well !

[rae]

im new to this forum & im a new chameleon owner. i know NOTHING about them as my dad surprised me with it last night. can someone give me some tips & pointers please? or at least answer the questions that i have.

my dad told me that its supposed to grow 4 horns so i assume its a four-horned chameleon. everything i tried to research about four-horned chameleons was very limited & didn't answer any of my questions.

& everything i seen was about veiled chameleons, so hopefully someone can help.

my questions are:

1. upon feeding it, how many times a day do i feed it? i don't know how old it is so i'm unsure of its food intake.

2. instead of crickets, i want to feed it meal worms as they're better for me to handle. how many worms do i feed it?

3. do i feed it daily or weekly?

4. right now its still in the container my dad got from the pet store. do i HAVE to put it in an aquarium?

5. how big will it get?

6. how do i tell if its a boy or girl?

7. does it bite?

8. can i pick it up?

9. without stressing it out, how do i pick it up?

10. do they hiss or attack?

the one i have seems pretty docile and i've been able to stick my finger in the container & rub it. i've noticed it trying to get out but im afraid that it'd dash off somewhere. someone please help~!!

 

[Sporkthedork]

Can you post a picture of it so other members can identify it. I only have experience with panther chameleons so I can't really help you. I wouldn't put it in an aquarium though. Questions 7-9, Most animals can and will bite if they are harassed enough, so I wouldn't bother it for now. It's already stressed being in a new environment especially with "huge monsters" (you and your family) constantly looking at it. I would leave it alone for now. Questions 1-3, you can feed it mealworms and I would feed it as much as it wants. I have no experience with this, but I think that's what everyone is going to say.

 

[Champhibians]

1. upon feeding it, how many times a day do i feed it? i don't know how old it is so i'm unsure of its food intake.

Depends on age.

2. instead of crickets, i want to feed it meal worms as they're better for me to handle. how many worms do i feed it?

meal worms are not a staple diet. You need to feed it gut loaded crickets. Use meal worms as a treat

3. do i feed it daily or weekly?

Depends on age

4. right now its still in the container my dad got from the pet store. do i HAVE to put it in an aquarium?

Dont put it in an aquarium. Get an all screen cage.

5. how big will it get?

Depends on what species it is

6. how do i tell if its a boy or girl?

You can check the tail base, but it will be hard with nothing to compare it to

7. does it bite?

Anything with a mouth bites

8. can i pick it up?

Only handle if you need to

9. without stressing it out, how do i pick it up?

Put a stick in the cage for him to craw on and take it out

10. do they hiss or attack?

Depends on the chameleon

 

[opihiman]

my questions are:

1. upon feeding it, how many times a day do i feed it? i don't know how old it is so i'm unsure of its food intake.

1.A couple of things are important here. First is feeder size; the diameter of you feeder should not be bigger than the distance between the eyes. Once a day should be enough. The amount you feed is variable as it depends on you chams age. I figured out how much to feed my chams by trial and error. Place enough food in the cage so that there is food though out the day (remember the amount that you put in). In the evening when you come back if there are still feeders, reduce the amount you are feeding.
I am not sure but chams under 5 to 6 mos will need daily feeding up to year (don't quote me on this) after a year they can go to every other day.

2. instead of crickets, i want to feed it meal worms as they're better for me to handle. how many worms do i feed it?

2. Sticking to any one kind of feeder is a problem waiting to happen. You should try to vary your chams diet as much as possible. Meal worms are far from the best feeder for chams. Silk worms, supers, flies, moths, blah blah are better. Roaches are also a good source of food.

In addition it is important to add supplementation to you chams diet to make up for the short fall in food source variety. and no just because you supplement, doesn't mean that you can just feed one kind of feeder.

Variety is very important

3. do i feed it daily or weekly?

3. See #1

4. right now its still in the container my dad got from the pet store. do i HAVE to put it in an aquarium?

