Chameleons and heat

Wolfus_305 · 03-07-12, 10:06 AM

Hey guys

I absolutely looooove chameleons, I think they are adorable and I have wanted one for a long time (I was reminded of this while I was kijiji-ing for fun and I saw a cute one :P )

I have never really looked into them in depth though. I was wondering if anybody here knows if ALL chameleons need a heat light or eat anything besides crickets/live bugs.

I tried to google the information but there are just so many types of chameleons I didn't know where to start.

Something without a heat bulb would be best for me to look into as I travel from school to home for winter break etc . and one that doesn't eat live bugs would be best for me to look into (if it even exists) because the only pet store sort of in my area closed last year

Thanks

reptile65 · 03-07-12, 10:13 AM

The more commonly available chameleons (Veileds, Panthers, Flapnecks, etc.) definitely need heat lamps and live insects. Also keep in mind that they need specialized caging to ensure adequate airflow. They also need UVB light and lots of humidity. Chameleons are really a pretty high maintenance reptile, so make sure you research their care in detail before you decide to get one.

Have you heard of the pygmy chameleons? Their care is a bit different than the larger chameleons. From what I've researched, they actually do better in glass tanks and you can keep a small group together as long as they have adequate hiding areas. I could be wrong, but I think they like lower temperatures as well, but they definitely still eat live insects. They can also be pretty fragile so you really need to make sure you're caring for them correctly.

Wolfus_305 · 03-07-12, 10:14 AM

*sigh* I wish chameleons were low maintenance. They are just so darn cute!

Thanks for the advice, I will look into pygmy chameleons to see if it would be feasible for me to get one (or two or three or four :P )

reptile65 · 03-07-12, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolfus_305

*sigh* I wish chameleons were low maintenance. They are just so darn cute!

Thanks for the advice, I will look into pygmy chameleons to see if it would be feasible for me to get one (or two or three or four :P )

They are definitely awesome critters. I had a really hard time keeping the humidity up when I had my veiled. Here in Colorado it is just SO dry. I'm sure it would be much easier to keep chameleons in a warmer and more humid climate.

Another thing I should probably mention is that they are generally display animals and don't enjoy being handled. They become stressed very easily so you really need to keep handling to a minumum. When I had my veiled, I never really took him out to handle him for fun. The only time I really handled him was when I needed to move him to clean his enclosure.

Just for fun, here's a photo of my old guy:

Wolfus_305 · 03-07-12, 10:40 AM

Wow, they are just so amazing looking! The eyes, their little feet! so cute!

Mhmm I don't think right now is the ideal time for me to get one especially if it would need live bus (I don't think my landlord would appreciate me breeding bugs here) so it'll just have to wait.

I wish I knew somebody who had one I could visit though!