New member! Many questions...

T

theiceberg13

New Member
Hey guys this is my first time on this forum. I have experience with many of the "beginner" reptiles- I used to own a red eared slider, leopard gecko, and bearded dragon. I now own 2 blue tongue skinks.

I do not have a chameleon yet. I am trying to learn as much as I can before I get one.

So far I have read some care sheets and watched youtube videos. From my experiences with blue tongues, I realized that care sheets and youtubes are ok for general knowledge but often have incorrect information.

This is what I have learned so far (PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I SAY ANYTHING THAT IS INCORRECT):
-baby chameleons should be housed in a small screen cage
-an adult chameleon must be housed in a 4x2x2 screen cage
-the cage should contain many branches/vines of different diameters for the chameleon to climb on at different levels of the cage (for appropriate temperature control)
-there should be an abundance of foliage (fake or real) throughout the cage for the chameleon to feel secure
-chameleon safe real plants are recommended to keep high humidity and for hiding purposes
-humidity should be kept high (~70%) by misting the tank regularly (manually or with a misting system)
-chameleons do not drink from a water dish so you must have some type of dripper that falls onto the foliage
-chameleons eat crickets as a staple, but mixing up meal worms, roaches, and other insects is good too
-a substrate should not be used
-chameleons require separate uva and uvb lights and a heat lamp that creates a basking spot of 100 at the hottest point


That's about all I can think of. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the things I said were wrong and would greatly appreciate any corrections. Also, I'm sure there are many other things that I should know so please tell me!

I would also appreciate any advice on which tanks, accessories, misting systems, or anything else I might need that is recommended (or a package deal). Would this be a good set up? At a good price?
http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/for/3234194122.html

Lastly, any advice on a specific type of chameleon and place to get one at would be great. I've read that panther's tend to be the most chill. I understand that chameleons are not meant to be handled, but I don't want to be bit when taking the chameleon out to clean the cage-my friend had a veiled that was mean as piss and I would prefer to avoid that if at all possible.

Thanks in advance for your help!
 
theiceberg13 said:
Hey guys this is my first time on this forum. I have experience with many of the "beginner" reptiles- I used to own a red eared slider, leopard gecko, and bearded dragon. I now own 2 blue tongue skinks.

I do not have a chameleon yet. I am trying to learn as much as I can before I get one.

So far I have read some care sheets and watched youtube videos. From my experiences with blue tongues, I realized that care sheets and youtubes are ok for general knowledge but often have incorrect information.

This is what I have learned so far (PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I SAY ANYTHING THAT IS INCORRECT):
-baby chameleons should be housed in a small screen cage
-an adult chameleon must be housed in a 4x2x2 screen cage
-the cage should contain many branches/vines of different diameters for the chameleon to climb on at different levels of the cage (for appropriate temperature control)
-there should be an abundance of foliage (fake or real) throughout the cage for the chameleon to feel secure
-chameleon safe real plants are recommended to keep high humidity and for hiding purposes
-humidity should be kept high (~70%) by misting the tank regularly (manually or with a misting system)
-chameleons do not drink from a water dish so you must have some type of dripper that falls onto the foliage
-chameleons eat crickets as a staple, but mixing up meal worms, roaches, and other insects is good too
-a substrate should not be used
-chameleons require separate uva and uvb lights and a heat lamp that creates a basking spot of 100 at the hottest point


That's about all I can think of. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the things I said were wrong and would greatly appreciate any corrections. Also, I'm sure there are many other things that I should know so please tell me!

I would also appreciate any advice on which tanks, accessories, misting systems, or anything else I might need that is recommended (or a package deal). Would this be a good set up? At a good price?
http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/for/3234194122.html

Lastly, any advice on a specific type of chameleon and place to get one at would be great. I've read that panther's tend to be the most chill. I understand that chameleons are not meant to be handled, but I don't want to be bit when taking the chameleon out to clean the cage-my friend had a veiled that was mean as piss and I would prefer to avoid that if at all possible.