4. Most keepers here will tell you that an aquarium is not a good idea. A screened enclosure is the best. both have their ups and down sides. research quickly as chas are very suseptible to stress. keeping it in the box will only subject you cham to more stress and could quite abrutply end his/her life

5. how big will it get?

5. It will get as big as a Size 11 rebok shoe....Sorry... this is hard to tell unless we know what kind of cham you have. PICTURES WILL HELP OUT LOT TO ID YOUR CHAM

6. how do i tell if its a boy or girl?

6. see #5

7. does it bite?

7. They can...some chams are more agressive than others.

8. can i pick it up?

8. sooner or later you will have to

9. without stressing it out, how do i pick it up?

9. Impossible, think of a giant steam shovel coming to pick you up.

10. do they hiss or attack?

10. both

the one i have seems pretty docile and i've been able to stick my finger in the container & rub it. i've noticed it trying to get out but im afraid that it'd dash off somewhere. someone please help~!!

Chams are not a pet(patting on the head), walk, and play fetch type of animal. They are very easily stressed. keep you handling to a minimum. Get your cham in to some kind of enclosure as soon as you can and then re post again to see what kind of improvements the Forum can help you with. Pictures will also be helpful with this.

Hope this helps

OPI

 

[jannb]

Hello and welcome to the forums!!! It would be helpful if you could post a pic but I'll try to answer some of your questions for chameleons in general.
1. I only feed once a day in the morning but it would be ok to put a snack in in the afternoon if you'd like.
2.Mealworms are not good feeders for chameleons. Superworms are ok for a snack but you really need crickets or dubia for the main feeders. Silkworms are good also.
3.If it's young, feed everyday. Adults usually eat every other day.
4.Get a screened cage.....not glass
5.Depending on what type you have is to how big he will get. No too big tho.
6.I'm not sure on the boy/girl thing.....after we figure out the type, then some members here should be able to help you with the sex....after you post a pic
7.Some chameleons can bite and some are very nice
8.You're not suppose to hold them to much.....right at first he/she needs to adjust to their new home....later you can pick it up.
9.You have to wait and see if he/friendly before handling. They normally turn a dark color when stressed
10. Some hiss, not mine and I don't think it will attack you.

You will need a UVB light (very important) and a basking light and gutload to feed your crickets before you feed them to your cham. You will need 3 kinds of dust to dust your crickets before feeding..... calcium without D3 and with D3 and a multi vitamin dust. Even tho you don't have a veiled this site below will still be helpful with any chameleon. Jann
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

 

[Grizzabella]

lol get ready i wrote you a book!

First off, the best thing to do would be to post some pictures so people here at teh forum can help you more. Secondly, ask you dad where he got it, the pet shop might be able to give you more information on what kind it is age, etc.
ALSO: there is a "form" of sorts with general information about your chameleon and set up etc, if you could fill that out you will probably get alot more answers and people will be able to give you better answers to your questions.

Chameleons (especially babies) can eat more than their body weight per week, and ESPECIALLY babies and females need supplementation, which you can get at a pet store (reptivite etc... youll need both calcium and phosphorus as well as other trace nutrients) I would give her/him a dozen or so per day (as long as he/she's eating them all) until you can establish an age.

Crickets are generally an easier feeder insect (despite the creepy factor) than mealworms because they are easier to gutload and you can buy and keep large quantities at once. Mealworms are generally sold in bulk and in refridgeratable cartons... and while this may SEEM easier, it takes away from the nutrients available to the animal so they wont be getting as varied and healthy a diet. Crickets can be kept in small tanks with paper towels and egg cartons, and fed fresh fruits and vegetables. Btw, general rule of thumb is to Not feed your animal insects much bigger than the distance between their eyes. You can check the forum on feeder insects for more information.

3. do i feed it daily or weekly?
Like i said above, Until you know whetehr its a baby or not better safe than sorry. I would feed AT LEAST every other day, and about once a week with supplementation.

