/r/Chameleons

Photograph via //r/Chameleons

One of the largest and best online communities for those that wish to learn more about Chameleons. Up to date husbandry & captive care practices.

Show off your animals, your successes, and hopefully help prevent any sorrows along the way. Founded and moderated by experienced breeders and hobbyists as one of the largest Chameleon specific communities in the world. This sub is closely moderated to maintain a friendly & informative space.

Expert advice for Veiled, Panther and Jacksons species

Asking Questions? WE need to have your species & part of the world you live in listed so that we can best answer your question! Not all Chameleons are alike, all have different needs & requirements that have to be taken into consideration by the owner before purchase.

Madagascar's Chameleons Good overview

Nat Geo Quick Video Some Chameleon facts [funny]


Useful Links for first time owners

Our Official ChameleonsFAQ

Our Official Chameleons Chat room

You just got a new "tiny" chameleon... and don't know what to do?

Here's a proper young subadult temporary environment to get you started. (Keep them in here until they're ready for a adult cage)

A word on heat sources, burns & treatment. A must read before setting up your cage environment.

A source for tungsten lights (used for light and heating -) Recommended from above

Supplements.. which one is right? UPDATED 1.23.21


Drinking Glass method developed by Flip69

Why a drinking glass vs a misting system?

POKAL IKEA Drinking Glass - works great!


What is the best chameleon for first time owners? (answer: Veiled)

I've heard that veiled chameleons are aggressive, is that true? (not with proper handling)

How to handle them & get them used to you

Male or Female? Updated Graphic* It's easy to Sex ID common species from a young age.

Feeder Insect Nutritional Chart (Dubia Win).

Expanded Feeder insect chart


Special Needs Chameleons

Video of Tong / Hand Feeding for blind animals or those that can't target food well

Natural Habitat by species::

Veiled chameleon's natural habitat (includes pictures and weather data) Video of wild setting and a second adult male this is what a keeper should try to replicate.

Panther Chameleon (Furcifer pardalis) weather data by locality.

Here's More weather data, Antalaha (North east Coast City), Hall Ville North West coast close to the Nosy Be and Ambilobe localities


• The issue of "Localities" for the different panther chameleon types. Answer is that there's about 11 different sub species that aren't yet recognized officially.

• Color changing is very different than from octopi and squids. Chameleons actually use crystals in their skin to mirror and change wavelengths of reflected light - not colored pigment as some out of date books suggest.


Diseases & Health Issues:

What is MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease) I keep hearing about?

Symptoms of a Lung Infection (w/ video) [UPDATED]

Papilloma Virus in chameleons

Dosages for common diseases & medications for reptiles

and discussion regarding medication dosage

Eye Infections: antibiotic eye ointment something that every cham owner should have on hand. another source

Mouth Rot & Cleaning a mouth or lip that's infected at home)

Drug sources:
This requires math and a little bit of responsibility to use these drugs... but it's always a good idea to have some basic tools in your med kit so you can treat a problem quickly or where a vet is unavailable/ far away. Taxonyx supplies:

Baytril™ (Enrofloxacin 10% Liquid) - Lung infections.

Antibiotic Eye Ointment (Terramycin based Ophthalmic)

Toltrazuril works like Ponazuril for treating Coccidia infections in the gut. It can be purchased here or as a easy pre measured liquid + dosing chart here

These should be kept available in advance (just in case they're needed) by all cham keepers.


Known Toxic Drugs to Chameleons that vets sometimes prescribe:

Albon (Sulfadimethoxine) Should be considered to be toxic and can result in death of a sick animal. It's one of the common "go to" drugs for vets treating coccidia we need to watch out for.


Orally Medicating a cham w/ lockjaw (video)


US State by State listings of Reptile Veterinarians

• Reptiles Magazine listing of reptile vets (Likely derived from their classified advertising list)

• ARAV - Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians US State by State listing

Canada: Toronto/the Greater Toronto Area, Links Road Animal Clinic Users recommendation: Evan Mavromatis

Tip: Check to see if you have a reptile society/club in town - They'll have a list of reptile specific vets in your area. Be aware that most vets aren't as experienced in the health of reptiles as experienced hobbyists are - this especially applies to chameleons


EMERGENCY:

The power/home heat went out!!! or

I need to transport my animal in sub zero temps?.. What to do.

/r/Chameleons

60,359 Subscribers

8

Stress Colors?