Thanks in advance for your help!
Click to expand...

Just UVB. most dont need 70% humidity but rather just misting 3 + times daily is good. We have alot of sponcers you should consider. :) some chams can be handled. Lots of people take them out for sun! A grow light for chameleons is good for the plants


heres a quick overview of all the things you need- Basic Information Blog
 
Last edited:
1st of all welcome to the forum !
the info you have is correct .

-enclosure -most of pple say that youngsters should be kept in a small/smaller enclosure well from my point of view this is not a must ,i started with my baby veiled with a pretty large screen enclosure and he was doing grate- his cage is like 25x25x60inch.
a large territory is best for them -even if they are youngsters(just how i see it)
-food- you can get lots of feeders- roaches:dubia,green banana roach,discoids,lateralis,cinerea etc. ,crickets,locusts,hoppers,silkworms,hornworms,mealworms ,superowrms isopodes,etc etc
-gutloading the feeders is very important - avoid dog food,cat food or similar products.best way to do this is to use fresh veggies,fruits.
-supplementing your cham is critical -dust the feeders - use multivitamin twice per month,calcium with d3 twice per month and plain calcium with no d3 use daily . or just use repashy calcium plus for every feeding daily.
-lighting you will need a uva bulb for heat and an uvb bulb -i recommend you for uvb a 5.0 or 10.0 tube reptisun or you can go with arcadia 6%.
for the uva bulb you will adjust the right wattage depending of the temps .
Babies should be basking at around 80-83 F, juviniles at 82-86, and adults at 83-91F.
also if you consider getting a female temps should be lower .

-humidity -well this should be around 40-50% when is dry in the enclosure and 70-80% when you mist it.

this is for panthers and veileds .


veileds tend to be more aggressive than panthers .
but this dependes on how lucky you are to get a calm cham .
for ex. my veiled likes people .
 
Hello new member from portland who is 24. I like names but I can call you new member from portland who is 24.:D I always think my humor is funny, sometimes other don't.:confused:

So I will add my comment in red in any sections I have anything to add. But like the other reptiles you keep, not all of us do things the same.:) Here goes




theiceberg13 said:
Hey guys this is my first time on this forum. I have experience with many of the "beginner" reptiles- I used to own a red eared slider, leopard gecko, and bearded dragon. I now own 2 blue tongue skinks.

I do not have a chameleon yet. I am trying to learn as much as I can before I get one. Excellent, learning before buying is the way it should be - not all of US were smart and did it that way.

So far I have read some care sheets and watched youtube videos. From my experiences with blue tongues, I realized that care sheets and youtubes are ok for general knowledge but often have incorrect information. It is possible to get worst info than utube, however some of it is correct. problem you knowing which is which. You can learn that here

This is what I have learned so far (PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I SAY ANYTHING THAT IS INCORRECT):
-baby chameleons should be housed in a small screen cage
-an adult chameleon must be housed in a 4x2x2 screen cagenot all adult need a 24 x24x48 but bigger is always nice.
-the cage should contain many branches/vines of different diameters for the chameleon to climb on at different levels of the cage (for appropriate temperature control)Mostly correct, the branches need to be clean and non toxic. They need to be different sizes and go all different ways
-there should be an abundance of foliage (fake or real) throughout the cage for the chameleon to feel secure Correct but don't over due it. If your cham can't get to a clear location to warm up and get uvb you have a problem.
-chameleon safe real plants are recommended to keep high humidity and for hiding purposesYes real plants are better. They are more what a cham calls "home" offer humidity as you mentioned. If cleaned and planted properly they are cham safe. You never know if a fake plant is safe or not
-humidity should be kept high (~70%) by misting the tank regularly (manually or with a misting system)Humidity is determined by the species of cham you have. There needs vary a lot.
-chameleons do not drink from a water dish so you must have some type of dripper that falls onto the foliageAlways a good idea. Auto misters also help but drippers are better for drinking
-chameleons eat crickets as a staple, but mixing up meal worms, roaches, and other insects is good tooI am the worlds worst at this. But there should really not be a staple. It is better to offer several choices of feeders, all properly gutloaded and dusted.
-a substrate should not be used about 150% correct:):)
-chameleons require separate uva and uvb lights and a heat lamp that creates a basking spot of 100 at the hottest pointSorry you blew this one. They need a uvb and a regular household bulb for a heat light. That is all. The temp you will want under your heat light is determined by the species of chameleon, just like the humidity %. A lot of my chams would drop dead at 100. :(