4. right now its still in the container my dad got from the pet store. do i HAVE to put it in an aquarium?
Depends on teh type of setup you have. Most Chameleons require alot of ventilation, so the standard aquarium would be a bad choice. Most pet stores should have some type of screen/mesh cage, you'll notice your guy climbing up teh walls Also, chameleons require alot of cover and small branches and plants to crawl around in. Check teh forum on cages/enclosures for help with this. ALSO you WILL NEED a UVa/UVb light source so your cham can metabolize calcium and vitamin D3. THIS IS ESSENTIAL. dont put it off

5. how big will it get?
This all depends on what kind it is. Most wont get larger than 20 inches or so (including tail) and theyll stop growing after about 3 years... males will generally get bigger than females. Some are much much smaller, these are pygmy chameleons. They have entirely different requirements, i would lok that up specifically.

6. how do i tell if its a boy or girl?
You can start to tell after a couple months or so, depending on the species. Post a pictures of the underside of the back legs as well as a profile veiw so posters can try and help you out with this.

7. does it bite?
Ive never had my chameleon bite me, however some are more agressive/territorial than others. Older, big males will tend to be a little on the huffy side, and will sometimes puff up, gape, flatten themselves, and "hiss" but most wont bite unless given real reason to. You should be able to tell if this is the case.

8. can i pick it up?
Babies especially are very susceptible to stress, so its recommended that handling is kept to a minimum, however on that note, i do handle my chameleon (and his babies). HOWEVER, until you get a proper set up and he/she is comfortable i would recomend keeping possible stressors (such as handling) to a minimum, if not stopping all together.

9. without stressing it out, how do i pick it up?
Like a canary or parakeet, you can slide your finger/hand under their front and they should climb up onto you. DONT grab or pinch by the back or neck, because this is taken as an aggressive/predatory behavior and will stress out you chameleon. I will say againn though, i wouldnt handle it until you have it settled in to a nice enclosure.

10. do they hiss or attack?
Generally, no

the one i have seems pretty docile and i've been able to stick my finger in the container & rub it. i've noticed it trying to get out but im afraid that it'd dash off somewhere. someone please help!!
BTW most chameleons wont "dash" anywhere. While they can move quite fast when they want to, their whole life strategy is based around not being seen, ergo they would rather hide than run up your arm.

congratulations on your new cham!

 

[kenya]

Welcome to the forums- this is the best place you could have come for info!

I would guess that your new cham is a quadricornis. You should post some photos so that we can be sure, though. How big is it?

You will have to feed it roach nymphs or gutloaded crickets. You can also give it silkworms if you want to feed it a worm diet, but I do not at all recommend feeding it mealworms. Mealworms are not a good feeder as their exo skeletons have a lot of hard chitin in them that the chameleon can't digest- this can cause impactions (like severe constipation that leads to death) and they are not very nutritious. Try the silkworms if you don't want to handle crickets or roaches. You can buy them at coastalsilkworms.com or mulberryfarms.com

You can't use a glass enclosure for chameleons- they are rainforest canopy animals and need open air flow. They also are big climbers so they need more vertical space than horizontal. You will need to get either a Reptarium (they have them at petsmarts) or order an aluminum screen cage online (lllreptile.com is the best place to buy supplies.)

Chameleons need high humidity so you will need to use a spray bottle to mist him with warm water about three times a day. Make your misting sessions long- they will start drinking a few minutes in. Make sure you mist all of the leaves in his enclosure so that he has a chance to drink the drops off of them. Waterfalls and water bowls are horrible for chameleons- don't get them. They breed bacteria and chameleons like to poop in them. There is no real way to keep them clean. You can also set up a dripper- get a big cup and poke some pin holes in the bottom so that warm water will drip out at about 1 drop per second. Put this on top of your cage and let the water drip onto the leaves in the enclosure.

You will need a linear UVB light for the enclosure- this is imperative to keep your chameleon healthy. The best is the ReptiSun 5.0 linear tube- you can get them cheap at lllreptile.com You will need to replace the bulb every six months as they stop putting UVB out after that time. UVB lets chameleons use the calcium in their diets via vitamin d3. Without the calcium and without the UVB, your chameleon will meet a sad fate with metabolic bone disease.

