Why did you decide to keep a chameleon?

[SilverWolf]

I am not sure if this has ever been asked here before. Everyone here seems to have an interest in chameleons, obviously. But why do you keep and care for them? With so many people here with so many chameleons, I am interested in how you first became interested in them and the story of your first chameleon(s).

I've always been fascinated with animals and enjoyed caring for and raising several of them. I always thought chameleons were very interesting too, and when I first found out about a jackson chameleon when I was fourteen years old, I thought the three horns looked so interesting, and fascinating. I have wanted a chameleon (as well as MANY other animals lol) since I was very little(er). When I turned 18 and had started making my own money and had a bit more freedom, I realized there really wasn't anything keeping my from having one. I suppose the reason I didn't try to right away was because I didn't think my parents would let me get one and I wouldn't be able to take care of it as well as I should right now. But one night when I went to Petco with my friend to get some flightless fruit flies for the mantis nymphs I was raising (I raised mantises from eggs), one of the employees said he worked at the store for fun and not for money, and seemed kind of bored. So he offered to help us set up an enclosure for anything, tell us some better stores in his opinion and to handle some of the animals in the amphibian and reptile section. I noticed there were young veiled chameleons and I had never held a chameleon in my life before. I asked him if I could hold one, and holding that little chameleon for the first time was the catalyst in my decision to get a chameleon. I decided I would eventually, but I knew right then I could get one now and so I would. So I immediately saved money for a fund for my chameleon, the enclosure and food, and that is when I set up the enclosure and ordered my first chameleon ever. He arrived on April 8th, 2014. Today marks the 83rd day I he's been in my care.

So what is your story?

 

[Devokid]

I have always been fascinated by reptiles. I would catch the little northern sagebrush lizards that lived in the vacant lots around my neighborhood and keep them for a while. I would read as many books as I could find about lizards, specifically about chameleons. When I was 11, I was allowed (by my parents) to take one back from my grandmas house. I have been hooked ever since. There was a time when I did not have any because I was too busy traveling to take care of them, but my life has settled down somewhat and I am back in full addiction mode.

 

[Dez]

Back in 2007 I got it in my head that I wanted an unusual pet.. At the time I have 2 dogs and a cat. Nothing else.

I had narrowed my selection to either an Octopus or a Chameleon. I actually did quite a lot of research on octopi. Things I found on chameleon keeping seemed like they where hard to care for.

Then one day I saw an ad for a pair of male and female veiled chameleons for on craigslist.. they came with ONE 16x16x30 screen cage. I was still wary about taking on chameleon care so I talked my friend into buying them instead. My thought was if he could keep them alive they couldn't be too hard.

Husbandry was all wrong... cage was too small. But after about a month they seemed to be doing ok as far as i could tell so at the next repticon I got brave purchased my very own juvenile male veiled chameleon.

I named him Daigan. Dagian lived to almost 5 years old and I was very fond of him. He is what started my chameleon addiction. And also my 'mission' to educate people on proper chameleon care since I started knowing next to nothing. I have come a long way since 07 in my knowledge on chameleons and still learning everyday.

 

[Redeye84]

First. Off. I. Have. Had. Bearded dragons. And. I. Also. Had. A gecko
Honestly I. Love. Reptiles. And. Love. To learn. New things. Everyday. With them and. Also I'm. The black sheep in my. Family. No one. Bothers. With. Me. So. My. Reptiles are. My. Family. And. I love. Everyone of. Them. Thay. All have different traits I like My. Bearded dragons. Act. Different. Some of them. Are. Mad for some reason
And. At. The. End. Of. Each. Day thay. All know I love them

 

[Devokid]

^^ Wow, I don't know what happened but all those periods make it incredibly hard to read. Much harder than those miss-spelled paragraphs. Just an interesting observation.

 

[junglefries]

mensies

^^ Wow, I don't know what happened but all those periods make it incredibly hard to read. Much harder than those miss-spelled paragraphs. Just an interesting observation.

It may be a medical condition called 'mensies'. They occur during that time.