That's about all I can think of. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the things I said were wrong and would greatly appreciate any corrections. Also, I'm sure there are many other things that I should know so please tell me!Look I told you (my humor again) I am here if you have any questions or need help. I am a pm away.

I would also appreciate any advice on which tanks, accessories, misting systems, or anything else I might need that is recommended (or a package deal). Would this be a good set up? At a good price?
http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/for/3234194122.html We can have a good discussion about this before you buy:)

Lastly, any advice on a specific type of chameleon and place to get one at would be great. I've read that panther's tend to be the most chill. I understand that chameleons are not meant to be handled, but I don't want to be bit when taking the chameleon out to clean the cage-my friend had a veiled that was mean as piss and I would prefer to avoid that if at all possible. another long discussion

Thanks in advance for your help!
Click to expand...

If you plan to start getting your set up together let me know and I will get my lazy self in gear and write up all the answers:eek::eek:
 
laurie said:
Hello new member from portland who is 24. I like names but I can call you new member from portland who is 24.:D I always think my humor is funny, sometimes other don't.:confused:
Click to expand...

Lol Laurie, that's funny :D
I recommend a Veiled, mine have never bitten me, and I've not had a proper hiss in ages...........
 
okiroo said:
Just UVB. most dont need 70% humidity but rather just misting 3 + times daily is good. We have alot of sponcers you should consider. :) some chams can be handled. Lots of people take them out for sun! A grow light for chameleons is good for the plants


heres a quick overview of all the things you need- Basic Information Blog
Click to expand...


Thank you. I read the blog, would you recommend free range over using a cage? I've never heard of free range, thats really cool! Also, I'm surprised that some chameleons enjoy being handled? I've never really heard that before. Is that just luck of the draw on which chameleon you get or do some types enjoy handling more than others?
 
arnau666 said:
1st of all welcome to the forum !
the info you have is correct .

-enclosure -most of pple say that youngsters should be kept in a small/smaller enclosure well from my point of view this is not a must ,i started with my baby veiled with a pretty large screen enclosure and he was doing grate- his cage is like 25x25x60inch.
a large territory is best for them -even if they are youngsters(just how i see it)
-food- you can get lots of feeders- roaches:dubia,green banana roach,discoids,lateralis,cinerea etc. ,crickets,locusts,hoppers,silkworms,hornworms,mealworms ,superowrms isopodes,etc etc
-gutloading the feeders is very important - avoid dog food,cat food or similar products.best way to do this is to use fresh veggies,fruits.
-supplementing your cham is critical -dust the feeders - use multivitamin twice per month,calcium with d3 twice per month and plain calcium with no d3 use daily . or just use repashy calcium plus for every feeding daily.
-lighting you will need a uva bulb for heat and an uvb bulb -i recommend you for uvb a 5.0 or 10.0 tube reptisun or you can go with arcadia 6%.
for the uva bulb you will adjust the right wattage depending of the temps .
Babies should be basking at around 80-83 F, juviniles at 82-86, and adults at 83-91F.
also if you consider getting a female temps should be lower .

-humidity -well this should be around 40-50% when is dry in the enclosure and 70-80% when you mist it.

this is for panthers and veileds .


veileds tend to be more aggressive than panthers .
but this dependes on how lucky you are to get a calm cham .
for ex. my veiled likes people .
Click to expand...