You will also need a basking bulb. As I am unsure of the species you have, I am not sure what temperatures you need right now. You can use a regular house bulb for this- I would suggest to use one that will get a basking spot of about 82 degrees or so right now in case your cham is a montane. You don't want to cook him.

Chameleons are not pets you can play with. They stress really easily and if you handle them too much, they will die. He is in a new environment so you should just set up his cage and leave him alone for a week or two. Just mist him and provide size appropriate crickets. If you handle him, he may refuse to drink or eat and will get sick so leave him alone.

There is much more you need to know. I suggest posting a picture as soon as possible and we can get specific on the care. Chameleons are wonderful animals but aren't for everyone. If you feel overwhelmed, I suggest taking the cham back to the pet store and maybe getting a different reptile such as a crested gecko.

 

[rae]

thank you to everyone who posted. here are a couple pictures i just snapped of it.

i noticed it tries to push open the lid of the container but its snapped in place. it tries to get out & my dad says we should take it out & interact with it so it can get used to us also, is there anyway to find out the meaning of its colors?

 

[jannb]

I'm not sure what kind of chameleon you have maybe some other members will chime in here.

 

[Sang]

hmm, it definatlye looks like aquadricoris. or one other species i could think of,
im not sure if the female quadis have horns.

 

[rae]

i've read somewhere online that the females don't get horns.
if we are talking about the same species here.

 

[Kelz1916]

Hi I recently got my first cham in August, now I have 3 with 3 more coming soon! When you buy a screen cage for him/her which you should do asap, if you search Reptarium on google you'll find a bunch of places where they sell them. I bought a 38 gal one for my veiled Luna for like $25. If you were to buy the same one at Petsmart it's $50! They are taxing hardcore! I would definately order it online. You could also get it an aluminum screen cage which is much nicer than the reptarium, but is more expensive, it will depend on your budget on what you will want to buy. Also, I noticed that in the container that you have him/her in that there is a substrate on the ground, if there's one thing I've learned on the forums it's that it is best to avoid substrate. It can cause impaction if it is picked up when he catches his prey. You can put a paper towel on the ground instead or just leave it bare. If you use a paper towel be sure to change it frequently! When you set up the new screen cage be sure to give your cham lots of vines to climb on! I hope everything works out for you! Congrats on the new cham!

 

[Dsignrguy]

welcome aboard!!!!
The folks here are pretty friendly, and can probably help w/any issues yoe have come up. I would suggest digging around for a bit and you'll probably find whatever you need to know....anything else, just ask.

Shawn

 

[rae]

Hi I recently got my first cham in August, now I have 3 with 3 more coming soon! When you buy a screen cage for him/her which you should do asap, if you search Reptarium on google you'll find a bunch of places where they sell them. I bought a 38 gal one for my veiled Luna for like $25. If you were to buy the same one at Petsmart it's $50! They are taxing hardcore! I would definately order it online. You could also get it an aluminum screen cage which is much nicer than the reptarium, but is more expensive, it will depend on your budget on what you will want to buy. Also, I noticed that in the container that you have him/her in that there is a substrate on the ground, if there's one thing I've learned on the forums it's that it is best to avoid substrate. It can cause impaction if it is picked up when he catches his prey. You can put a paper towel on the ground instead or just leave it bare. If you use a paper towel be sure to change it frequently! When you set up the new screen cage be sure to give your cham lots of vines to climb on! I hope everything works out for you! Congrats on the new cham!

thanks! & thank you for the tips.

 

[rae]

welcome aboard!!!!
The folks here are pretty friendly, and can probably help w/any issues yoe have come up. I would suggest digging around for a bit and you'll probably find whatever you need to know....anything else, just ask.

Shawn

sweet! thanks!

 

[Dave Weldon]

Howdy Rae,

Welcome to the forum . What part of the world are you located?