Who cares for your chams on vacation?

[HeatherJU]

hello, I just joined the forum today.

I bought two chameleons a couple months ago, a male and female. They are about 5.5 months old, and frankly a lot more work than I realized. My family is supposed to be leaving on vacation in a couple weeks for a week and a half. I've only ever left them for a couple days with someone to care for them.

What do you do with your chameleons when you go on vacation?

The male, Revvit, lives in a Cham cage and isn't very nice.
The female lives in my windowsill amongst a lbunch of plants and is super friendly.

 

[absolutbill]

I have a pet sitter who I have trained to care for my pets. Also, she has the name and number of a trusted cham-mom friend who she can call for help or advice when I'm out of the country and unreachable. I write out a detailed schedule for her, and lay out everything she will need.

 

[zordtaz]

There is a local exotic vet that can board all the reptile and bird around my area. You might want t you call your exotic vet to ask for this

 

[nightanole]

Meh i just throw a tub with a lot of crickets an cricket veggies in the bottom of the cage. I fill up the misters. Then i have the neighbor check on them every few days just to make sure they are alive and nothing is broke.

Pretty sure the adults could go a week or 2 with out food, and just a timer for mistings and lights. Back in the old days my veileds only got fed once a week along with all the other cold blooded family members. Even today my adults just want an adult dubia every couple of days.

 

[MSMorgan]

Just got back from vacation. Broke down the set up and hauled it to a friends house along with Lucky in his "travel case." Left instructions for my buddy as to his feeding schedule and all worked out fine. Plus, I was able to deep clean his enclosure a little early and replaced the dilapidated schefflera with a fresh one. Took a bit to break down and set up, but was worth it to have someone "Lucky-sit."

 

[jannb]

I have either a petsitter, my daughter or a dear friend with tons of chameleon experience come to my house to keep my guys.

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

What on earth is vacation?

 

[opheliaeatsbugs]

I also "trained" a friend and left detailed instructions with pictures and videos. She came every day. But now that Ophelia is almost a year and we've passed her first successful lay, I'm much more relaxed. Her lights and mister are on a timer and it makes her very low-maintenance. She's fine eating 1-2x a week (small amounts) and would survive a week without food. I have someone pop in once or twice and weve had no problems.

 

[Remkon]

Got my uncle or mother to refill the watertank and empty the drainagebin.
If I go for a week Ill just leave em with a full feedercup and go. If I go longer I will prepare some portions so the caretaker can just take off the lid and empty those in the cage.

 

[Chamfam89]

We actually have a friend that is a vet assistant that will be watching our Cham when we go on vacation for a week. Thankfully.

 

[opheliaeatsbugs]

We actually have a friend that is a vet assistant that will be watching our Cham when we go on vacation for a week. Thankfully.

Nice!!

 

[Chamfam89]

Nice!!

She shares the same love for reptiles as well! We are very lucky to have her.

 

[HeatherJU]

Thanks for the helpful replies!

I think my problem is I've been trying to care for them without breaking the bank so I haven't invested in a mister, but I do spray them three times a day and have a humidifier for each of them as well as a drip container. That is where most of my energy is spent so I am concerned that a house sitter won't want to put as much effort as these little guys deserve. I may have to sell one of them.

 

[HeatherJU]

I have either a petsitter, my daughter or a dear friend with tons of chameleon experience come to my house to keep my guys.

Oh how I wish I had people like that! I don't know anyone in my area who has a chameleon.

 

[Decadancin]

Thanks for the helpful replies!

I think my problem is I've been trying to care for them without breaking the bank so I haven't invested in a mister, but I do spray them three times a day and have a humidifier for each of them as well as a drip container. That is where most of my energy is spent so I am concerned that a house sitter won't want to put as much effort as these little guys deserve. I may have to sell one of them.

If the money for a misting system is an issue, you may want to consider starting a medical fund, or perhaps pet insurance for the unfortunate possibilities of needed vet care.

 

[jamest0o0]

Apparently god, because asking my dad to check up on my house/animals didn't do much....

 

[opheliaeatsbugs]

If the money for a misting system is an issue, you may want to consider starting a medical fund, or perhaps pet insurance for the unfortunate possibilities of needed vet care.

That was a very gentle way of putting that. I have always wondered how many people have a savings for their pets.