Thanks for the information. Its actually good to hear that crickets don't HAVE to be the stable feeder. I'd rather use "wormy" types as much as possible for food.


Also, thank you for explaining the lighting situation. That was definitely what I was most confused about.
 
mat3o said:
I general most of what you said is correct. I would reccomend to search a bit more about feeding. Variaty is a key, you also need suplements. Feeders should be gutloaded corectly.
Here is a very good blog about feeding (feeders, suplements, gutloading):
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/

Good luck, you are on the good track ;)
Click to expand...


WOW. Gut loading the feeders sounds very confusing and complicated. Is there an easy way to do it?
 
laurie said:
Hello new member from portland who is 24. I like names but I can call you new member from portland who is 24.:D I always think my humor is funny, sometimes other don't.:confused:

So I will add my comment in red in any sections I have anything to add. But like the other reptiles you keep, not all of us do things the same.:) Here goes






If you plan to start getting your set up together let me know and I will get my lazy self in gear and write up all the answers:eek::eek:
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info! This forum is great so far, definitely better than reading care sheets. It sounds like I have a lot more research to do before I commit to getting a chameleon. If it's not too much work for you I'd love to hear about how to get started on a setup. I do not plan to get the chameleon quite yet, but from what I learned in the past with blue tongues setting up a cage is much cheaper and easier if the research is done first. It took me 3 tries and a lot of money to get an 'ideal' enclosure for a blue tongue... I wish I would've done the research first and done the DIY approach along with getting used items on craigslist the first time around. It turned out better and much cheaper than the store bought items. Not sure if the same approach applies to chameleons but I'd like to get it right in one try. There's no rush for the setup info--I'm not ready for the chameleon yet and I prefer to buy the setup in parts over time when I find good deals...

Also, is there a "baby" season when all the chameleons hatch? Or does this occur year round?
 
theiceberg13 said:
WOW. Gut loading the feeders sounds very confusing and complicated. Is there an easy way to do it?
Click to expand...
That's not complicated at all. I would recomend memorizing stuff you should not feed your feeders (or feed very rarly) like tomato, spinach, brocolli. Of course you should never use cat, dog or fish food.
You can make a list of what's good for gut loading, after a while you will now what's ok to feed and what's not. If you have any concerns you can always ask here.
Here is one more goos website I use:
http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html

It might me overwhelmig at the begining, but you don't have to memorize all this. You can make a list of best veggies and use them until you feel more comfortable to try more ;)
 
There is a lot of info. to see on here, and lots of money saving tips ( eg. basking bulb can be an ordinary household bulb. Don't waste money on reptile branded things that do the same job). You have a good all-round idea already, so try not to get overwhelmed by the details :) Lots of people will recommend free-ranging but if you are getting a baby you do need an enclosure at least at the start.
If you want inspiration for building your own enclosure then check this thread out - https://www.chameleonforums.com/official-enclosure-picture-thread-49688/
Also, there are some good commercially available gutloads to make life easier (always should have have fresh stuff too though). Look online for 'cricket crack' or 'bug burger' - sold by some of the site sponsors.
As far as Veiled and panthers are concerned there is no 'baby season' so anytime you're ready to go........
 
theiceberg13 said:
Thanks for the info! This forum is great so far, definitely better than reading care sheets. It sounds like I have a lot more research to do before I commit to getting a chameleon. If it's not too much work for you I'd love to hear about how to get started on a setup. I do not plan to get the chameleon quite yet, but from what I learned in the past with blue tongues setting up a cage is much cheaper and easier if the research is done first. It took me 3 tries and a lot of money to get an 'ideal' enclosure for a blue tongue... I wish I would've done the research first and done the DIY approach along with getting used items on craigslist the first time around. It turned out better and much cheaper than the store bought items. Not sure if the same approach applies to chameleons but I'd like to get it right in one try. There's no rush for the setup info--I'm not ready for the chameleon yet and I prefer to buy the setup in parts over time when I find good deals...

Also, is there a "baby" season when all the chameleons hatch? Or does this occur year round?
Click to expand...