Hi, I’m a new veiled chameleon owner, I followed a bunch of guides on humidity, basking lamp, have the correct UVB light, dripper, i’m wondering if he looks healthy or is showing signs of stress. He has been eating well, and his poop has looked good. Any experienced chameleon owners know if he looks okay? He has a lot of vegetation and places to hide, but is stressed easily especially when I have to clean his cage out.

6 Comments
2024/12/02
16:57 UTC

8

nose sore

i just noticed this little opening on my fellas nose. he is very spoiled and comes out of his cage every day, and when i don’t take him out he is asking to come out like 40% of the time. he “asks” by going up and down the front edge of the cage where the door opens and sometimes ends up rubbing his face on the the mesh. he also has a bit of stuck shed and i’ve noticed him rub himself on the sticks every once in a while to try getting it off. not sure exactly where this came from but i’m assuming it’s one of those.

Is there anything I should do to help treat/ prevent from getting worse? Like applying neosporin or something? Or just keep an eye on it? His husbandry is all correct (linear uvb, proper temps & humidity, live plants w lots of coverage and sticks to climb on, arcadia every feeding and repashy w lod 2x a month)

0 Comments
2024/12/02
00:02 UTC

63

I'm worried

My Veiled Chameleon, Calypso, doesn't seem well. I'm hoping she isn't egg-bound. If she is, what can I do?

41 Comments
2024/12/01
22:03 UTC

5

My chameleon hates me

Zelda is a female yemen and about a year old, she used to be quite happy being handled as a youngster, climbing in my head and having a good explore.

As she got older she was more hesitant about coming out so I left her alone and left it her choice if she wants to explore. She's doing everything she should, eating well, pooping and shedding etc. And happy to eat food from hand but boy, does she hate being touched!

She's never bitten me but has lunged and hissed ( i did wake her this time though) I have no concerns with husbandry, but I know they're sensitive creatures.

If I get her out and handle her regardless, over time would she improve or would she be like an elephant and never forget 🤣 and hate me more than ever?

12 Comments
2024/12/01
17:29 UTC

9

New chameleon mom

I just adopted this beauty today. Breeder said she’s about 8months old. I held her at repticon and she didn’t want to leave me so of course I was the chosen one. I know it’s a risky move but I’m a pretty solid plant lady so I decided to go with the bioactive set up. Are isopods acceptable to have in the substrate? What tips do yall have for a new chameleon mama?

I plan to get an auto mister tomorrow, any recs? Also intend to add in more climbing accessories as well, what do you suggest?

4 Comments
2024/12/01
06:13 UTC

1

Chameleon eating rocks (pon)

Hi. I have had my panther chameleon for a few months and he sure does love eating the rocks in my plants.

I know this is very bad and he can get impacted and die. So far he has passed all the rocks he has ate. They are maybe 3mm at the most.

All the plants in his enclosure are in soil and I have put screen on them just to make sure he doesn’t eat from them but he is not interested in soil at all.

However I have my plant area next to his enclosure in front of a large window and at first I would put him on the shelf to explore and bask in the sun when I was cleaning his enclosure.

Not sure why but at some point he gave some of the rocks that I grow my plants in a taste and he sure does LOVE eating them.

Whenever I open the enclosure he is trying to climb on me but he doesn’t wanna be on me he just wants me to put him on the shelf and he immediately runs to one of the plants and starts eating the rocks.

I tried to block him from eating them with my hand and he shoots his tongue at them around my hand.

I always put him right back in when he goes for them but he isn’t really getting it that he can’t eat them…

My hand doesn’t bother him when I block him from going to them.

He should like be afraid I’m gonna eat him or something but he fears nothing if there is rock eating potential.

Anyone have this issue?

I feed him lots and lots like 10-20 crickets a day. I have tried feeding him before he goes out and after and he always wants to eat rocks no matter what I try.

I also give him treats of silkworms, black soldier flies and larva, house flies, blue bottle flies, Dubia roaches, grass hoppers, green banana roaches, hornworms, super worms, waxworms all hand fed maybe 1 or 2 a day

The only thing I can think is he just likes the taste… kinda makes me curious to try one and see what the fuss is about.

13 Comments
2024/12/01
02:44 UTC

3

Rate my setup

Definitely will take tips and recommendations.

Veiled chameleon, not sure how old.

Went to Home Depot got an indoor plant , repotted it. (Or resoiled) 8ft vine (Amazon) Magnetic feed (Amazon) Bigger uvb bulb 14” Heat bulb Daytime led bulb

I spray down the leaves before turning on lights in the am and before I turn them of in the pm

Been giving him worms and crickets dusted in calcium . I’m waiting on a multivitamin from Amazon

Thanks in advance !

