C H A M E L E O N S

These turret-eyed reptiles are quite appealing to many people. Their mystical ways of changing color have always been fascinating. Most chameleons are found in Africa and Madagascar, although some species are found in Yemen, Europe, and Hawaii. Though they may be nice to look at, chameleons are not a pet for everybody. If you are looking for the type of pet that you can pet and hug, Chameleons are a bad choice.

You must decide if you have the time, money, and patience to take care of a chameleon. It is important that you take much responsibility researching their care. Books, web sites, and newsletters are great places to start. Once you have gotten tons of information you will be ready to prepare your chameleon's habitat.

Chameleons are quite demanding animals, especially in their captive environment. Chameleons should be housed in a large all - screen enclosure to allow for proper ventilation. If chameleons are housed in glass aquaria, chances are that they will develop stress-related diseases such as Upper Respiratory Infections. These can prove fatal to your chameleon. Also, glass enclosures promote a good place for bacteria to grow. This is why you should choose a screened enclosure.

Next, you should provide plenty of foliage and branches for your chameleon to climb on. Most chameleons need high humidity and temperatures between 75-90 degrees. You can provide light, whether it be natural sunlight or florescent, 10-12 hours a day. Another important element in a chameleon's life is water. Everyday, a chameleon should be given a sufficient amount of water. There are several ways of accomplishing this.

A drip system can easily be made by poking a pinhole in the bottom of a plastic tupperware container. You can fill the container with water and allow it to drip for an hour or two, a few times a day. Second, you can mist your chameleon 2-3 times a day. Commercial misters are available on the market, however a simple hand mister will suffice. You can also put your chameleon in the shower. By placing a small plant in the shower, you can create a great place for the chameleon to lap up water droplets off of the leaves. Run luke warm water so that it sprays the plant. Leave your chameleon in the shower for about an hour. This is a great way to re-hydrate your chameleon.

Finally, the third statute in chameleon husbandry is nutrition. Many times, you will see under nourished chameleons throughout many pet stores. Other times, they may develop diseases, such as Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD), due to lack of calcium or other vitamins and minerals.

Prior to buying, please research your purchase carefully. Learn about the species, their needs and natural history. Then, if you still choose to buy, get your chameleon from a known, reputable breeder. Be aware that caring for a chameleon is an expensive and time-consuming undertaking. Be sure you are prepared to make this sort of commitment before getting a chameleon.

When you are purchasing your chameleon, here are a few things to look for:

1:	Are the chameleon's eyes sunken in? If so, it is dehydrated. Give it some water immediately.
2:	Is the chameleon kept in a cage with others? It is better to buy one that has been housed individually.
3:	How long has the seller had them for? The longer the better.
4:	Is the animal bony or robust? If it is skinny, don't buy it.
5:	Does the chameleon have any bruises?
6:	Hold the chameleon. Does it grip you strongly or weakly? Does its limbs work correctly?

If you follow these steps, chances are you have a pretty healthy chameleon. However, you should STILL take him to the vet and have it checked for parasites.

Chameleons need a wide variety of insects as well as the occasional pinky mouse for the larger species. You can buy your foods from your local pet store or through mail order. Mail order seems to be easier because of the wide variety of insects you can order.

The main type of food easily found in your local pet store are crickets. They are rather cheap and easy to keep in a small aquarium. However, they are not very nutritious. Before you feed them to your chameleon, allow them to eat some nutritious foods such as collard greens, potatoes, fruits, and vegetables.

Besides crickets, Chameleons love Meal worms, Superworms, Waxworms, Moths, Flies, and other insects. You can also catch wild insects as long as they aren't poisonous or from areas where pesticides have been used. For larger chameleons, such as C.melleri and C.parsonii, you can occasionally feed them pinky mice. All food items should be dusted with vitamin and mineral supplements as well as calcium. Providing vitamins and calcium are a must for chameleons needs. You should dust your chameleon's food 2-3 times weekly. This should provide your chameleon with the proper amount of nutrition.

Upper Respiratory Infections

Stress also affects chameleons in another way. If a chameleon is stressed out, exposed to long periods of cold, or has a heavy parasite load, your chameleon may form an Upper Respiratory Infection. You can tell if your chameleon is sick by holding it close to your ear. If you hear cracking noises, chances are that it has a respiratory infection. Other symptoms may include open-mouth breathing and the presence of sticky syliva in the mouth. To treat the chameleon's Upper Respiratory Infections, you should take it to your reptile vet. The vet will probably recommend a drug such as Baytril to treat it. You should increase the temperature of the basking area , not the whole cage, to about 90 degrees. Most likely, if the infection wasn't very bad, your chameleon will get better with the proper treatment.



Internal Parasites

With almost every wild caught chameleon, you can expect to go through an extensive parasite treatment. When you acquire a chameleon, it is imperative that you take it to the veterinarian immediately. Get a fecal exam done to see if treatment is necessary. You must be very careful in measuring the dosages because these drugs can harm your chameleon if too much is administered.

Nutritional Diseases

Nutrition is very important to chameleon health. If you do not provide enough of the right vitamins and minerals, problems may occur. Metabolic bone disease is typical in Veiled chameleons ( C. calyptratus ). This is because of their rapid growth at young ages. If you do not provide enough calcium and vitamins, your chameleon may form MBD. A chameleon with Metabolic Bone Disease has swollen joints as well as swollen limbs. It may not even be able to walk or climb. Edema is another nutritional disease and is characterized by swellings in the throat and neck. The cause isn't yet known although excess of Vitamin A and other vitamins is suspect to causing it. With all of these diseases in mind, proper chameleon husbandry is essential to keep the chameleon healthy. The most important thing is that you have a proper reptile vet and are willing to pay the bills. If not, you may want to think about getting another pet.



There are 80 or so species of lizard of the family Chameleontidae,
here are a few of the most common species kept as pets.

Chameleo Species	By far the largest genus of chameleons. It contains over half of the world's chameleon species. Chameleons of Chameleo are the most colorful. They are usually egg-laying chameleons. Some even grow to be over 2 feet in total length. Almost half of the Chameleo species are found in Madagascar alone.
Rhampholeon Species	Rhampholeon is a genus made up of relatively small chameleon species. Members only grow from 2-6 inches total length. They are all egg-layers. Found throughout Africa
Brookesia Species	Brookesia are very small chameleons growing from 1.25 - 3 inches total length. Usually shades of brown. Live in leaves on the ground. Sometimes referred to as Stump-tailed chameleons because of the little amount that they use their tail as well as the tail size.
Bradypodion Species	Bradypodion species are more closely related to that of Chameleo than Brookesia or Rhampholeon. They are arboreal, and use their tails for climbing and hanging. However, all Bradypodion are live-bearing. They grow from 2-6 inches.

Directions and Information

By
"Emerald Web Design"