First - welcome to the forums - you will find more expertise here than probably anywhere else on the planet for Chameleons - so you are off to a great start. Do all your homework and ask lots of questions, most keepers here on CF are very willing to help you NOT go through the mistakes that we have already learned from. In my humble opinion getting your entire set up in place first and foremost is probably the best advice I can offer - this includes the enclosure, lights, basking spot, humidity levels/misters/drippers etc etc, then making sure you have a diverse selection of feeders available, then your supplements (I prefer and use Repashy supplements exclusively) - then finally selecting your chameleon. My personal preference is a Panther for starters, not saying that there is anything wrong with ANY other species - but most folks would agree that finding a Veiled with a calm demeanor is like finding a $20 bill in the street- it happens- but not very often. Panthers can be mean as hell too, it varies entirely from cham to cham - and I have some females that are mean as 2 headed rattle snakes, while all of my males are cool as cucumbers..no rhyme or reason to it at all.
You have some world class experts who have spent a LOT of time putting info together and posting it here on CF, so take all of the advice you can before moving forward and then pull the trigger - and I would bet within a couple months of the first you will be wanting another - kind of like Lay's potato chips or tattoos - Chams ARE addicting!!
Best of luck and feel free to PM me for any questions, if I don't have the answers I will probably be able to direct you to the folks that do.
 
theiceberg13 said:
Thank you. I read the blog, would you recommend free range over using a cage? I've never heard of free range, thats really cool! Also, I'm surprised that some chameleons enjoy being handled? I've never really heard that before. Is that just luck of the draw on which chameleon you get or do some types enjoy handling more than others?
Click to expand...

I FR mine and they seem happier off the advice of Jannb with i joined :) Cliar was a mean when she caged. Now she does whastever she wanted and when i need to hold her she doesnt mind 2 much. sometimes gapes if i do something 2 fast. Chloe cuddnt care less if i pick her up. I try to make each handleing a good thing- ie they get a treat after or they are going sunning and playing on trees. Also, hand feeding helps. FRing is "harder" in that you make make it "perfect" for them or they will get up and leave. you would probably have to invest in an automatic mister(something you shoudl do anways) and light(you pre much need those) and figure out drainage. Theres alot of members on here who have gr8 FR's to show you. look in the serch and serch them. you can get to a useful thread on them. I would say some species are less prone to handleing yes. Veileds in genral are mean, even my girl who is on the sweet side isnt super NICE. lol. Part luck aswell.
 
So after doing some more research I have a few more questions...

For someone with no chameleon experience would it be better to get a baby, juvi, or adult?

I looked into free ranging a bit, but I'm unsure of the drainage. I feel like a misting system would just spray down the whole area and the leaves would drip all over the ground. What do you guys do about that? Do you just have to have the free range over tile to keep it from ruining your floor? Also, would it raise the temps of the room quite a bit? I live in Portland now but my permanent home is in Arizona so that gives me a little worry. Just based on the temp problem and the fact that the AC will be running might make it better to not free range? Hopefully there is a member from AZ that could answer that question... And this one is pretty obvious, but if you have a dog or cat is free ranging out of the question?

Finally... this question goes back to gut loading. Is there a complete at least semi complete gut loading product you can buy and not worry about buying 50 different types of veggies to properly gut load? I only plan one getting one chameleon so I won't have a massive stock of feeders (probably only 100/week is my guess) so making this gut load good will cost much more than the crickets and probably take more of my time than the chameleon...
 
