Why do you keep chams?

[Baksmurf]

I am curious what everyone's attraction is to keeping chameleons. There are so many reasons why we are attracted to them but I am curious what brought you to them or them to you? As we all know they are hard to keep and can be very finicky.

I am a new Cham owner. I've had my boy for almost a month and I feel like I have become a servant to him. And I love it. I feel like it a two step forward one step back adventure when is come to him getting comfortable with me and I am totally fine with that.

So I am just curious what your attraction is to owning them? Is it their behavior, breeding or owning a certain locale, achieving a certain color pattern, the challenge of keeping them healthy and happy in your home, studying and learning from the more rarer chameleons that you keep...

 

[bluechameleon]

I got mine because I loved the look of them and the fact they are a little different to other lizards, and I was right, chameleons to me are one of the best reptiles to keep, I love them!! They gave such character!!!

 

[fleetwoodchams]

I have had other reptiles and still do have my Grandis Gecko, but chams are not only really beautiful, they are unique in other ways.
I think they are smarter than others they recognize their keeper and mine actually look to be held. They like to be with me. This in itself is different..
Yes, they come in cool colors that is the obvious, but when it comes to a reptile that you can actually consider a pet like say a dog or cat. They are at the top of my list.


Tiamat my 11 month old Nosy Be

 

[Denverbug]

I was never a big fan of lizards or any reptiles. Then I saw a little tiny veiled and thought it was the coolest looking thing I'd ever seen. I love how they look but I also like that they are slow movers. One reason I didn't care for reptiles is because how fast and skittish they are. The slow movement makes me feel more comfortable with him. Even though he is still a giant a$$ who hisses and gapes at me when I get near him.

 

[Psychobunny]

I'm not really a reptile person at all, geckos are boring, and I hate snakes.'Chams are different, they act much different from other reptiles.
Maybe it has something to do with being arborial, but they are more like a cross between a monkey and a cat, with a little reptile behaviour thrown in

I dont even think of my guyz as 'reptiles', more like spunky little monkies

They have personality, they are clever and curious, and they are beautiful.

What's NOT to like??

 

[fleetwoodchams]

Yeah I love my Gecko Had him many many years. However I must admit that my chams are much more active. My Grandis is king of stealth huntung. He will lay on a leaf and mimic it waiting for a cricket to move for a hour before pouncing. He WILL win the stare contest. Trust me.

 

[Olimpia]

I started with geckos but I grew to find them boring to take care of, there really wasn't a lot of "hobby" there. But I started with a WC Jackson's and I was hooked, they were so much more involved and so much more up my alley that they keep me interested. I don't feel like a slave because I have as much automated as possible (For example, I've been really sick the last 2-3 weeks so I've gone over to see them a couple times a week just to feed them and fill up the water reservoir), but if I didn't they would definitely be much more demanding daily. But I enjoy tinkering with their environments, tinkering with their lighting or their supplementing, etc.

For me, chameleons combine a few different interests/hobbies into one - I get to put into practice what I know about physiology from my background in biology, it serves as an outlet for my love of writing through the blog, I get to bring in my love of tropical plants/environments, and I get to play with some degree of design when it comes to building or decorating cages. I don't find them to be a hard pet, but I get to be really involved in different ways so that works for me.

So while I do have a community tank of AFT geckos, they're sort of my "just for fun" pets! The chameleons are the only reptile that really keep me interested long-term.

 

[little leaf]

I have loved them from childhood- I started with anoles, kept many, bred them, and still have Blue anoles, but the cham was like the unicorn of lizards to me- the way they move, their eyes-so crazy ! and those cute feet and toes I waited 17 yrs to get my first cham ( that was to long !! ) but I was at first so scared I could not keep one healthy - but now I have many- mostly rescue, so they all have special needs, but I love each one, and yes - I am their slave - and love it but the one thing that I also have really enjoyed is the bug keeping - I even find myself watching my roaches eat, and move about - I now have Ghost mantis as pets - and reg/ - I NEVER thought I would enjoy the bugs that go with keeping chams , I now keep 14 types of feeder bugs and snails

 

[zsazsa85]

I have loved them from childhood- I started with anoles, kept many, bred them, and still have Blue anoles, but the cham was like the unicorn of lizards to me- the way they move, their eyes-so crazy ! and those cute feet and toes I waited 17 yrs to get my first cham ( that was to long !! ) but I was at first so scared I could not keep one healthy - but now I have many- mostly rescue, so they all have special needs, but I love each one, and yes - I am their slave - and love it but the one thing that I also have really enjoyed is the bug keeping - I even find myself watching my roaches eat, and move about - I now have Ghost mantis as pets - and reg/ - I NEVER thought I would enjoy the bugs that go with keeping chams , I now keep 14 types of feeder bugs and snails

That's wonderful! And funny I like your pic!

