CHAMELEONS 101
NECESSITIES
READ BEFORE CONTINUING!!!
H20 / DEHYDRATION
SOME USEFUL INFO
* Dehydration is one of the top causes leading to emaciation/ailment/veterinary visits and even death of chameleons in captivity.
Vitamin imbalance, mainly, insufficient Vitamin A, Calcium, and Vitamin D3 are of the top causes of ailment (and death) of chameleons in captivity. Chameleons have very advanced eyesight and rely on their vision….they are diurnal (eat during the day), yet we feed them nocturnal insects (which have different dietary requirements).
Pre-formed Vitamin A (Retinol) is very important in this regard, it’s important for cell-differentiation during embryogenesis of basically every cell/organ in your body, and necessary for your chameleons (and your own) eyes, integumentary system, and bones (as well as has functions in nearly every other bodily function).
In humans and many other mammalian and reptilian species, Vitamin A can be converted from carotenoids. Research has shown carotenoids are not a sufficient supplement and that pre-formed vitamin A should be provided. We do have research showing evidence that carotenoids are likely converted to retinol (Vitamin A) in growing embryos/eggs, but thus far we have no supporting evidence of chameleons having the ability to convert carotenoids to a useable source of Vitamin A after birth. In fact, all evidence thus far states otherwise; high carotenoid supplementation via gutloading insects and beta-carotene supplementation by dusting insects is insufficient. Pre-formed vitamin A sources are exclusively found in animals, and along with the wide range of diurnal insects chameleons eat in the wild, we have observed Panther chameleons (among others) to get supplemental sources of Vitamin A via small vertebrates.
Calcium is important to make up for the Ca:Ph ratio in the nocturnal feeder insects we use.
Vitamin D3 is important to help Calcium uptake in bones (and also important in many other ways but is also highly toxic to chameleons in high amounts). While typically D3 is provided by UV rays (converting pre-cursors to a usable for of Vitamin D) from the sun, its very hard to artificially provide the correct amount and ratio of UV rays.
Improper lighting and lack of UVB are another one of the most common causes of ailment (and death) of chameleons in captivity.
Chameleons (Furcifer pardalis specifically), have been shown to have the ability to self-regulate both heat and UVB. They will hide under foliage to cool down, or bask under your UVB lamp (or sun rays) to absorb UVB and/or heat accordingly. Thus, if you have a heat bulb (I only recommend ~40-65watt soft-white incandescent bulb for heat), your chameleon can differentiate between the two and will bask under the UVB bulb, heat bulb, or hide under foliage accordingly. Never any type of heat-specific basking light, nighttime light or heat bulbs (even ceramic heat bulb), these can dehydrate and ever severely burn your chameleon.
Artificial lighting should not be considered a complete substitute for natural sunlight. According to the exotic animal veterinarian Dr. Susan Kelleher, “~10+ hours of natural sunlight (outside, not through a window) a week is recommended.” Dr. Kelleher is a well known exotic veterinarian in south florida, she has her own series on Nat. Geo., but she is definitely correct in that you cannot beat or replace natural sunlight (obviously you need plenty of shade, hydration, and decent temperature ranges [Like ~65-85 degrees F]). But don’t neglect natural sunlight. For example, Mesh has been shown to reduce the amount of UVB penetration significantly (highly dependent on type of mesh) and glass almost entirely.
MBD (Metabolic Bone Disorder) is mentioned due to it being a primary cause of illness in chameleons.
It goes hand-in-hand with Vitamin A, Calcium, and UVB. Studies have shown evidence that Vitamin A alone (without D3 or Calcium supplementation) can help prevent MBD, while Calcium alone (with no UVB), or UVB alone cannot. While all three together were shown as the best option, its very important to understand the importance of MBD in chameleons, their diet, supplementation schedule, and their general husbandry (lights, water, vitamins, etc.)