 

[Kiwiflage]

Ever since I was a boy I've kept reptiles. I used to love goin to the pet store and watching the baby chameleons crawl around with their crazy eyes. I never got a chameleon because I knew they were hard work and I had my hands full with snakes. Finally one day, my girlfriend was obsessed with getting an animal together(she wanted a ferret) and I told her only if we get a chameleon. From then on, I have become obsessed with research, collecting different chameleons, trying to perfect my husbandry in every way. Little did either of us know that our little "pet" would turn into such a passion!

 

[BKFritz]

^^ Wow, I don't know what happened but all those periods make it incredibly hard to read. Much harder than those miss-spelled paragraphs. Just an interesting observation.

Did you pause after each period, like it was an actual sentence? I did. I tried not to but my brain said I had no choice.

Maybe they have key board issues. Mine would do that every so often when my top case was going out.

 

[Devokid]

It may be a medical condition called 'mensies'. They occur during that time.

Haha, I did not consider that.

Did you pause after each period, like it was an actual sentence? I did. I tried not to but my brain said I had no choice.

Maybe they have key board issues. Mine would do that every so often when my top case was going out.

Yeah, and I have a really hard time putting the words together for some reason. It is really strange and requires a tremendous amount of focus.

 

[Psychobunny]

Hmmm, well, I had a male jax and a flapneck way back in the late 1970's, before the internet, no books or care sheets, had to figure it out myself.
I called zoos all over the US and was told no one can keep them alive in captivity. That's why no zoos have any!!

It wasent until I saw pics of panther chams, with their vibrent colors, did I get interested again. And by then, there were all sorts of care sheets and people who had experience not only keeping them alive, but also breeding them, unheard of back in the 70's!!

I got a veiled cham from FL Chams, my first cham since the old days.
Something unexpected happened, I loved the little guy!! he had such personality and habits/manner, I would not expect from a reptile.
In fact, I am not a reptile person at all, but this guy didnt act like a typical reptile, he was more like a cross between a cat, and a monkey!!

My second cham was another male jax, only this time, I knew how to care for him properly.
Then, I found this forum, completly by accedent!!
And the rest is history, as they say

 

[Rodcham]

As a kid I remember finding a whole lot of hatchling Flap necks on a lemon tree in our garden, must've been around 8 years old or so.
Needless to say that didn't work out too well. we used to find Flap necks regularly in the garden and always was intrigued by chams. My son then decided last year he wanted a cham and Dad became responsible for the research and the procurement so instead of getting one on the side of the road from a hawker or from one of the many pet shops that stocked them I found a breeder with captive bred chams and have been in love with them since we got them.
Needless to say the cost/ budget was exceeded at a rate we were not expecting but spoilt they will remain. you just cannot attach a value to them, as with all kids and pets you just love them unconditionally and try and give the best you can

 

[jannb]

I laid eyes on my first chameleon in the summer of 2004 when my daughter came home from college for the summer with one. At first I thought what does she want with that thing? Then I quickly fell in love with her. By the next summer she came home with several Chameleons and the summer after so many they wouldn’t all fit in the house. My daughter has always traveled allot and I was always the cham-sitter. She had mostly panthers and Melleri. I just adored these little animals and loved everyone of them. I didn't get my very own chameleon until 2007 when my husband surprised me with Luie. I got Camille a year later in 2008. Camille laid a fertile clutches of eggs in 2009 and I raised a clutch of 27 babies in 2010. When Camille's 6 month retained clutch hatched I had my precious little preemie Elly. I got my first Parsonii in 2010 and then my daughter decided she no longer wanted to keep chameleons and left me with 7 panthers. I wasn't sure how I'd manage with so many chameleons since I only free range but somehow I did. I only have one of the panthers left, Hendershot but I'll never regret taking them all in and even thought it was allot of hard work, I enjoyed every minute of it.

