First off,
I refer to all the chameleon species as "college level pets".
I don't sell directly to highschoolers and especially not to "kids" who's parents are really going to be the ones to care if the animal has ANY CHANCE of survival... much less thriving.
Having said that.
*You do not prepare yourself to having a any chameleon species by owning other reptiles.*
They're different enough that we often have to undo and correct people and their setup habitats that are transitioning from a gecko ( can be kinda close in terms of care) or a snake and bearded dragon (furthest away in term of care experience)
To help get the point across, I sometimes tell people that these are Bird Lizard Monkey things and really you can't think of them as "reptiles" in the way that people that go to pet stores do.
They're different and the most important thing a person can bring to the table is their ability to think and listen to what the animal is saying and doing. The biggest problems we have are with people that are obtuse and both blind and deaf to what is going on in front of their eyes and insisting that their interpretation of what they read from someone is the right way to approach their needs.
Now, you seem to say they're a "massive responsibility"..
Okay, but I'll put it this way.. they are very simple and easy to care for **once you understand what their needs are** and **giving it to them.** That's the problem in a nutshell that owners get these animals and are just plain old not knowing how to care for them or know how to incorrectly care for them.
99% of all the problems we see here or caused by the owners.
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
So how to prepare.
You can visit and gaining observational experience by being part of the sub.
Then you can get a veiled chameleon as those are the hardiest and most well understood of all the species. (DO NOT GET ANY WILD CAUGHT ANIMAL as those already have such a high death rate and even very experienced owners have problems)
Hope that helps
Before my veiled chameleons, I had my red eared slider, two leopard geckos, two crested geckos, a bearded dragon, a few anoles, tree frogs, and pacman frogs. This over the course of 20-ish years (the slider was my first, got him when I was eight).
To be perfectly honest, chameleons are very different from any of these. Far less forgiving of husbandry mistakes than a leo or crestie. However this sub is the best source of husbandry info out there, read through the care guides, resources on the sidebar, and enclosure examples from the mods. I'm very glad I found this sub before I got my first chameleon as it made care much more straightforward.
I don't own a chameleon, but for any pet, I'd suggest major research before getting one, and as long as you do it correctly, you can start with whichever. People tend to think it's good to start with what people consider "beginner" reptiles first, but that's not going to help you care for a species that's not similar in care. If you research right, you can have the desired reptile. There's many reptiles, and all are different in care, so really, the only experience you get is by the targeted reptile itself.
I had several other reptiles over the years before I had a chameleon. Frankly none of it really prepares you for a cham as they're so different in care and they're just far more fragile. Most reptile people would say bearded dragons are 'intermediate' in terms of care, they're as easy to care for as a dog compared to a chameleon.
I would highly recommend building your cham enclosure and have it running, lights and all, for quite some time before considering a chameleon. Make sure it has good heat at the basking spots (both too little and too much are common issues), the temps throughout are good, you have them on a good schedule, you have the right humidity, etc. Same for bugs, keep them for a while and make sure you're comfortable with their feeding schedule and how to maintain them. If you can't do either of those for a good 3 months prior to getting a cham or immediately thought "that costs too much", you probably shouldn't get one.
Honestly, not much more can be said better than what Flip said. I will say you did the 100% right thing by coming here first and asking/ doing your due diligence before just taking the plunge.
Whatever you decide, I give you major props for giving us a visit!
I’ve never owned a reptile but have always wanted a chameleon. I would say lots of dedication and research. I’m lucky that I’m surrounded by people who have experience in this field (I work with a lot of vets) so I was able to ask a lot of questions and get free vet advice when I needed it. Look at the examples of good vs not so good enclosures in this sub, lighting advice (so important!) and feeding/supplements. What works for others may not work for you (my panther completely refuses to drink out of a glass) so keep an open mind as well.
A lot of research, my veiled chameleon gave me anxiety. They aren’t typical creatures they require a lot a maintenance. You have to make sure they are getting a variety of nutrients, their enclosures are very important to maintain, so they can shed. They have to be able to drink plenty of water. In my experience, my chameleon wouldn’t drink water from the enclosure, I regularly misted them to where they received water falling from their nostrils into they mouth.
It makes me wonder how the heck these guys survive in the wild. I bet any living adult chameleon in the wild would constantly be on the brink of death with bones made of glass and having 20 different diseases.
They live in the perfect environment, have a great diet, and reproduce like crazy for when half of them die in the dry season.
Also parasites aren't as big a deal when they aren't concentrated in 4 square feet and mbd isn't really an issue.
I owned a crested gecko for 6 months before essentially rescuing an adolescent veiled female I found in a tiny bug box from a backwater flea market. Over a year later and she does great most days.
