Chameleon

[parabuthus]

I just got myself a Chameleon, the petshop had it labelled as Yemen Chameleon. I am thinking that it is Chamaeleo calyptratus, and male (spurs), about 5 or 6 months old I'd guess.

Technically this is my first lizard, although I've helped my bro take care of his water dragons, leopard geckos, palm gecko & sand agamas in the past.

Personally I keep scorps, and on purchasing a H. spadix this little guy got my attention and I couldn't help myself, he is so friggin' awesome! So I have the lizard, but I need to get a permanent enclosure set up. Right now he is very small, but with research I know that they grow very quickly (although I am not 100% sure how big this particular species gets, I am assuming relatively large), so the large faunarium he is in won't do for long, nor was it ever the plan to keep him there. It is just temporary until I get a proper enclosure for him.

I've read that many keepers custom build their own enclosures for their chameleons. Mesh frames with plant pots inside for example. I was wondering if anybody on these forums, first of all, keeps chameleons and secondly if you have any examples of your set-ups. I have a heat lamp and also a UV tube, although I can't mount the UV tube right now, so I need to act pretty fast so it can get it's rays...

I have "The Chameleon Handbook", which has alot of useful information, but I'd like to hear first hand from any keepers, especially if you have this particular species. I am guessing that ample floor space, but with a little more height than usual would suit this species.

thanks for reading!
Parabuthus, returning from the darkside!

 

[prankster705]

I dont keep any lizards yet, but I've reserched chameleons some time and the encolsure should be 2'X2'X4' (long,wide,high) for a male (minimum). Get the UV light as soon as possible as they really need it.Here's a good site about chameleons:
http://www.animalarkshelter.org/cin/

 

[parabuthus]

i got the UV light up and running about two hours ago, along with the heat lamp. got the humidity between 60 and 70, temp is about 28 celcius. he has been feeding well today (awesome to watch!). thanks for the response, i'll check that site out. i am going to either nip out today and scout out a suitable enclosure or do it next week sometime.

he is very docile at present, doesn't mind getting handled at all i.e. doesn't hiss or change colour. he just goes walkabout on me. however, i put my tweezers into the enclosure to grab a hopper he hadn't eaten -just to save me taking the entire lid off- and he got real mad. started hissing, went dark in color. don't mess!!! hehe...

 

[IguanaMama]

Hi, I really like chameleons, I have two--a Jacksons and a Panther. I just wanted to note that with chameleons, it's not one size fits all. You really have to research the requirements for your specific species. Which is why I'm really not going to offer any further advice (I never heard of your species), except maybe that calcium and vitamin supplimentation is really important too. You need to dust the crickets and mealies or whatever you are feeding it. I feed my guys small meals throughout the day to make sure they are getting their vitamins and calcium, and the powder isn't flaking off. (I actually hand feed mine, they are tame.)

Oh, and if it is a humidity loving species, plants help keep the humidity up, but be careful about were you get them. They have to be washed really well if you get them at the garden shop, because they sometimes spray and they should be repotted with fertilizer free soil. Phylodendron make EXCELLENT chameleon plants.

 

[parabuthus]

hi there,

thanks for the response. i am researching like crazy right now. i already have vitamin supplements and have been dusting the feeders before i introduce them to the set-up. i am feeding it black crickets and hoppers currently, which it seems to love and can catch easily enough.

i think i am going to get an exo-terra flexarium for an enclosure, with more height than floor space. i also have a good book about chameleons which i purchased when i got the lizard. so i am wading through that currently...

thanks again for your help. the species which i have is apparently very common in the pet trade, and is an easier species to care for in terms of chameleons. meaning that it still requires alot of attention, but it's husbandry is not as difficult as many of it's cousins.

fascinating little guy, i am stoked with him!

 

[IguanaMama]

My curiousity is aroused, I'm going to google your species. I have a feeling you're not in the US, correct? Common maybe, but not where I'm from LOL.

 

[IguanaMama]

Oh!!! HAHA!!! I just got back from Google, you have yourself a Veiled Chameleon! Yes, a very nice chameleon! We just call it by a different name in these parts! Good luck with it!

 

[parabuthus]

i've ordered a bigger enclosure, exo terra flexarium. however, i'll need to get a bigger one still as he continues to grow. i'll play it by year. no point in sticking him in a massive enclosure when he is still small or medium sized. i've read that they can attain a length of 2ft, is this true? how much of that size is tail, do you know?

 

[Marcelo]

Here Is An Enclosure

Years ago I used to breed and raise veiled chamaleons and panters, I saled many of them because of lack of space, I just kept 3 chams.

Here are some pics of the enclosure, I made the enclosure with oak and vivarium mesh 5 years ago, they have plenty of fowing air, and I added natural ficus plants to keep the right humidity they need. they are about 1.80mts x 2mts x 1.40mts, they seem to be happy.