10 Comments
2024/12/01
00:50 UTC

8

Crunchy

1 Comment
2024/11/30
22:21 UTC

28

Ball shape at end of tail, she’s had it since I got her from the petco

When she had her vet visit after getting her they didn’t really mention it, she’s a piebald veiled Cham

6 Comments
2024/11/30
20:45 UTC

21

Question about behavior.

I’ve had Shenron for about a month now and was wondering if he’d ever get ”used to” slight interaction. I only ever go into his enclosure for misting, feeding, and cleaning. I know it’s in their instincts to wanna back off and hide, but I feel like he’s pretty scared of me. Any tips on how to make him feel more comfortable?

Already working on getting him more plants for sure

7 Comments
2024/11/30
16:59 UTC

6

Koopa Troopa

Cannot wait till he gets full grown he’s already showing so much potential at such a young age! Hopefully he’s a stunner :) showing very high greens , only seen a slight yellow a couple times!

2 Comments
2024/11/30
16:58 UTC

35

Rango eating

He finally ate from my han

1 Comment
2024/11/30
16:37 UTC

1

Credibility and Safety online

I haven't spotted any other sights offering specifically what I'm looking for, so I have one sight in mind. It's called 'cbreptile.com' and I'm wondering if they have good safe shipment and are all together good breeders. If they aren't, is there any online chameleon site that offers hatchling ambilobe Panthers?

3 Comments
2024/11/30
03:07 UTC

54

Welcome To The Family

2 Comments
2024/11/30
02:20 UTC

6

Chameleon won’t open his eyes

I work at Petsmart, we have this chameleon in the back because at first he wouldn’t eat nor poop( I kept telling management and coworkers we cannot have lose bark in the enclosure cause he can swallow it, I’ve literally had to run and fish out pieces of bark out his mouth) they took him to the vet and according to VCA the chameleon is “fine” I force fed him critical care for a few days cause his ribs were out he weighted only 15 grams..

Now, he’s getting used to me, I hand feed him because according to corporate, the enclosure HAS to have lose bark and moss which fucking pisses me off, from all the animals we sell, chameleons have the WORST set up of them all..

Last I saw him he was weighting 21 grams cause I took my time making sure he ate because he doesn’t wanna open his eyes, he can open them, is not that they’re shut with discharge or anything, he just won’t open them unless I handle him (idk if he opens it whenever someone else handles him) in his tank he’s quiet, with me he’s active.. his eyes are not sunken in, he moves them but still shut..

Is this normal with chameleons? I keep thinking he’s depressed but idk if that’s possible, I try my best to care for him on my shift, make sure he eats, make sure his humidity levels are proper.. it breaks my heart to see him this way

20 Comments
2024/11/30
00:03 UTC

1

How much does it usually cost for the setup for a Yemen chameleon?

As title says :) need to know roughly how much I'd need to save up

5 Comments
2024/11/29
20:04 UTC

12

opinions?

just asking for some feedback or constructive criticism on my boy’s set up! i just added the first live plant, it’s a golden pothos. if there’s any info about this plant and how i can properly maintain it to make sure he doesn’t get any sort of respiratory infection (from excess humidity from the live plant) please let me know!! thanks :)

15 Comments
2024/11/29
19:34 UTC

1

Overfed?

For context my female panther cham hasn’t eaten all week when i have tried with locusts so i decided to try a treat (morio worms) i only use every week or so because of the nutritional value being pretty bad and she went bat s**t crazy over them eating one after another and on the last one she bit it in half and it dropped and she ate a leaf with it even though she hates eating plants anyway i fed around 10-15 and around 7 of them where dusted with d3 calcium did i overfeed her im a bit worried i did and if i did what should i do (shes around 7-8 months old) any advice is appreciated also she bit down on the tongs a few times will this affect her teeth?

0 Comments
2024/11/29
07:43 UTC

8

is this a good sign that he’s adjusting well?

i just moved him this morning a few hours after he woke up to his upgraded home, he ate, drank and had no problems sleeping at his usual bedtime after the move. he seemed a little puffy and dark today after i moved him but seemed to loosen up later into the day. i’m just worried that he’s stressed but i’m not sure since he’s still performing his regular daily behaviors. i noticed him trying to bite/chew the fake leaves in there once today, so i’m planning on getting him a live plant tomorrow (golden pothos plant), and based on my research it says it’s safe for him, if anyone has any advice or feedback on the plant please let me know! :)

2 Comments
2024/11/29
03:47 UTC

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