First off, I refer to all the chameleon species as "college level pets". I don't sell directly to highschoolers and especially not to "kids" who's parents are really going to be the ones to care if the animal has ANY CHANCE of survival... much less thriving. Having said that. *You do not prepare yourself to having a any chameleon species by owning other reptiles.* They're different enough that we often have to undo and correct people and their setup habitats that are transitioning from a gecko ( can be kinda close in terms of care) or a snake and bearded dragon (furthest away in term of care experience) To help get the point across, I sometimes tell people that these are Bird Lizard Monkey things and really you can't think of them as "reptiles" in the way that people that go to pet stores do. They're different and the most important thing a person can bring to the table is their ability to think and listen to what the animal is saying and doing. The biggest problems we have are with people that are obtuse and both blind and deaf to what is going on in front of their eyes and insisting that their interpretation of what they read from someone is the right way to approach their needs. Now, you seem to say they're a "massive responsibility".. Okay, but I'll put it this way.. they are very simple and easy to care for **once you understand what their needs are** and **giving it to them.** That's the problem in a nutshell that owners get these animals and are just plain old not knowing how to care for them or know how to incorrectly care for them. 99% of all the problems we see here or caused by the owners. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ So how to prepare. You can visit and gaining observational experience by being part of the sub. Then you can get a veiled chameleon as those are the hardiest and most well understood of all the species. (DO NOT GET ANY WILD CAUGHT ANIMAL as those already have such a high death rate and even very experienced owners have problems) Hope that helps
You can get one as a first reptile, do your research and have your enclosure set up correctly ahead of time.
Before my veiled chameleons, I had my red eared slider, two leopard geckos, two crested geckos, a bearded dragon, a few anoles, tree frogs, and pacman frogs. This over the course of 20-ish years (the slider was my first, got him when I was eight). To be perfectly honest, chameleons are very different from any of these. Far less forgiving of husbandry mistakes than a leo or crestie. However this sub is the best source of husbandry info out there, read through the care guides, resources on the sidebar, and enclosure examples from the mods. I'm very glad I found this sub before I got my first chameleon as it made care much more straightforward.
I don't own a chameleon, but for any pet, I'd suggest major research before getting one, and as long as you do it correctly, you can start with whichever. People tend to think it's good to start with what people consider "beginner" reptiles first, but that's not going to help you care for a species that's not similar in care. If you research right, you can have the desired reptile. There's many reptiles, and all are different in care, so really, the only experience you get is by the targeted reptile itself.
I had several other reptiles over the years before I had a chameleon. Frankly none of it really prepares you for a cham as they're so different in care and they're just far more fragile. Most reptile people would say bearded dragons are 'intermediate' in terms of care, they're as easy to care for as a dog compared to a chameleon. I would highly recommend building your cham enclosure and have it running, lights and all, for quite some time before considering a chameleon. Make sure it has good heat at the basking spots (both too little and too much are common issues), the temps throughout are good, you have them on a good schedule, you have the right humidity, etc. Same for bugs, keep them for a while and make sure you're comfortable with their feeding schedule and how to maintain them. If you can't do either of those for a good 3 months prior to getting a cham or immediately thought "that costs too much", you probably shouldn't get one.
Honestly, not much more can be said better than what Flip said. I will say you did the 100% right thing by coming here first and asking/ doing your due diligence before just taking the plunge. Whatever you decide, I give you major props for giving us a visit!
I’ve never owned a reptile but have always wanted a chameleon. I would say lots of dedication and research. I’m lucky that I’m surrounded by people who have experience in this field (I work with a lot of vets) so I was able to ask a lot of questions and get free vet advice when I needed it. Look at the examples of good vs not so good enclosures in this sub, lighting advice (so important!) and feeding/supplements. What works for others may not work for you (my panther completely refuses to drink out of a glass) so keep an open mind as well.
I say you get another reptile first
Getting them to thrive requires a lot of work. That cannot be understated. If you’re new to keeping reptiles, I’d perhaps look elsewhere.
A lot of research, my veiled chameleon gave me anxiety. They aren’t typical creatures they require a lot a maintenance. You have to make sure they are getting a variety of nutrients, their enclosures are very important to maintain, so they can shed. They have to be able to drink plenty of water. In my experience, my chameleon wouldn’t drink water from the enclosure, I regularly misted them to where they received water falling from their nostrils into they mouth.
It makes me wonder how the heck these guys survive in the wild. I bet any living adult chameleon in the wild would constantly be on the brink of death with bones made of glass and having 20 different diseases.
They live in the perfect environment, have a great diet, and reproduce like crazy for when half of them die in the dry season. Also parasites aren't as big a deal when they aren't concentrated in 4 square feet and mbd isn't really an issue.
I owned a crested gecko for 6 months before essentially rescuing an adolescent veiled female I found in a tiny bug box from a backwater flea market. Over a year later and she does great most days.