I posted a basic care for chams while ago, just search in this forum.
Do not hesitate to contact me if you need more info.

hope this helps

 

[Marcelo]

I gather you some info I have post for you

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=43908&highlight=chameleon
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=52247&highlight=chameleon

hope this helps

 

[parabuthus]

Awesome Marcelo!
Many thanks for your responses. If I need any advice I'll definitely get in touch with you. Thanks.

 

[parabuthus]

I pointed the camera at him to take a picture and he puffed up and changed color -radically. Obviously doesn't like have strange objects pointed at him... hehe...

 

[Marcelo]

My cham Rommel hates to be picture,

When he does that is becuse hes angry or stressed, be careful they die easily for stress, try not to handle him, eventually if you start hand feeding him, he will see you as a friend not predator. dont touch him unless he wanted to climb your arm or something.

My fem cham "Britney" used to step on my arm while eating. I mssed her so much she had 73 little chams in two clutches.

good luck again with your cham

 

[parabuthus]

yeah, he climbs onto my hand when I open the enclosure. at this point i think it is because he wants to get to a higher spot for safety. however, he seems used to being handled, he doesn't change color or display. he just walks onto my other hand and goes walkabout. i should say that when i handle him (once a day) i am extremely gentle, hardly hold him at all, more i let him grab onto me instead.

so far i think it is going well, because if he wants to get angry or stressed he will get angry or stressed! i saw that happen when i tried to remove an uneaten feeder -which was climbing all over him and annoying him- from his enclosure. he went very dark, puffed up and started hissing loudly. so he doesn't percieve my hands as a threat and i want to keep it this way, especially if he makes it to 2 feet in size!!!!! so i think, as long as he doesn't appear stressed or angry, that i will continue to handle him -carefully- once a day as he matures. ofcourse, his nature could change as he matures... i am half expecting that.

thanks for your help.

 

[parabuthus]

Got his flexarium set-up today...

I have a species of Pothos plant inside and some drift wood. I twix-stixd the UV to the top of the enclosure and simply placed the heat lamp on top. Going to keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't get too hot and burn the enclosure...

 

[Galapoheros]

I bought one for a nephew once for Christmas. But I kept it for about two months. I bought a little book at the pet store about care. Atificial lights may be enough but it's hard to beat real sunlight IMO. Some info in the book said it's good for them to get some real sun every once in a while, I've been thinking about getting a Veiled myself. I dug up a couple of Japanese Ligustrum trees out of my front yard and put them in pots. They are about 3 to 4 feet high. It seems like they would be great for a chameleon to walk around on outside, or inside. Create some good shade too so they can regulate sun exposure. I'm afraid of forgetting to bring them back in though! You would have to keep an eye on them if you did that and watch out for cats while they are outside! And there might be some kind of barrier you could get at a hardware store to put around the base, in a circle, in case it climbed down off the tree, something it couldn't climb like plastic or sheetmetal/flashing. I saw one that didn't get enough of the right kind of light exposure. It's veil was flopped over to one side and had weak bones. Just some ideas I've had in my head.

 

[parabuthus]

Thing is, I live in Scotland. My cham would not appreciate being outside for most of the year!

In the height of Summer, I'll take him out the back (in his enclosure), supervised ofcourse.

I have a friend custom building me an enclosure that I've designed. He works for a company that builds tanks/enclosures, so it should be quite something.

Thanks for the response btw.

 

[Galapoheros]

Scotland! That's where I'm supposed to be. I fry out in the sun. I ended up in Texas! Yea, a custom made enclosure would be nice. I thought about modifying a big bird cage/aviary but, man!, those are high $ to begin with! Better to build it yourself somehow, like your doing I would think. I think I read they live about 5 to 7 years? And I could be wrong about this but it seems like I read that it's possible for breeding to occur in less than a year(?). Did my brain just make that up, or am I remembering that right?

 

[parabuthus]

actually, i was in texas earlier this year and last year as well. i have some good friends out there. i love texas!!!

and yeah, i was told that their lifespan is pretty short, that is why they grow so damn fast and are mature in 6 MONTHS. which is quick for a lizard i think... although i am no expert.

i took some pics of him, i'll post them up soon.

 

[Marcelo]

Man

Nice enclousure!!!!

For what I see, I think the lamp is a bit close, you might put a termometer under the lamp to check the right temperature, if it is hot above 35 degrees celcious put the lamp higher, even if your cham is close to it it does not mean it is right. Check always the humidity, try to spray your plants twice week.

As for the plants, I litelally wash my plants in the shower with hot water during 15 mins, then change the peatmoss with a new one. manyh of the plants we bought have fertilizers that might affect your chams because they are ovnivoros, they eat plants and fruits, too. My chams love grapes and cantaloupes.

Can you post a pic of your Cham

Again, good luck!!!