Parsons

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Advanced or different? To me advanced animals must fit into one of 3 categories: 1: Very little is known about correct husbandry. 2: The animal is very unforgiving to any improper environmental conditions that could arise from inexperience monitoring and controlling environments. 3: The animal is generally very temperamental and poses constant challenges such as feeding, susceptibility to disease etc.

From what I've read they are no more difficult than most chameleon species which I would place in the intermediate level in general. A good beginner chameleon is a bearded dragon, ha.

I am curious as you have way more experience if you would call them more advanced than an average chameleon, or just different.

I think I would say a bit of all three apply. Such as the requirements of Parsonii requiring the necessary winter temperature drop that no other species in the USA currently requires other than Parsonii. This three to four month drop does seem to be significant (mostly with out food) and necessary to the health of the Parsonii. That alone meaning to keep a Parsonii healthy long term in captivity you have got to have a way to regulate the temperature in your chameleon room for three to four months out of the year to account for this winter period of temperature between 45F to 65F. This alone makes keeping a Parsonii a more advanced chameleon species in captivity especially if your in an area where you can not winter your Parsonii outside.

Then there are other issues such as food where Parsonii can be extremely particular and fast to go on hunger strikes if not kept interested much more than any other chameleon that I have ever worked with and have heard the same reports from other past keepers. To the point where I'm breeding many species of insects that I would normally would only field collect as normal commercially sold diets such as silk worms, crickets and superworms would entertain the interest of 90% of the chameleon that are available here in the USA. Research on your own their is some good reading out there however there are more reasons (room sized enclosures) why I consider Parsonii and advanced level husbandry chameleon out there more than Bradypodions. I have not even started on the breeding yet.

This all brings up the concern that anyone who truly is considering acquiring a Parsonii to prepare and research the husbandry thoroughly of this species before acquiring one. This is one species that should not be acquired with the same regard as a keeper that is just about to acquire a Veiled or Panther Chameleon. I would recommend to look in the forums book store to start. The book with the Ken Kalish chapter would be a great place to start as Ken is the most accomplish Parsonii breeder in the USA.

Jeremy A. Rich