In my case, I fell in love with their eyes first. How beautiful eyes they have and I don't mean the moving everywhere part (that's cool too of course), but the way they look.They are like human eyes or dogs...Wonderful!
The animal itself? Respectful and fabulous!

 

[werecat]

When I was a 17, I loved going to pet stores because I was a huge animal lover. My first chameleon encounter was quite a rare event (I know now), but one shop had and adult male Jackson's in a small bird cage (at least they had the ventilation part down) on the counter. This chameleon slowly ambled up to me and reached through the bars of the cage with his cute little hands and reached out to me. I thought it was coincidence so I walked to the other side of the cage. He turned around and followed me to the other side and reached his hand through again. I went back and forth to each side of the cage. He kept following me and reaching out to me. I put my pinky up to his hand and he grabbed it and held it. He had my heart! I am not sure why I didn't take him home that day, but I think it was a mix of the fact that he was expensive (to 17 yr old me), the shop keeper said chameleons were difficult to care for, and I wasn't ready to feed live bugs. I regret it to this day because even though I didn't know much about chams, I'm sure I would have given him a better home than that tiny bird cage!

I love chams for all their cool features and that they are for the most part docile. Growing up I had an iguana and a Tokay gecko and both were so mean and nasty I had to part with them. I think they put me off reptiles for a long time.

Last year my husband and I were killing time waiting for my car to be serviced. We popped into a pet store and saw a baby veiled. It re-kindled my interest and brought me here to the forums. We decided a cham was the perfect pet for us and we have not been disappointed (although, I must say, our panther does not have the personality that little Jackson did)! I marvel at what cool animals chameleons are!

 

[ir0k]

I'm not really a reptile person at all, geckos are boring, and I hate snakes.'Chams are different, they act much different from other reptiles.
Maybe it has something to do with being arborial, but they are more like a cross between a monkey and a cat, with a little reptile behaviour thrown in

I dont even think of my guyz as 'reptiles', more like spunky little monkies

They have personality, they are clever and curious, and they are beautiful.

What's NOT to like??

I agree. A+

im not into any other reptiles at all, not snakes or geckos or iguanas...
Really, I don't even see my owning of chameleons a hobby. Its my "pet" that I keep and owning an animal is a responsibility that I am well aware of as far as upkeep. my dog isn't a hobby, she's a pet. I know there is a difference between dogs and chameleons don't get me wrong, I don't hold and pet my chameleons.

but to the OP, I agree with a lot of everyone as they are just fascinating creatures. They seem vary calculating in their actions and movements. Im not very calculating at all (more spontaneous) which is why maybe they appeal more to me then any other animal.

 

[Psychobunny]

I remember seeing a jax in a pet store when I was in my early 20's and being scared off from buying because 'they are very hard to care for and keep alive, and are for experienced herpers with a wall full of college degrees and tons of money'

 

[dnallivah]

I've never had reptiles, but always wanted one. I intended on getting a bearded dragon or leopard gecko because the boys wanted a new pet and I can't take on another dog (rental agreement and such).

My friend has a male panther chameleon and I totally fell in love with his little mitts. That's right - beyond the amazing colors of a Noki boy I was obsessed with his little hands. I couldn't get enough and started considering the idea when I saw that Sang was offering a discount on the girls. I couldn't resist and got everything set up asap. I already want more, but at the same time I want to make sure that my little girl is comfortable and that I can keep her happy before getting another.

 

[mowryrd]

I had a few different reptiles as a kid with little succuss (the internet has made things soooo much easier lol) got back into them when I moved out of my parents house. I started out with a leapord gecko, the next year I got 2 flying geckos the year after that a redtail boa. Next I wanted some sort of monitor lizard but my wife said no : ( . She came to a reptile show with me and fell in love with a baby panther. I couldn't get it at the time but the thought was planted in my mind and the research started lol. After about a year and unfortunately the death of my remaining flying gecko ( R.I.P) I was ready. A fresh batch of baby veileds showed up at the local pet store and I snatched one up before their sub-standered care could have I'll effects on him and the rest is history lol. Compared to every thing else I owned chameleons are very cool, never had the boa run over to his door when he sees me looking to get out. On second thought that might be kind of scary lol.