Question on Panther Chams!!!

[CDN-Cresties]

Hi, im thinking about getting a panther chameleon but i got some quesions that i need some answers to.

1) How high should the humidity be?

2) How can I accomplish this in a 175 gallon reptarium?

3) Does anyone know a good breeder located in Canada or ships to Canada?

Thanks for the help :)


-Steve-

[Wuntu Menny]

Panthers come from a wide variety of regional habitats on madagascar. They are very adaptable to humidity levels, but if you maintain a range of 50-70%, they should do fine. Obviously you'll need to mist the cage a least twice daily as well.

I do not recommend Reptariums for any chameleon, so I won't suggest how to set it up. Thje mesh they are constructed of breaks off claws and blocks too much light.

Arboreal Exotics is a great Canadian source of pardalis from numerous locales. Connie is careful to maintain the integrity of the specific bloodlines. She operates from the TO area and usually gets to the local shows. You can also try emailing at arborealexotics@hotmail.com.

I would also suggest asking a whole bunch more questions of either the cham keepers here, or consulting a good book on the subject before diving headlong into chameleons. As far as level of care required, they have been the most demanding animals I've ever dealt with.

Good luck,

WM

[Trace]

Hi Steve! :D

Good choice! Panthers are great little chameleons. For the most part they have pretty easy going personalities and don't mind to be held. There are exceptions though... like some of my females here! LOL

1: Humidity: 50-70% is good. In the wild they can tolerate humidity levels above that, but in captivity they seem do fine at levels as low as even 40%. Anything below that and they will have shedding problems.

2: Maintaining humidity: Misting, misting, misting. Did I mention misting? LOL. Actually the prime killer of chameleons is dehydration, not the lack of humidity in a cage. I mist my Panthers twice daily for about 10 minutes at a time and I also have some homemade drippers going for extra water during the day. I have found that Panthers drink like CRAZY! That being said, you should allow the cage to dry out between mistings. In the winter months I also use foggers on my cages and I have a humidifier in the room.

3: Breeders: I know I'm going to forget some and I apologise to them... but I do like the Panthers that Arboreal Exotics breeds. She has quality animals and is usually at all of the reptile expos.

Hope this helps in some way. Good luck!

Trace

[CDN-Cresties]

Thanks for the help, i have previously kept a veild cham before, and i have read two books on the care of chams but i couldnt find any answers to these questions. Dont worry i dont dive into owning any herp without getting the knowledge, its my pet peeve when people do this. Thanks for the concern though :)

-Steve-

[meow_mix450]

Trace-
when they sell them wut are there range of age and how much do they sell them for at the show?

[Trace]

Hi Meow! :D

I've been reading your other threads in this forum (although maybe not responding to them) and I've noticed that you are doing your research and asking questions on chameleons before you go and buy one. I think that's great, as they are hard animals to care for. The more knowledge you have about them beforehand, the better off your new pet will be.

As for Panther chams at the reptile expos... there aren't many... they certainly aren't as prevelent as the Veiled Chameleons these days. Most of the Panthers I see are babies ranging from a few weeks to a few months old. Connie at Arboreal Exotics usually has a few adult Panthers at her table though. Stunning animals! Prices range from about $150.00 to $200.00.

Hope this helps!

Trace

[dank7oo]

:o Connie is the best!
here is a question for the forum :
i am purchasing a panther soon ... maroantsetra panther to be exact - he is only going to be 3 months old, and i dont know how to house him until he is large enough to move into a 100 gallon reptarium!
i dont want a whole new cage, and i hear from connie something about a rubbermaid container ... anyone wanna elaborate? lol
and what is the best way to prevent the cham from getting out of the rubbermaid container? a barred metal top? lemme know
Jason

[choriona]

I kept my hatchlings in a rubermaid container until they were 3 or 4 months old. If you use twist ties you can construct stick highways that are at a low enough level to no reach the rim of the container when standing on them. Then use one tall one in the very center as a verticle support. The very middle should be too far to reach the rims from as well. Just remember chams can stretch further than you think.....the support themselves with their tails!
Or put a screen top on the rubbermaid made out of screen and duct tape.
Another option if its too big for a rubbermaid set up, is try an old hamster cage or bird cage if you have one lying around. Usually the bars are close enough together that they cannot squeeze through them....but thats just temporary!