What was your biggest mistake as a beginner?

[ChrisnLisa]

Definitely over supplementation. Also buying from and listening to the "advice" of ignorant pet shop owners/employees.

What didn't we do wrong at first. Just be thankful you found this site before you decided to purchase

 

[AFH]

I now find that each Cham truly requires an individual adjustment to its supplements from time to time.

Exactly!

Plus, my first two chams were Jackson's from a pet store that didn't know anything and so I didn't know anything and hundreds of dollars later and at least of six weeks of batryl injections (at least I learned how to do that!) they died anyway. Oh, and the female was gravid so I also got to watch a group of neonates die, too, because I didn't know anything.

After that, I found a real breeder that provided (cue the triumphant music) CARE SHEETS! Then I realized what an chameleon idiot I was, but everything is MUCH BETTER NOW. (though I am still constantly learning)

Oh, and now I'm so freaking addicted that I built a whole building in my backyard to house my chameleon buddies that for some reason still hate me!

 

[OldChamKeeper]

Nutrition, easily.

 

[stevereecy]

Or if you did it perfectly, what did you wish someone told you?

I'm thinking of buying a juvie veiled for myself as a birthday present. I've read all of the caresheets that are commonly linked on the forums and most of the threads (up to around p25 or so), but I'd like to hear about people's errors and such. Thanks for your time.

I wish I hadn't bought so many wild caught animals. They were plentiful back then, but they were almost always a waste of money in the long run and almost discouraged me enough to get out of the hobby.

 

[Dankmeleon]

one of my biggest problems as a beginner was hydration for a couple reasons.

1. I didn't understand they didn't drink quickly, you need to mist them for a while sometimes before they even start licking water off the leaves, veileds aren't as bad as some other species

2. I didn't want to get my house all wet, until i had a breakthrough in designing a well drained area, I put my chameleons second because i was afraid to get my home all wet

so def get yourself situated and make sure you can catch all the water it takes to give these guys a good home

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

one of my biggest problems as a beginner was hydration for a couple reasons.

1. I didn't understand they didn't drink quickly, you need to mist them for a while sometimes before they even start licking water off the leaves, veileds aren't as bad as some other species

2. I didn't want to get my house all wet, until i had a breakthrough in designing a well drained area, I put my chameleons second because i was afraid to get my home all wet

so def get yourself situated and make sure you can catch all the water it takes to give these guys a good home

Yes, that's another good one that we see so often on this forum. And you described the reasons very well. We used a Habba Mister on Guido, our first cham. What a useless noisy waste.

 

[newyorkbreed]

Definitely over supplementation. Also buying from and listening to the "advice" of ignorant pet shop owners/employees.

What didn't we do wrong at first. Just be thankful you found this site before you decided to purchase

What ChrisnLisa said

 

[raptorslovepuns]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate hearing everyone's stories. I'm definitely doing a lot more research on supplementation because of this thread.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I think the biggest mistake you could make is to think you have it all figured out and you are no longer a beginner.
I am years and years away from that.

-Brad

 

[Eric Adrignola]

I wanted a chameleon. I was around 1. I did all the research I could - went to all the pet stores, libraries, etc. I found nothing but TFH junk (you know it's bad when the author decided that the book should be about chameleons AND anoles).

A friend of my uncle dabbled in the exotic industry, and was going to get us a chameleon at wholesale cost. That didn't work out. Eventually, for my birthday, I got one from Robin pet shop in Hackensack, NJ (yeah, the place with the pig - if you've been there, you know)

A Fischer's chameleon. He was great - he ate in front of us at the store - and died the next day.

I was JUST finishing his wooden enclosure - a 5' tall, 3' wide, 18" deep planted cage - when my sister ran downstairs and said he was dead.

I was wrecked. Being a shy, semi-antisocial kid, I didnt' have many friends, and my animals were a big part of my life.

My father called every exotic pet store in th earea, and found NY reptilia, in Queens. they had a pair of veiled chameleons. My father bought them ($600 a PAIR) for us.

I later was able to figure a lot of stuff out about them, and when I hooked up with people via prodigy, I found out a lot more.

But the stupidest thing I did was over water the eggs from that female. She was the most beautiful female veiled ever, 16" long, WC, and laid two clutches of eggs - 67 and 65. The eggs went near full term, but they all drown, as I had kept them too moist.

I didnt' know.

You see, at that time, 2 week old veileds were going for $125 each.

That's over $15,000.00
I was 14

Yeah.

 

[bluegeorge]

Over supplementation.....the crix were like ghosts they were that white.

I am still learning, just keep reading and asking questions here

oh....and trying to balance the attention between the cham and of a jealous husband

 

[Sara270]

Having a make shift bottom to our cage and our little Houdini escaped while we were at work...but the story ended well with finding him scaled down a wall and falling asleep at sunset in a bush outside.

 

[arkist]

Justo be clear, When you guys say oversuplimenting your just refering to D3 calcium and multivitamens right?

Not regular no phosphorus no D3 calcium correct?

 

[AFH]

Yes, mostly too much vitamins like d and a. Though you don't want to over calcium dust either. If their nose gets crusties, it's too much.

 

[summoner12]

Zoomed 10.0 compact lamp.
Heat coil.
Unknown UVB lamp.

Read this site to gain a good perspective on the lighting needs for your reptiles.

Does anyone have Marty McFly's phone number? I need to barrow is time machine

Here is my setup now. You can see the lighting is much more simple.