How to Care for a Pet Chameleon

Chameleons make fascinating and amusing pet reptiles, with their ability to change colors, their long tongues, opposable toes and eyes that roll independently. If you're thinking of a chameleon as a pet, you must know they take a great deal of time and expertise to care for properly. If a chameleon's housing, feeding and health aren't kept to good standards, he won't survive.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Mesh cage
• Live plants
• Thermostat
• Heating lamps
• Fluorescent lights
• Water misting bottle
• Drip system
• Live feeder insects
• Baby cereal
• Fish flakes
• Fresh vegetables and fruit
• Calcium Powder
• Multivitamins

1. Buy a mesh cage, at least two feet wide, two feet long and three feet tall. Chameleons need air circulation and room to climb. Place the cage in a quiet area of your home to reduce his stress.
2. Purchase a variety of live plants for your cage. Chameleons are arboreal and thrive in captivity if given natural habitat conditions. Climbing pathos vines and a Ficus tree provide an ideal habitat, but ask your pet shop for other recommendations.
3. Keep his cage between 60 to 78 degrees F, with a routine temperature variation. Provide cooler, shaded areas along with areas for him to bask in the light and heat. They tolerate higher temperatures but not for long periods of time. Place a thermometer in his cage to gauge temperatures.
4. Make sure her cage has proper lighting. Chameleons do best in natural sunlight. In the absence of sunlight, purchase a fluorescent light and heating lamp. They need the UV radiation of sunlight or fluorescent light for their calcium metabolism.
5. Provide a drip or misting system for your Chameleon's drinking water needs, as they don't drink from a bowl. Mist plants a few times daily. Your chameleon drinks the droplets off the leaves.
6. Feed your chameleon live feeder insects found at pet stores such as crickets, mealworms, waxworms, flies, moths, grasshoppers and a pinky mouse one a week. Know how much to feed her by observing her eating habits.
7. Gutload his feeder insects to provide more nutrients. This means feeding the crickets, mealworms or other insects baby cereal, fish flakes and veggies about 24 hours before your chameleon's feeding time.

Tips & Warnings

• Choose a common variety of captive bred chameleon, such as the veiled chameleon. They are less expensive and easier to care for.
• Provide calcium powder daily and multivitamins twice a week; otherwise, your chameleon develops serious nutritional deficiencies.
• Look for signs of illness such as a loss of appetite, sunken eyes, difficulty climbing or supporting its weight.
• Avoid glass aquariums for chameleons. They don't provide enough air circulation.
• Don't house two male chameleons in the same cage because they tend to fight.
• Never feed your chameleon insects, which are too large, because they cause gagging and pose a choking hazard.
• If your chameleon appears thin with a traceable line along its backbone and tail seek help from an experienced reptile vet.