Panthers Veileds or Jacksons???

[purplebiotch]

I'm at a 3 way intersection and don't know which way I should go. I can't decide between a panther veiled or Jackson chameleon. I personally like the way panthers look the best. But from doing all this research and spending hours reading threads on the website, I have found so much info and have grown to love chameleons that I don't even have.although some chameleons are much cooler to me than others, I don't want to just pick the best looking. I want to pick the best for me and the one that I can provide the best home for. So I will give you the rundown on my situation, and please no comments from people saying to get one chameleon or the other because its what they have and what they love unless you think that it would be a good fit for me too.

I live in Dallas Texas. I am currently living between 2 houses as my parents are divorced. The chameleon would stay at my dads house as my dad is wealthy and I would be able to provide for it easier their. I am ate my dads normally four or five days of every week. My dad has agreed to feed it while I am gone at my moms. Space is not a problem. When I am at my dads I am generally their for an hour before I go to school and home (and awake) for 6 hours (6-12) before I go to bed. So I do have a decent amount of time to take care of it on weekdays. Weekends I have mostly all day other than two hours on Saturdays that I have to leave to go to practice. Money isn't really a huge deal for supplies. So I can afford a mister to mist him while I am gone, and any other supplies. The upstairs part of the house where and the chameleon would stay is for the most part low stress except for the 6 am wake up call. I keep the upstairs at 72 during the day and 69 or 70 at night. It is a big quiet house. I do also travel a but in the summer but my dads girlfriend would feed it.

I'm sorry if none if this info can help y'all help me. Please give me your feedback.

 

[dom1959]

i think u have to go with the one that grabs your eye/heart.
for me it was the veiled and i love him.
but last week i added a jackson xanth and there are def differences in their
"personality".
i don't think there will be a wrong answer for you, maybe watch some youtube and see what you like best

 

[purplebiotch]

I have and the more I look at them all I get even more confused they are all so special in each of their own ways. And the more research I do the more confused i get too! This is killing me.....

 

[Ferrah88]

If you can't decide in the end, what you should do is, while shopping (Not sure how you will do it, online will be harder, but you'll likely get a healthier cham. In stores, you can see them, and therefore form an attachment better) simply spend a bit of time in front of the terrarium (or on the web page for that animal) and decide whether or not you can foresee yourself enjoying it's company.

After all though, it's your preference. If you like plenty of vibrant colours, a panther would be the way to go! If you like the crests, go male veiled. And of course for the awesome three-horns of the jacksons are also awesome With my first chameleon, I didn't personally care what it would look like when it was older. A colleague had babies, showed me, and I squealed. He offered me one, and I of course said yes. Maybe you just need to be put in a similar position to help you choose...

I'm sure more experienced people can provide better input, but there's my two cents!

 

[purplebiotch]

Thanks I appreciate it. I've heard that pet store really aren't the way to go, but in case I do go that route what store(s) sell a variety of chameleons I personally don't know of any other than petsmart and they ONLY carried Veileds and I know they do NOT take good care of them. And people please don't think that this ends this thread I REALLY need as much advice as I can get

 

[nick barta]

I would suggest you do a male Veiled first, as they are a bit more forgiving to the mistakes new cham keepers make, are a bigger impressive cham, and right now you can get larger veiled, 6.5 months old, for $85.00 (includes shipping) from Chameleons Northwest (a sponsor). This is an established animal, from good lines, and good breeders.

You will pay $250.00-$500.00 for a much smaller Panther, and add $40.00 or so for shipping.

You can put the larger Veiled cham in a 24x24x48 cage, and not do a small cage now, and then later, a large cage.

Chameleons Northwest can supply a 24x24x48 cage, and the 3 supplements you need. Being new, you will save money by buying the right items the first time, trust me, we ALL wasted money learning the keeping of chams.

The Jackson is not an option for a new keeper in my mind, they are a Montane species, require higher humidity, and many are wild caught.

Call Sandy or Elliot at Chameleons Northwest, they will walk you through the process. They are good on followup questions you will have too!

Have the cage and supplements shipped first, set the cage up, get your plants and branches in place. Get feeders into containers so food is ready for the new cham.

For watering the cham, I would suggest you use a spray bottle to start with, and not do a watering system, just make sure dad is willing to do his part!

Welcome to raising dinosaurs, you can call me if you have any questions.

Nick Barta

253-350-6633

 

[fluxlizard]

I would suggest veiled or panther and hold off on the jacksons until you have a little more experience. Panthers and veileds are both really good first chameleons. Jacksons are a little more delicate. Veileds are the easiest, but panthers are a pretty close second. Just don't start with one that is tiny.

