What Breeder should I get my chameleon from?

[ChamQuestions]

I feel pretty confident on how to set up a chameleon enclosure thanks to help from the community but, as my username implies, I still have some questions!
So, there are two sources for chameleons that I am debating about: the first is Chronic Chameleons, a Canadian-based breeder that is is near me. Lisa, the woman running the business, seems very pleasant, helpful and encouraged me use the forums as a resource when I had sort of forgot about them, plus she has lots of good reviews and beautiful, healthy chameleons. Still, with chameleons being as exotic and delicate as they are, I want to make 100% sure that she is a good source. Does anyone have any experience with them? Or ways to figure out if they are good? Because three things have tipped me off: The first is that she mentioned keeping two panther chameleons near each other in separate enclosures during a reptile con, saying “we used to take both boys to reptile shows as they would always face off and “fire up” which always amazed the crowd of onlookers because Scout and Archer (the chameleons) HATED eachother!” Now, I have no experience with taking chameleons to reptile cons or anything, but this sounded like it might put stress on the chams. Or is it perfectly innocent? The second thing is in a similar vein: if you go to Chronic’s Facebook page they don’t seem to have anything preventing chameleons from seeing eachother through the mesh, which could also stress them out. The third is harder to tell because it isn’t explicitly stated, but it seemed that she may have been sending out some veiled at a young age.
The next option is actually an exotic pet store that has lots of supplies and breeds geckos and snakes. I get stuff for my gecko from there and they also have lots of good reviews. They get their chameleons (veiled and panther) from a breeder that doesn’t seem to have a website, so I can’t get any info on them. The panther babies do seem healthy, though, with bright eyes and steady movement and are half the price of Chronic’s pure-bred panthers. What do you think about buying from them? I got my crestie from there and he is healthy!
What source do you guys think would be best? Or should I look for another?

 

[salty dog]

Chameleons should not be able to see each other!!! Unless it's breeding time. Not sure about your cham sources. You should investigate what you can, threre are some decent pet shops, you should go there yourself and look for chameleons beiing kept in correct cage, (able to thermoregulate) with correct lighting, dripper system and proper gutloaded insects. Make sure they are not feeding a staple of mealworms or superworms, and if all that checks out and they are moving around in a healthy way..... then if I were you and I saw one I liked.....I would buy it.... Me beiing in the u.s. I would buy one from somebody on this site without even a second thought!!

 

[Spyro]

I've heard @Matt Vanilla Gorilla is good and Kammerflage.

 

[salty dog]

The o.p. lives in canada

 

[jamest0o0]

Mine are from kammerflage and I'm very happy with them, @Matt Vanilla Gorilla always seems to have beautiful Panthers and you can be sure he puts great care and time into his animals. That all said, I think you mentioned you're in Canada(I skimmed through sorry). If that's the case hopefully someone here can direct you to a good breeder.

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

Thanks guys! Yup, sorry, I do not ship to other countries!

 

[ChamQuestions]

Yes, I am from Canada and won’t be able to buy from another country. I will take a closer look at my local pet store. If that doesn’t work, I will look at some other Canadians breeders!

 

[JoshD49]

I've heard @Matt Vanilla Gorilla is good and Kammerflage.

My male Nosy be is from Matt and my female Nosy Be is from Kammerflage. Both great breeders but my male has the extra personality that I know Matt goes the extra mile to achieve. Not to mention I truely consider Matt a friend after buying Merlin since I talk to him almost every day at all hours and he has always been there for me.

I would have hands down voted for @Matt Vanilla Gorilla or one if our other breeders but he does not ship to Canada.

How far away from Seattle are you? haha.

 

[Dave85731]

Go with the local breeders get info all you can especially on lineage.. most pet shops don’t have lineage cuz they buy wholesale they get dirt cheap so they can profit or try anyway

 

[jamest0o0]

My male Nosy be is from Matt and my female Nosy Be is from Kammerflage. Both great breeders but my male has the extra personality that I know Matt goes the extra mile to achieve. Not to mention I truely consider Matt a friend after buying Merlin since I talk to him almost every day at all hours and he has always been there for me.

I would have hands down voted for @Matt Vanilla Gorilla or one if our other breeders but he does not ship to Canada.

How far away from Seattle are you? haha.

