Some questions on Chams

[Breeze]

Hey, I've been wondering, do veiled chams smell bad, I mean yes I know they are reptiles but is the stench horrible or just ok, to live with and such.
Second question is how old will they be until their adults? like a year old or something.
Third, can i catch any insects and gutload it, then feed it or no?
Last, How often do I clean the cage?

Thank you, I'm sorry for asking, I'm just curious because I'm going to be purchasing one soon. Woo

-Breeze (not mistaken for Beeze)

 

[joshdhensley]

Chameleons don't have a "smell" but their poop does so if you plan on housing them indoors vs outdoors (depending on where you live) then you should clean the cage everyday if possible depending on what they are in, how large the cage is and if there is any poop / pee in it. We house our individual chams in 18x18x36 (temp until we move) and take the cages outside every other day and wash / wipe out the bottom, refresh the live plant and clean any feces that may be on the leaves etc.

You should not just feed insects from the outdoors as you have no idea what they have been eating, you have more control on what your cham eats if you can control what the insects that he consume eat. If you can keep insects and feed them a good diet (depends on the insect) then you know that your chameleon is getting good and high nutrient packed food. Also if you catch insects from outside, they may have eaten bug posion or been around pesticide and therefore would not want to risk feeding them to your cham. Also all chams are different, each species of chams can get a different size and depending on the environment and feeding, it can take up to a year for certain species to reach full size, some even longer possibly.

If you plan on housing your cham indoors, remember to clean the cage often, provide adequate lighting and heat (if needed), access to water and / or humidity if required and if you keep live plants, remember to water them too. If you over mist, don't clean the cage and don't house the cham properly you can get mold and that along with feces will definetely create a smell and also not be healthy for your cham to live in.

 

[Lizardlover]

i dont know how you got under the impression reptiles stink, they certainly dont. the only reason they may stink is improper cleaning of their enclosure. veilds usually reach sexual maturity around 9-12 months they will keep growing all their lives but at a much slower pace than when they were younger. You can but crickets, roaches, silkworms, hornworms and other insects are better and there is no chance of them being infected with pesticides parasites or toxic. and lastly whenever you see poop you should take it out, but id say a good cage cleaning should be done every 2 weeks to a month. hope that covers it all.

 

[Breeze]

Yea, thanks a lot, that was helpful. I can't wait until I get my Cham.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Congrats on your getting a chameleon. They are great creatures (though not easy).

To echo, not they do not stink. Even their fecal matter shouldnt really smell much at all (if it does, its a sign of possible parasites).

Certain wild caught insects are possible to use, but it is far safer to go with ones you raise yourself or buy from a reputable supplier (and then gutload).

In addition to this excellent forum, I suggest you check out the Raising Kitty website: http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

And if you want to do more research:

Chameleon related websites:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/56-chameleon-related-websites.html
Housing:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/82-enclosures-housing.html
Water:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/92-hydration-importance.html
Lighting:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/68-lighting-links.html
What to feed to chameleons:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/74-feeders.html
What to feed the Feeders:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition.html
Supplements:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/65-supplements.html

 

[tkilgour]

Chams do not stink at all...as long as you do what the person above said and simply clean the poop out because they will leave you a healthy treat to remove. Do not over mist. Something I do is just put white paper towels on the bottom each day. This way I simply can pull away the paper and put a new dry one down. This makes clean up a snap. Also, try to remove poop if it is on the screen, vines or plants. Chameleons are the cleanest pets I have ever had. I stopped having Red tail boas because when they pooped it was so gross and stunk so badly.

 

[Breeze]

So how old will they be when they first become adults or well when can I start feeding them everyother day, and will the become stressed of my guitar playing? lol.

 

[tkilgour]

takes about a year to 15 months to see full coloration prob. guitar will not bother at all Good luck. Well worth the wait.

 

[Breeze]

I'm glad about the guitar part, well thanks anyway guys.

 

[chequepoint]

They're essentially deaf.. i wouldn't crank the bass and fire the amp at the enclosure.. but other than that you'll be fine.

Most reptiles don't stink, most aquariums filled with dirt and a reptile tend to stink, mold over, and give you that "pet store" smell. A chameleon kept in a clean screen cage won't smell at all. The only thing that ever smells in my chameleon cage is if some leaves drop behind the pot the plant is in and i don't notice them for a few days, they'll start to rot, but thats easy to fix.

 

[Breeze]

Well I'm not a heavy metal player so thats good lol more rock, blues, funk, classical Ok well as soon as I get the enclosure i'm getting my precious little angel, if it is.

 

[Billy Quan]

I have read that chams can't hear anything above middle C.
My GF plays violin (magnificently!) in the same room as our enclosure, it doesn't phase the veiled cham. Once in a while I play drums in the basement, and when i finish and check up on him he doesn't look stressed. . . Acoustic should be no problem, but if you play really loud through an amp with the bass cranked, you might stress your cham.
hope this helps!

-bryan

 

[nick barta]

Breeze,

I would read what Sandra linked you, and list on paper what size and brand of cage, fluorescent long light, wattage on a basking light, plants, and what feeders you will have before the Cham arrives. Post this info in the Forum, you will get lots of response, and then make your final list.

Purchase all the things you need and get it assembled and ready, including the feeders. Take some pictures, and post them for feedback, then once you are satisfied, THEN order your Cham.

In the long run you will be glad you spent more time up front preparing, and it will cost you a whole lot less money and frustration.

Nick

 

[nick barta]

Breeze,

Howdyco is from Colorado, PM him and see if he is in Denver. There is nothing better than seeing other peoples setups.

Any Denver members out there????

Nick

 

[Brad Ramsey]

You are welcome to pm me and come over and visit my set-up.

-Brad