- A mesh cage – I custom make these, they can be found on CL for pretty cheap, or you can buy a repti-breeze cage or other types of mesh cages. What size? If you start with a baby or juvenile i recommend a smaller, butterfly mesh cage (black with no vinyl siding), such as like a 16″x16″x16″, 12″12″x24″, or even 12″x12″x12″ (these help hold in humidity, and small flightless/wingless fruit flies cannot escape. For adults (depending on species) I always recommend a 2’x2’x4′ enclosure or bigger and an outdoor cage for natural sunlight if possible. I also highly recommend a free roaming area for them so they can feel a sense of freedom (even leaving their door open with a tall fake plant/tree can give them a sense of freedom. You can buy a 6′ fake ficus tree off of amazon for ~$50 or a nice looking 6′ fake bamboo plant from IKEA for ~$40. Don’t allow other animals or other chameleons to be able to see/come into contact with your chameleon. Stress alone can have a negative impact on your chameleons’ overall well-being.
A cheap easy option is a ~1 gallon garden sprayer (look for one with a locking button; pump it a couple times per day and this will mimic natural rainfall for 10min+). 1gallon garden pump sprayers can be found from Lowes or Home Depot for as low as $10 or online (I use a 3gallon). You can also attach mister heads (like you’d use in an outdoor mist system) to the garden sprayer.
Other options include: something like a mist king, there are misters compatible with smart phones nowadays that have timers which you can control with your phone (probably as cheap or cheaper than mist king), or a mist system with a timer attached to your garden hose (like I use)
I recommend zoomed’s 5.0 UVB bulb (only because it is the most widely one used in studies and journal articles). There are lots of options for UVB lighting, just follow the manufacturers instructions. Tube UVB bulbs are more highly recommended. For a heat lamp I recommend a cheap 40-65watt soft-white incandescent bulb (I use a BR30 65watt phillips soft-white incandescent flood light bulb).
Calcium dust should be provided daily to adjust for the Calcium:Phosphorus ratio which chameleons require that the nocturnal insects we feed them lack. Pre-formed Vitamin A is also a necessity, as well as Vitamin D3 for indoor kept chameleons (which also need proper UVB lighting). Again, follow manufacturer’s instructions. Punchy’s Vitamin Powder is a daily multi-vitamin (Containing mostly Calcium); it has the RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) of the aforementioned vitamins (based on research articles with RDI recommendations for chameleons–along with how much dust several types of insects hold and approximations of the amounts of these vitamins held on the insects dusted with powder), along with carotenoids and other vitamins/minerals.
Put in the time and effort to build a bond with your Chameleon
If you’re buying a chameleon, make sure you are willing to put in the time and effort to build a bond, or at least get to know your chameleon. Not all reptiles/animals may have the instincts or be able to build a bond with a human, and chameleons are a territorial and mostly non-social reptile species. But even the most territorial and non-social animals of the animal kingdom have been shown to build some of the rarest bonds with each other. Give your chameleon a chance, and you will get out of him/her what you put in.
First-off consider other animals you may have nearby, chameleons have been known to get easily stressed (which–in the most basic sense, can lead to illness/death)
After purchasing your chameleon allow them some time to adjust to their new environment. Try to handle them as little as possible, and let them watch you. Let them see you go about your everyday life, let them notice that you feed and water them, and are not a threat. Ways to get them use to you; put your hand in their cage and put it as close to them as possible until they hiss or puff-out, then back away slightly and leave it there (this shows them you are not a threat and gets them used to you and your hands being near them). Use my stick technique to take them out a few minutes daily but avoid stressing them out too much (keep them ~1′ away and at or above eye level).
Leave their cage door open and put a fake or live plant outside of their cage, or make a free roam area with ropes/vines going up high above their cage. They don’t like crawling on the ground and sometimes won’t even leave their cage at all (or it may take them several weeks) if they feel safe and secure in their cage. If you have other animals, think of other options. Design a free-roam area or keep your chameleon in a room that’s animal free. Put an hour timer on your phone and a tall fake (or live) plant next to your couch with a small heat lamp and let them hang out free roaming while you watch your favorite movie or TV series.