I have wanted a chameleon for quite some time and I am now financially stable enough to begin searching for one. Being new at this I have some questions and concerns. I haven't ever owned a lizard before but I have been reading up on them quite a bit. I always read up on exotic animals before buying. I had a sugar glider before and that was a real handful, so a challenging animal I'm really not afraid of.
I have been told that I shouldn't own a chameleon because I was asking certain questions, but how are you supposed to learn if you don't ask? I have read through many articles and peoples different experiences. I've gained a lot of knowledge so far but would like my resources in one big forum so I don't have to go back and forth between things I have bookmarked since many of them give different advice.
I plan on building my own cage because the ones online are a bit expensive. Yes I know I said I was financially stable to own one and I am, but everyone likes to save money when they can. I figure the mesh should be pretty small so crickets can't get out and I have read that it should be plastic coated so it doesn't harm the chameleon in any way. I have also read that they need lots of airflow so all four sides will be open. The bottom will just be a piece of wood that the plant sits on so no soil falls onto my carpet.
I am refraining from ordering a chameleon online because I just find that to be kind of cruel and I want to see the product before I buy it. So I will either find one that is being sold on an online website that I can go look at or go to a pet store, not petco or petsmart, there are many pet stores in Newberg and Portland that treat their animals great. I know that chameleons shouldn't be held often because they can become very stressed and get sick or die from the stress. Many people have different views on how often to handle chameleons so I guess it's up to them and if their chameleon has a fair enough personality for it. So here are a few of the questions I have:
How often do you hold your chameleon for:
What are the two types of lights I need?: (Can I get these at a place like Walmart?)
Do they need this light on them all day and all night?:
How often should I mist and how long?:
How warm does it need to be for the chameleon?: (most likely getting a veiled)
How easy is it to keep that temperature?:
What does gutloading mean in terms of crickets?:
What is that powder they need for their bones called?:
Different ways to feed crickets to a chameleon?:
That's pretty much all the information I need for now. I know the types of plants that are safe for them and I know if I buy one I need to make sure it is cleaned before the chameleon is introduced to it. I also know if I get branches from outside I need to tear the leaves off and cook them in the oven to make sure they will be safe. Thank you for taking the time reading through this.
I have been told that I shouldn't own a chameleon because I was asking certain questions, but how are you supposed to learn if you don't ask? I have read through many articles and peoples different experiences. I've gained a lot of knowledge so far but would like my resources in one big forum so I don't have to go back and forth between things I have bookmarked since many of them give different advice.
I plan on building my own cage because the ones online are a bit expensive. Yes I know I said I was financially stable to own one and I am, but everyone likes to save money when they can. I figure the mesh should be pretty small so crickets can't get out and I have read that it should be plastic coated so it doesn't harm the chameleon in any way. I have also read that they need lots of airflow so all four sides will be open. The bottom will just be a piece of wood that the plant sits on so no soil falls onto my carpet.
I am refraining from ordering a chameleon online because I just find that to be kind of cruel and I want to see the product before I buy it. So I will either find one that is being sold on an online website that I can go look at or go to a pet store, not petco or petsmart, there are many pet stores in Newberg and Portland that treat their animals great. I know that chameleons shouldn't be held often because they can become very stressed and get sick or die from the stress. Many people have different views on how often to handle chameleons so I guess it's up to them and if their chameleon has a fair enough personality for it. So here are a few of the questions I have:
How often do you hold your chameleon for:
What are the two types of lights I need?: (Can I get these at a place like Walmart?)
Do they need this light on them all day and all night?:
How often should I mist and how long?:
How warm does it need to be for the chameleon?: (most likely getting a veiled)
How easy is it to keep that temperature?:
What does gutloading mean in terms of crickets?:
What is that powder they need for their bones called?:
Different ways to feed crickets to a chameleon?:
That's pretty much all the information I need for now. I know the types of plants that are safe for them and I know if I buy one I need to make sure it is cleaned before the chameleon is introduced to it. I also know if I get branches from outside I need to tear the leaves off and cook them in the oven to make sure they will be safe. Thank you for taking the time reading through this.
