So I'm thinking of getting of a veiled chameleon, but I don't know the first thing on taking care of them, let alone where to buy one. If anyone here is an expert at this stuff please let me know. I'd like to know where to buy, what to buy, and chameleon care taking basics. Oh yeah, I read up on these chameleons, and everywhere I look it says chameleons are best for experienced reptile owners. Is that true? If so, why?
They're unrecommended as a beginner reptile due to paradoxical habitat requirements.
They need humidity of ~80% but also need heavy airflow.
I shouldn't really be saying this since you obviously didn't put much effort into researching but pestmarts sell veiled chameleons and so do petsmarts.
>>2124616
I also forgot to mention they are quite prone to stressing out so they are a little-no handling animal
>>2124625
*mean, not need
howe do evin spel
>>2124616
>>2124618
Yeah, these are pretty much it in a nutshell. You probably don't have any experience in maintaining proper reptile environment to start with, let alone one that's tricky for anyone to do right.
Please please do your research, OP. I really wouldn't recommend it if you haven't had a reptile before, but if you are going to do it, read all you can before you do.
Just curious, why do you want a chameleon anyway? There's way easier lizards to start with and if you just want a color changing lizard, anoles (pic related) do it too and are much cheaper and easier.
>>2124627
chameleons are so cool. the color changing is neat, but i just love the way they look. their eyes, legs, feet, idk they're just so cute to me for some reason.
>>2124625
No, he means paradoxical. Higher airflow reduces your humidity, lower airflow raises it. It is critical to a chameleon's health to have both high airflow and high humidity, and this is difficult to maintain in a stable fashion, especially if you have no experience with maintaining either before.
>>2124630
oh. I read how you need to periodically spray leave in their habitat with water, so i thought he was talking about that. thanks for making that clear anon
>>2124632
*leaves
I can not spell today god damn
>>2124614
At the store I work at we sell chameleons. They are pretty antisocial at the store. Nowhere near as chill as beardies, and are much higher maintenance.
as >>2124616 >>2124618 said, they don't love to be handled. We have this guy who comes in all the time and buys our reptiles and he apparently has his whole house filled with reptiles. Probably will see if I can see them at the next local expo. Anyways, he says that he's gotten some chameleons to be cool with resting on you and climbing, but not just being handled at all.
If a chameleon isn't bright green then let him be usually and don't try to handle them.
Also one thing he didn't say was that they need fairly hot environments. Basking at about 90*F with tropical UVB and general temps around 75-80 along with a night light.
Need to put in lots of things to climb on imo. Not just leaves. I'm not sure how objective this is however.
>>2124636
Yeah, handling stresses them out way too much to be handling them on a regular basis or really, any more than absolutely necessary. If you don't like the idea of a "look, don't touch" pet, chameleons are not for you.
>>2124632
That is also true and is another of the difficulties with their care. Chameleons do no drink standing water. For this reason, the common solution is to include a dripping system in their tank that drips constantly for them to drink from. Because of the high airflow + high humidity requirement, it is near mandatory to also have an automatic misting system installed that will spray the tank on a scheduled basis. Otherwise you're looking at manually misting the thing several times a day.
Other much easier alternatives of the arboreal tropical variety you may be interested in looking in to are crested geckos, gargoyle geckos, anoles, and tree frogs. All of those are orders of magnitude easier in every respect.
>>2124646
Yeah, crested geckos are easy as pie, but still look cool as fuck. They're also chill enough to handle and only need to be at room temperature. You don't even have to feed live insects.
>>2124654
looks shit
>>2124655
m8 ill fite you irl
>>2124614
to add onto all the posts you already have, here's a little more from me.
i own a chameleon. he's great, but chameleon care is a huge labor of love. you have to very carefully monitor their temperature and humidity, as well as providing a good amount of natural sunlight and semi-regular simulated rainfalls in the shower.
you also have to regularly monitor their diet. they are much more calcium-sensitive than most herps - i provide calcium-dusted insects only about once or twice a month, and i keep track of it when i do. they also need to be offered a wider variety of foods - though this is healthy for any herp.
also, handling them only when necessary is the only way to go, for both you and their safety. for them, they are easily stressed out - even the most minor touches can put them in a bad mood, if they're not completely used to you. and for you, those little claws of theirs can leave painful welts in your skin. they grip EXTREMELY tightly when on you, especially if they're frightened. and the bigger your cham is, the worst it gets. i only have a little runt of a jackson's, and he still manages to do a number on me.
>>2124636
>chameleons are high maintenance
t. someone who doesn't have a chameleon.
>>2124725
> and for you, those little claws of theirs can leave painful welts in your skin. they grip EXTREMELY tightly when on you, especially if they're frightened. and the bigger your cham is, the worst it gets. i only have a little runt of a jackson's, and he still manages to do a number on me.
gribbity grabbers
>>2125185
>tfw your cham grabs you with its gribby grabbers
>>2125967
anon are you lost
