Pygmy vs Regular sized Chameleons

[Mrscpoulson]

In terms of temperament, difficulty maintaining, cage requirements and etc.

Which do you think is a better starter Cham? I'm so interested in getting my first, but I don't want to get one that could be significantly harmed by my lack of knowledge. (Though I do plan on doing tons of research and stuff before getting my first!)

What is the more "Hardy" pygmy or regular breeds of Chams?

Sorry for the silly question, I just figure people who keep them and have experience would know better than a general internet search for the information.

 

[kplatvoet]

Welcome to the forum
Yours is going to be a hard question to answer for most of us here because most people keep one or the other - I suggest starting with the care sheets up in the resources section- It would also depend on if you've kept any other reptiles - or are good at keeping plants alive- I gave up on the idea of a pygmy because plants die when I look at them. The best "starter" chameleon is a captive bred one no matter what species. There's more information here for veiled & panther but it is possible to find others that might suit you. I have found that it's better to get the species that you really want first or you'll end up with 2 or 6 - they tend to be quite addicting.

 

[johnnyev]

Certain species of pygmy, as with some of the larger chameleon species, are easier to keep than others. For example, if your new to chameleons & wanted to keep pygmies. You'd have a much better chance of success keeping brevicaudatus, especially if you could obtain some CB animals. Definitely avoid WC pygmies if at all possible. They have an uncanny tendency to drop down dead for no apparent reason. Even for experienced keepers. Regards to the larger species, Veiled's or panthers are probably your best bet. Especially males, as you won't have to worry about females having problems retaining eggs.
Obviously you need to take into consideration how much space you have, finances etc, before deciding. Also what exactly you want to get out of keeping a chameleon. Pygmies ime, don't tend to like to be touched or disturbed & generally do much better if left alone. Though saying that, i do have a female brev that will often hand feed. But this took a hell of a lot of patience to achieve & she doesn't always oblige, just depends on here mood
Agree it's better to get what really appeals to you. Just make sure your prepared & don't rush in before your really confident you can provide whats required.
Good luck.

 

[jan65]

pygmy

I am new to chameleons. I have 2 wild caught pygmy chameleons that I've had for 2 months now in a terrarium. So far they are doing quite well. However, a couple of challenges that I have found along the way include keeping a supply of appropriate size crickets on hand. My local pet stores do not sale crickets that are small enough for them. I have had to order pinhead-1/8 inch size crickets online. The other problem with wild caught pygmies is you really don't know how old they are when you get them. This makes it hard to judge life expectancy.