Not knocking matt at all when I say this... if i was to get another panther, I'd love to get one from him. That said, my kammer panther(first one I ever got) is among the friendliest, most easy going Panthers I've ever seen. I don't doubt Matt's are any different, just that I've had good experiences with the kammers as well.

 

[JoshD49]

Not knocking matt at all when I say this... if i was to get another panther, I'd love to get one from him. That said, my kammer panther(first one I ever got) is among the friendliest, most easy going Panthers I've ever seen. I don't doubt Matt's are any different, just that I've had good experiences with the kammers as well.

I love my little girl I got from Kammerflage very much. I didn't mean anything negative about the them. I was just saying that Matt has become a friend after purchasing. Both my Chameleons arrived healthy and are doing just fine. It wasn't a knock on any breeder at all. The only one I heard bad about is backwater. I have heard a lot of bad and not just on here. There are tons of YouTube videos and other things talking about them.

 

[ChamQuestions]

Does anyone know why Chronic Chameleons might have such good reviews if their chameleons aren’t housed properly? Lisa still seems like a nice woman, but I won’t buy from her if here chameleons are unhappy. Nevertheless, I’m just confused how her chams could be so bright and her attitude so pleasant despite this. Is it possible that she’s just misinformed, perhaps? Or am I the one who’s mistaken?

 

[ChamQuestions]

Go with the local breeders get info all you can especially on lineage.. most pet shops don’t have lineage cuz they buy wholesale they get dirt cheap so they can profit or try anyway

Why do I want to know about lineage?

 

[JoshD49]

I think lineage is only important if you plan to breed. Without checking lineage you could have a cross locale or something but if it's a pet you don't care to breed go with color. Even still please support the many wonderful breeders we have as they put a lot into making sure you get a healthy animal. Depending on which species you are looking for we can point you in the right direction. Getting them from a pet store also carries the risk of getting sick from other types of animals or lack of care as they are often not under the correct lighting or properly fed. Lots of times you won't even know the cham is sick until it's already to late.

 

[ChamQuestions]

I think lineage is only important if you plan to breed. Without checking lineage you could have a cross locale or something but if it's a pet you don't care to breed go with color. Even still please support the many wonderful breeders we have as they put a lot into making sure you get a healthy animal. Depending on which species you are looking for we can point you in the right direction. Getting them from a pet store also carries the risk of getting sick from other types of animals or lack of care as they are often not under the correct lighting or properly fed. Lots of times you won't even know the cham is sick until it's already to late.

Thanks, that all makes sense! Can’t anyone confirm is chronic is a bad breeder? I’m still sort of surprised but it seems possible. Or do I just go with my gut?

 

[Dave85731]

Yea true lineage is mainly for breeders but yea go with what you feel is right I’m not from over there so it’s hard to say if a breeder is good or bad with out knowing facts you know

 

[JoshD49]

From what I read they seem ok. I'm not sure where you read they are not good.

 

[Dave85731]

I was wondering the same thing maybe they see different things being local there ‍ Lol

 

[ChamQuestions]

From what I read they seem ok. I'm not sure where you read they are not good.

I was wondering the same thing maybe they see different things being local there ‍ Lol

Well, if you read my message..!

Does anyone have any experience with them? Or ways to figure out if they are good? Because three things have tipped me off: The first is that she mentioned keeping two panther chameleons near each other in separate enclosures during a reptile con, saying “we used to take both boys to reptile shows as they would always face off and “fire up” which always amazed the crowd of onlookers because Scout and Archer (the chameleons) HATED eachother!” Now, I have no experience with taking chameleons to reptile cons or anything, but this sounded like it might put stress on the chams. Or is it perfectly innocent? The second thing is in a similar vein: if you go to Chronic’s Facebook page they don’t seem to have anything preventing chameleons from seeing eachother through the mesh, which could also stress them out. The third is harder to tell because it isn’t explicitly stated, but it seemed that she may have been sending out some veiled at a young age.

Basically, I feel conflicted between and confused by how beautiful and healthy-looking her chameleons are and how nice she seems to be, and those iffy things that I have seen. I don’t find it likely that, if I were to get a chameleon from her, the chameleon would be unhappy or unhealthy seeing as how she has plenty of great reviews, but still, I don’t know if I want to support the business. Oh, and one more thing: the enclosure thing that I mentioned in my quote is kind of hard to tell but I am pretty sure it is the case.

 

[Dave85731]

There’s nothing wrong with what she does at expos that’s how it is at those things I’m sure your safe buying from her