 

[Cait0420]

I got my first Cham about 9years ago, a female veild. I fell in love with her as soon as I laid eyes on her. After a little while I got a male and when I tried to breed but he bit her in the tummy. I felt so bad but she recovered. I then had to adopt them out because her first clutch almost killed her, and I was going through some serious health issues, and couldn't care for them properly. since then I've raised all sorts of reptiles, but always wanted another Cham so I got my two trioceros sternfeldi a few months back and absoloutely adore them! I named the male Mal and the female Zenia. I will also be picking up two baby females from Christine on Saturday who I will name Valkyrie and Shiva, "creator and destroyer"

 

[JosieJobo]

saved my life!

My boyfriend wanted a chameleon, we went to a shop and looked and help one. Id always liked reptiles but never alowed a snake (little sisters frightened) it was just before xmas 2013 and we decided we couldn't afford one... by march I was totally hooked on getting one have resurched from that day so we got all the stuff and went to get one. A month later we split up (after3.5 years) he could no longer deal with my depression I ws struggleing with, but since ive had Diesel my amazing panther my depression has gone! He has done wonders for me, better than drugs and counciling. In 4 months I have stared setting up my own feeder colonies, and put my all into looking sfter him, I even miss him when im not home I can't explain how much this little guy has helped me its amazing. <3

 

[SilverWolf]

My boyfriend wanted a chameleon, we went to a shop and looked and help one. Id always liked reptiles but never alowed a snake (little sisters frightened) it was just before xmas 2013 and we decided we couldn't afford one... by march I was totally hooked on getting one have resurched from that day so we got all the stuff and went to get one. A month later we split up (after3.5 years) he could no longer deal with my depression I ws struggleing with, but since ive had Diesel my amazing panther my depression has gone! He has done wonders for me, better than drugs and counciling. In 4 months I have stared setting up my own feeder colonies, and put my all into looking sfter him, I even miss him when im not home I can't explain how much this little guy has helped me its amazing. <3

Wow, that's great, congratulations! It's amazing what animals can do for society, without even trying. Or maybe on some level of consciousness, they are aware of the sort of (symbiotic) mutualism we share.

 

[Bush baby]

Back in 1999, i saw a male Jackson's in Petco. It was love at first sight.

The rest is history.

 

[hpc1979]

The chameleon chose me...lol

 

[FlChamMom]

My son got a panther cham five years ago- he was into reptiles, I did not see the appeal... Jimi the ambilobe stayed with me when my son went to college, he was beautiful, fascinating and mean as h*ll. After Jimi passed, I found I wanted another cham. I have two sweet boys now and am hooked on the hobby! It is crazy how they worm their way into your heart.

 

[Lathis]

Two years ago, I decided that I was way overdue for a little friend. My last zebra finch Hobart had passed away (he was almost 10!) a few years before, and I really needed something little to care for that didn't need a lot of emotional attention (I travel a lot for work). I wavered for almost a year on what to get: Sugar baby? Emotionally needy. Cat? Hubby's allergic. Dog? Not my thing. Hedgehog? Eh. Parrot? Too much commitment. Wallaby? Hard to house train. Duck? Not in city limits. And on and on and on... I was very blah about the whole thing, so I decided I would get a lizard.

I thought a chameleon might be cool. I did a ton of research (found this forum!) and decided that I didn't really care what type of chameleon. Honestly, I was planning to have a beautiful planted enclosure and a lizard that just sort of "lived" in it. I never expected it to have any personality or to be fun. I went on Craigslist to see if any chameleons need to be rehomed... and the moment I saw my first photo of the young adult Jackson's who became Ferdinand, I fell madly in love. He had this perfectly crabby little face! So disapproving!

Since then, I have really come to appreciate Ferdie and how unique of a creature he is.

Would I get another chameleon? Absolutely. But I don't know if I could ever have another Jacksons if I lost Ferdie. He is just so special to me.

 

[Yowzercham]

I have always loved critters. I saw a Cham for sale and fell for him. Then I started learning every thing I could. Then I saw colors glorious colors. Now this old lady has four chams, thirty dogs four cats six horses I carry my babies out to the sun each morn and talk to them. My husband and kids say " Mother no more animals!" Just like my mother said to me,.