newbie questions!

[foxymiche]

hi all,

im looking into getting a chameleon and am starting here with my research!

i have kept leopard geckos for years and have unfortunately just lost my female which i owned for 13 years
it has freed up some space and has got me thinking about chameleons.

i have always really liked them but never read up on them as ive always been pre-occupied with my tropical fish and geckos.

will start off with some basic questions and hopefully you guys can help!

what is the best and most widely available chameleon for me to buy? I know you get lots of fancy types but i dont want to start off with anything too difficult or expensive.

how big do they get and how much space should i be offering for a single chameleon?

are they better kept on their own or as a pair?

do they like to be handled or not? I used to own a bearded dragon and he hated being taken out of his tank. It wasnt through lack of trying, i just think he prefered to sunbathe!

my geckos eat crickets, wax worms, meal worms and locusts. do chameleons like the same thing or do they like some special treats once in a while?!

any other useful beginner advice is much appreciated. am looking on ebay now for vivariums but will wait for advice before i buy anything.

thanks

 

[jannb]

Veiled is probably your best bet. Read the following it will tell you about everything that you'll need to know: http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/
This is VERY helpful! jann

 

[foxymiche]

thanks for the link, that was very helpful.

what is this about a screened enclosure though? i thought you kept repltiles in vivarium (glass/wooden) type enclosures? im looking around various websites for good cages, is there a specific name for a chameleon enclosure?
if the sides are not glass do the crickets not escape? im confused!

 

[jannb]

Chameleons need ventilation and unless you live in a very cold climate you need an all screened cage....no the crickets do not escape. Jann

 

[foxymiche]

think maybe the next thing to do is go to my local store and check out the different types of enclosure they have.
i live in england so it is always cold and rainy! lol.
will report back once ive checked out the products on offer. thanks

 

[jannb]

lllreptiles.com has a nice one on sale. Jann

 

[hawaiianice99]

think maybe the next thing to do is go to my local store and check out the different types of enclosure they have.
i live in england so it is always cold and rainy! lol.
will report back once ive checked out the products on offer. thanks

if you go to a pet store i guarantee they are gonna sell you an exoterra, you dont want that.

 

[lyricalmiracle]

i live in england

me too, i built a half wooden half mesh vivarium (fly screen mesh to prevent any livefood escaping). some other british keepers use similar or if you have a warm house then you could get a flexarium (google it) or if you've got the cash go for an aluminium one like those by terry thatcher (might be able to find that on google too). they all use fine mesh so that insects can't get out, as long as they don't jump out when you open the door!

 

[kinyonga]

You asked..."are they better kept on their own or as a pair?"...they are better kept on their own once they are a couple of months old.

You said..."do they like to be handled or not?"...generally they are better off not being handled. There are some that will TOLERATE a fair amount of handling...but it depends on the individual chameleon.

You said..."my geckos eat crickets, wax worms, meal worms and locusts. do chameleons like the same thing or do they like some special treats once in a while?!"...I don't feed my chameleons mealworms...but crickets, silkworms, butterworms, locusts, waxworms (once in a while), cockroaches, superworms, kingworms, etc. are all fine. A veiled chameleon will/may also eat some greens, veggies and fruit once it is about 5 months old.

Appropriate temperatures, proper supplementation, well-fed/gutloaded insects, proper hydration, exposure to UVB light from UVB tube/linear lights or sunlight are all important to their health.

Here are some sites to read....
http://www.adcham.com/
http://www.chameleonnews.com/
http://web.archive.org/web/20060502...rnals.com/vet/index.php?show=5.Vitamin.A.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/index.htm
https://www.chameleonforums.com/supplementation-mbd-1-a-2451/
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

 

[foxymiche]

great sites, thanks for all your help.

im just off to my local store to see what they have on offer. if they dont have anything suitable (im not liking the flexarium thing) then i may well make one. It doesnt look too hard to knock up a wooden frame, wooden back and some mesh round the front and sides.

my geckos have heat mats and light tubes. how does this work with a mesh cage or do they not need the same things?

also i would like to set up a water drip system how is this done? im planning on spraying the branches and leaves 3 times a day aswell but just incase he was thirsty i would like a back up.

thanks

 

[jannb]

I just take a small bowl or cup and punch a few tiny holes in the bottom and fill it with water. Make sure the holes are small and it's just a drip. Jann

 

[foxymiche]

great idea thanks!

ive just been to my local store and they had the flexariums in stock but i dont really like them. i understand they are probably dark for a reason but i would like to see my chameleon sometimes! lol.
they also had the exo terra terrarium- they have a mesh top, why dont u guys reccomend them?

looks like i might have to end up building one. ive been thinking... ive got an old cupboard (chipboard) that is in bits and i could use the wood from that. If i made a frame say 3ft high, 2ft long and 1.5ft wide is this going to be big enough for 1 chameleon?
i was thinking of putting this in the corner of my bedroom and was thinking of covering the 2 sides against the wall and the bottom with the chipboard and the 2 other sides and the top use a small holed wire mesh. does this sound ok?
also is any kind of wood/branches and leaves ok? i dont want to put anything in that will poison it.

i saw an adorable baby yemen chameleon in the store. really cant wait now!

 

[foxymiche]

im visiting another store on saturday, they do a starter kit for chameleons. i dont think im ready to buy one just yet but what do you think of the kit?
http://www.vanishing-world.com/starter_kits/P0/

 

[Kermit]

Looks like zero ventilation in that kit. And sand is a definate no-no. When you visit this shop I suggest you give him some of the links from this thread. Looks as though the owner has no clue as to a chams needs.

Must be making a tidy profit though, as you'd be going back every few months for a new cham.

 

[foxymiche]

oh no thats not good. i did think the sand maybe was a bad idea.

so what do you think about my idea to make one?

and can anyone tell me the reason the exo terra is no good. thanks

 

[stucoady]

Hi mate, I'm from England and I started of using a exo terra whilst my yemen was little. Now I use a wooden viv with plenty of air vents which i got a viv builder to make. There is much debate on here about using all mesh vivs but in our climate I feel it is imposible to keep up the temp and humidity to a good level unless you keep in a well heated room. I have just ordered two more wooden vivs with 10 air vents and a 9 inch hole for the basking lamp and these will fit into a display area i'm making.

 

[foxymiche]

especially hard to keep to a stable temp in my house - my mum only has the heating on if its iced over outside! lol

i have found a really nice wooden vivarium in my local paper, it is 3ft tall, 2ft wide and 2ft long. it has 3 wooden sides, the front is sliding glass but it also has a mesh section on the bottom of the front panel and a mesh top so should have adequate ventilation. its a good size too but im a bit worried about it being too big for a baby chameleon.

i think i may purchase a small flexarium whilst the cham is small and will hopefully be buying this big viv for when it is bigger.

i would also be quite worried about a 100% mesh enclosure in my room as i share with my sister and 2 girls with body sprays, perfumes and hair sprays does not sound ideal for poor little chameleons to breathe!

 

[Kermit]

I use the exo terra too, as the temps in the room do fluctuate. Is ok for now, although most will argue it's not ventilated enough, but I will need to go bigger when my cham gets bigger & I'll go down the custom build route.

You could buy the big viv now & section it off into a smaller living area til the cham gets big enough. If I was starting over again with the extra knowledge I've gained here amongst other places, that's what I'd aim to do. It's certainly the cheapest option.

I've got some share money due out next Jan so will build my cham a veritable palace then & kit it out. Will probably end up selling the exo terra cos the missus wouldn't be too happy if I brought another pet home !!!