alot of ??? about a cham.

[orky4969]

i'm thinking about buying a cham. but would first like to know a few things about them.
1. on a level of 1-10 *10 being hardest* how hard are they to take care of.
2. what are it's daily requirements
3. what is it's enclosure requirements *ex: 20 gal tank?*
4. what should be in it's vivarium.
5. how tempermental are they
6. how much $$ can i expect to pay for one of these
7. are they at all agressive
8. what does it's diet consist of, and how often
9. screen or glass enclosure
10. temperature, and suggested source of heat in it's vivarium
11. any suggestions on where to get one.
12. how big do they get.
13. how much time do they require ea. day, and to do what?
14. how often should a shower be given, and when you say shower do u mean put in bathtub, turn shower on, make sure he is out of the showers stream, put a plant half in the shower's jet streem, and half in the mist and let him decide where he wants to go. or what. *in otherwards how is a shower given*
15. do they climb glass, or just trees..
and
16. any other suggestions or comments


please answer as many of these as possible.
THANKS TO ALL!

[CDN-Cresties]

Sounds like you want someone to type you a caresheet. Read a couple online caresheets and then come back with more specific questions. :)

[HeatherRose]

Steve is right, that'd be like us doing your research for you...check these out:

Panther Chameleon: http://www.herpindex.com/center/cpcare.html

Veiled Chameleon: http://www.exoticlizards.com/veiled-chameleon-care-sheets.html

Jacksons Chameleon: http://www.bright.net/~a1rep/a1jackcare.html


There are questions caresheets won't answer:

3. what is it's enclosure requirements *ex: 20 gal tank?*

-Don't keep a chameleon in a tank...you need a screen/mesh enclosure with tons of airflow.

5. how tempermental are they

-It all depends on the individual chameleon itself, although in general they are not handleable.

14. how often should a shower be given, and when you say shower do u mean put in bathtub, turn shower on, make sure he is out of the showers stream, put a plant half in the shower's jet streem, and half in the mist and let him decide where he wants to go. or what. *in otherwards how is a shower given*

-I put a potted tree/plant in the shower and turn on the water. My chameleon climbs around on that drinking the water from the shower as it drips down. Once a week, 20-40 minutes for mine.

15. do they climb glass, or just trees..

-They don't climb glass, but once again putting them in a tank is not really an option.

Be advised chameleons require a LOT of patience and care. Be sure to get all your information before buying them! :D

[peterm15]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE reasearch a ton before you buy....

when it somes to an enclosure i persomally have mine in a 150 gal homemade screen enclosure... i can put him in about a 225 but i use the other section for a shelf and my leos...

be paitent..... it may take a wile... ( it took me 6 mnths to construct my cage with all the fixins and im still not completely done...) but in the end it is worth it.. if you want something handleable you might want to check out other options.... mine isnt but i know ppl who have them that love to be held.... one sits on the shoulder as much as possible....

[peterm15]

oh ya and it will be an expence to set up... all together i spent prob close to 7 or 800 bucks if not more just for the setup... and still adding( diferent lights ect. ect) and keep in mind i made my enclosure..... to me it was all worth it...

the up side with the enclosure is that it needs more hight than floor space... so it doesnt take up a ton of room... well mine does but thats just me... lol

[Collide]

1. I would say 9-10 if u were to put lizzards on a scale
2. feeding, misting, ceaning, ...
3. depends on species but generally a screened enclosure that is bigger then a 50 gal tank in most cases.
4. sticks plants ...
5. depends on species some are extremmly agressice like a veild and some ore not.
6. http://www.chameleonnews.com/year2003/july2003/costs/costs.html

7. no but chams are not good to handle offen anyway.
8. crix, silks, ,meal worms, lots of incects soem species will also eat some vegges.
9. screen
10. heat lamp and UV bulb on top
11. breeder
12. depends on species
13. refer to #2
14. showers are recomended for chams that dont get enough humidity on a daily basis or are sick or old, generally a healthy well misted cham dont need a regular shower,but is is usually a benifishal thing to do, it is good to shower a new arrival. by putting it on a plant in the shower and spraying half the plant with the luke warm water, some chams love reguarlay showers soem get mega stressed out.
15. they cant climb glass

16. read read read.. check out some of the links in my sig.

[HeatherRose]

You CAN make a custom enclosure. Or just buy a big mesh one. I bought mine from JD Terrariums and with lights and stuff (I used a potted tree from home) it probably only cost 200$.

[peterm15]

heather...

how big is it...

[Matt_K]

Originally posted by peterm15
oh ya and it will be an expence to set up... all together i spent prob close to 7 or 800 bucks if not more just for the setup...

You wouldn't happen to have any pictures of your set up, would you??? I'd love to see it, as im sure the others would as well..

-Matt

[bistrobob85]

Yeah, i'm actually using a cage from JD_terrariums to keep our chams at my job... Very nice and practical cages and the baby ETB he sold me is just wonderful :)!!! Thanks John!

phil.

[HeatherRose]

how big is it...

Big enough...:D...I don't have a gallons measurement for you...

It's a few inches taller than me, and I'm 5'6. It's probably something like 4 1/2 feet around. It's cylindrical, came with a build in light fixture.

[peterm15]

thats cool.....

large to...

right now i dont have any pics... hopefully after x-mas ill be completly done with a better cam..... im working on trying to talk my g-friend to paint to to look like a tree... im not much of an artist... plus i figured out later that i prob could have done it for cheaper... only like maybe 100...... but i also had to splurge i got the lights that have the three in one... plus i dont have a green thumb so my live plants keep dying so there not i it yet... ill see if i do have oe pic of it so far though...

ps the cost also included the thermoters and lights and plants ect... total cost... including mistakes...

[peterm15]

http://www.photodump.com/direct/peterm15/Untitled026.jpg

http://www.photodump.com/direct/peterm15/Untitled020.jpg

http://www.photodump.com/direct/peterm15/Untitled018.jpg

i did the math again and it might be closer to 600-700.... the main invest was lights at prob about 300- 350... bulbs and everything... my room is really cold.. well was.. i have about 300 watts pumpin out during the day...

now Keep in mind after lookin at these pics i realised im not vevn close to being done... so bare with me...

the climbing space is about 150 gal and plus about 30 gal just for plant pots... at least theres no more purchaseing to do... just building...

2 hibicus and a pothos are the plants going in...

any suggestions or comments are welcome... just be nice.. it will be when its done...