 

[purplebiotch]

Hmm ok so I've now been able to rule outn Jackson's thank y'all so much for that. But from what I've read now I'm leaning a little more towards Veileds. When you say Veileds are more forgiving, what do you mean? And also I thought veiled/ Yemen chameleons were supposed to be really mean compared to other species. I know it's luck and all on a specific chameleons temperament, but aren't Veileds more mean towards people in general? Also someone said not to get a tiny veiled chameleon what qualifies as tiny? I was planning on getting a 3-4 month old chameleon because I would enjoy watching it grow. I could easily afford 2 cages. Other than the cage size what is different In the care of a little chameleon compared to an adult? (Even though I ask about enclosure size and what I ask that people please not stray from the original question... )

Thanks

Also nick is your moms name Stephanie by chance?

 

[nick barta]

Veileds live in a broader temperature range, and have longer time frames without water in their desert habitat, so if your conditions aren't perfect, they still do well.

Veileds can be more aggressive than Panthers as a rule, but you can find mellow in both. The problem is, you can't tell from a young cham what the temperament will turn out to be later.

If you want to do 2 cages to see it from baby to adult, still buy from a breeder who has done the correct lighting, supplementation, hydrating, and temperature. Pet Smart/Petco are not the place to buy.

The difference between buying young and established is young chams need smaller food, and some would say a smaller cage to easily find that food.

No relation to other Barta's mentioned.

Nick Barta

 

[purplebiotch]

Oh ok thank you I already knew about the food and cage. And aren't panthers practically the same as veiled care wise? That's what most people have told me.

And ok just thought there was a chance

 

[nick barta]

Either one will make you happy...

Nick Barta

 

[Killer Chams]

Oh ok thank you I already knew about the food and cage. And aren't panthers practically the same as veiled care wise? That's what most people have told me.

And ok just thought there was a chance

there about the same care wise. personally i would say go with a panther. my very first cham was a panther and i had no problem with it. if you want a friendly cham i would say get a panther. in my experience with veileds if only have had mean ones. i have like 12 panthers and only one is mean and he will probably tame down.

 

[Olimpia]

I think veileds are only forgiving because they come from a harsher climate, so they will last longer in sub-par conditions than a panther would. But if you're even half-way competent then it should not be difficult to set up an environment that will allow both a veiled or a panther to thrive. That's why I don't think when it really comes down to it that veileds or panthers are different to care for if you're doing it as correctly as possible.

You're going to have this animal with you anywhere between 3-6 years, on average, so the decision comes down to which one you like the most. Panthers have the flashier colors but veileds get bigger and have the impressive casque.

I don't necessarily agree that Jackson's are not a beginner species, they're a little different but they aren't harder (at least starting with a CB individual). But they do like it cooler, so for anyone who can't run the AC to keep temperatures low they are not a good species.

 

[Cainschams]

I don't necessarily agree that Jackson's are not a beginner species, they're a little different but they aren't harder (at least starting with a CB individual). But they do like it cooler, so for anyone who can't run the AC to keep temperatures low they are not a good species.

I agree. My first was a jacksons. They arent really harder but have slightly different requirements to keep. Like said, temps and humidity are different for a jacksons If you cant provide the lower temps and higher humidity then they wouldnt be for you. Your day time temps sound good but they should really have more of a night time temp drop than 70 degrees. This would be the deciding factor.

 

[chamerina]

I agree. My first was a jacksons. They arent really harder but have slightly different requirements to keep. Like said, temps and humidity are different for a jacksons If you cant provide the lower temps and higher humidity then they wouldnt be for you. Your day time temps sound good but they should really have more of a night time temp drop than 70 degrees. This would be the deciding factor.

I also agree. We just adopted Leon, a Jacksons Xanth, and he's doing great! I think being on here hours a day and doing the reading and research is extremely important but also makes you extremely paranoid haha. Anyway, his temps and humidity were two things we really kept an eye on for his first couple of weeks and now we know how to maintain those two elements.

A temp drop to less than 70 degrees I believe is necessary for the metabolism to slow down while sleeping.

I would start shopping and looking at the pictures of the cham you would actually get (if online from a reputable breeder) and see which one you really "fall for".

Good luck!

 

[stalincat]

Just don't get a gravid female.. and you should be fine

 

[purplebiotch]

wow thanks everyone! From what I've heard from you all I am either going to go with either a panther or a veiled and since care is about the same I will do as many as yall said and pick the one that "speaks" to me.

Once again thank you all SO much.

 

[purplebiotch]

What do you think?

He's really expensive but He is the one that screamed at me. He is a 4 month old panther ambilobe chameleon. I will order him in the next week or two. (if he's order before i get to I'm blaming you all) I cant believe his colors.(also it shows just how badly i want him because i blurred the name and website out of the picture before i posted him lol! NOT TAKING ANY CHANCES )

 

[Killer Chams]

buy him!!! you cant go wrong with there chameleons. i have a few from them.

 

[dom1959]

he will be spectacular.
nice choice.