As for the age I think it's up to you. You shouldn't gat a veild under at least 2 moths old and panther at least 3 months old. A bit older is probably better, cause you don't have to worry much as they won't be as fragil as a young babies are. Personally I woudn't take an adult, cause I like to make a bond with a cham. But that just my opinion, if you know the adult was taken care of properly there isn't any rule or someting saying you shouldn't ;) The advantage of taking an older male is you can already see his colors so you won't get disappointed. That's just my opinion, others may think difrently :)

You shouln't worry so much about gutloading. It is very important (IMO) to gutload properly, as all nutritions from veggies go to your cham. But you don't have to buy 50 different veggies.. You could use just a few common ones, for example: apple, carrot, orange. Or you could buy diffrent veggie once a week, for example week1: carrot, week2: apple etc.
 
mat3o said:
As for the age I think it's up to you. You shouldn't gat a veild under at least 2 moths old and panther at least 3 months old. A bit older is probably better, cause you don't have to worry much as they won't be as fragil as a young babies are. Personally I woudn't take an adult, cause I like to make a bond with a cham. But that just my opinion, if you know the adult was taken care of properly there isn't any rule or someting saying you shouldn't ;) The advantage of taking an older male is you can already see his colors so you won't get disappointed. That's just my opinion, others may think difrently :)

You shouln't worry so much about gutloading. It is very important (IMO) to gutload properly, as all nutritions from veggies go to your cham. But you don't have to buy 50 different veggies.. You could use just a few common ones, for example: apple, carrot, orange. Or you could buy diffrent veggie once a week, for example week1: carrot, week2: apple etc.
Click to expand...

OH! That is much simpler that I thought. I read some of the gut loading blogs and people were mixing 1 cup of dandelions, 1 cup of this, 2 table spoons of that, etc, etc... I was getting discouraged because I really want a chameleon but I would never get a pet without being able to provide the proper home. I know I would not be able to commit to a long term regimen that hardcore with dozens of fruits and veggies every week just for the feeders...

Thanks for clearing that up! I can definitely do a few items per week or just mix it up every week like you said. There are some quality reptile shops in Portland and in AZ that claim to gut load the feeders. I think between whatever those shops are gut loading and the mix of gut loaders I would do should be a good mix.

As for age, I agree! I'm sure I could handle having a baby but I think it would just be extra stress on myself since I'll still be learning. I'm hoping to get one at an age that is not quite a baby but still growing to give myself time to "bond" and gain his trust. Something that is pretty much at the end stage of being a baby/early stage of being a juvi? Does the term "well started" apply to chameleons? Its used in the snake world... pretty much means the snake is a good eater and starting to put on a nice healthy size. How many months old do you think that would be for a chameleon?

This forum is great! Thanks for all the advice everyone! You guys are making the learning process so much smoother than just reading care sheets and watching youtubes. I think my future chameleon will be thankful for all that you guys have taught me too!
 
theiceberg13 said:
OH! That is much simpler that I thought. I read some of the gut loading blogs and people were mixing 1 cup of dandelions, 1 cup of this, 2 table spoons of that, etc, etc... I was getting discouraged because I really want a chameleon but I would never get a pet without being able to provide the proper home. I know I would not be able to commit to a long term regimen that hardcore with dozens of fruits and veggies every week just for the feeders...

Thanks for clearing that up! I can definitely do a few items per week or just mix it up every week like you said. There are some quality reptile shops in Portland and in AZ that claim to gut load the feeders. I think between whatever those shops are gut loading and the mix of gut loaders I would do should be a good mix.

As for age, I agree! I'm sure I could handle having a baby but I think it would just be extra stress on myself since I'll still be learning. I'm hoping to get one at an age that is not quite a baby but still growing to give myself time to "bond" and gain his trust. Something that is pretty much at the end stage of being a baby/early stage of being a juvi? Does the term "well started" apply to chameleons? Its used in the snake world... pretty much means the snake is a good eater and starting to put on a nice healthy size. How many months old do you think that would be for a chameleon?

This forum is great! Thanks for all the advice everyone! You guys are making the learning process so much smoother than just reading care sheets and watching youtubes. I think my future chameleon will be thankful for all that you guys have taught me too!
Click to expand...
I'm glad I could help. I'm still learning too. I got my first panther when he was 6 weeks old and it was much too much stress. Most breeders sell 3 months old babies. If you have more questions don't hesitate to ask!
 
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