mad at me so far.but i think when he gets bigger he'll be a little more aggresive.

 

[leolover]

Panther and Kammerflage Kreations

Im going to have to agree with the Panther. I bought my little guy a month ago and I LOVE him. I have gone to a few pet stores that specialize in reptiles and when I tell them what I have they tell me that I made and excellent choice in breed and they are very rewarding. They are not really any harder to take care of than other breeds but the price is a touchy subject. I spent over $300.00 just for my chameleon and another 300.00 for the set up but I wouldnt take it back for anything. I bought from Kammerflage Kreations. They were so much help and very honest. I recommend talking to them!
www.chameleonsonly.com is their web site.