New Chameleons

[rcmike]

Hey guys. Several years ago I was into keeping Veiled Chameleons. At one time I had 12. I basically got burned out and had a few die on me so I sold them off. I have been looking at them for the last few months and decided to get a male Jackson's that was at Emerald Bay last week. I built him a cage and decided I wanted the female they had too so I went back and got her today. I know there are a few reptile keepers but have any of you kept Chams?

 

[jejton]

I currently have two Veiled's. I bought the male in Sept at the NY Metro Reptile show. I was told he was 6 weeks. I was looking for one a few weeks older, male, and noone had any so I took a chance and he's been doing well. I then adopted a female off of craigslist from someone who adopted it from another person but didnt really want to start with reptiles. He was told she was 6 months old. I'm hoping to pair them up after the summer. Can you post pics of your cages or link to a build thread? I'd really like to build them bigger cages soon but haven't found any good sites and I havent done that kind of thing before.

 

[Pandarian]

I had a female Jackson's about 10 years ago. I built a cage that was about 2'l x 2'w x 4'h with a misting system and a ficus tree in it.

If I remember correctly, when I left the reptile hobby, Jacksons became illegal or harder to collect. Did they change that?

She was the coolest. I've always wanted a male though.

 

[SRT80]

I haven't got into lizards yet. But, my next pet will be a bearded dragon. They just got personality.

Steve

 

[rcmike]

I just found out on a chameleon forum that it is probably a Chamaeleo trioceros jacksonii merumontanus which is the Dwarf Jacksons Chameleon. I knew it didn't look like a normal Jackson's. The guy at Emerald Bay said the female looked pregnant but he didn't think she is big enough. If they are the merumontanus then they are pretty much full grown.

Jejton, I can get some cage pictures but it isn't anything really fancy, just gets the job done. I did make a drain in the bottom and am going to set up an automatic mister so the humidity will stay high and exess water will drain into a bucket below. I have been going to www.chameleonforums.com and got some ideas there.

Pandarian, I haven't been really looking at the reptiles much lately but I haven't noticed any Jackson's in a while.

Steve, I really like the beardies too. We had a pair several years ago.

 

[BMcCoy]

I keep snakes also. I had 8 at one time, but traded them for salt water stuff . I recently aquired a baby ball pythin, and have a feeling that it is another start to having a bnch of snakes. I have never had a chameleon before, but they are really cool.

Ben

 

[SRT80]

I've got 4 snakes right now.

6 1/2' Dumerils boa

2 corn snakes, male and female male is around 3ft. and female is right at 2ft.

And a baby western hognose.

Then there's the rosehair tarantula.

Steve

 

[eyebedam]

those are flippin awesome. I've been wanting to keep chamelons for a couple years. I think there awesome.

 

[NeveSSL]

I'd love to get some chameleons one day... we're only allowed to have fish currently, though. Thats probably a good thing or I would have come home with a baby lavender corn snake one day. I think The Jungle had one for like $30 one day in the summer.

Very cool Mike! Keep us updated on them.

Brandon

 

[Mikeyjer]

I'm not a big reptile person, but I do like the Chameleons. Thought about getting them at one time, but I've got too much on my hands right now to even take care of another animal......

Mike, Dixie can be a handful when she's screaming her head off....lol....

 

[gsusfreak]

euh...**chills**.......atleast they dont scare me like birds (yea, call me a wuss)

 

[mamagoose45]

You're not alone John - a lot of birds creep me out. I'm scared of owls especially, but anything bigger than a cockatiel is too big for me. I worked in a vet's office through high school and the vet's wife specialized in avian beasts. More than one parrot tried to flog me to death and talon my eyes out in an exam room. No thanks...

 

[gsusfreak]

moriah...even the small birds scare me....yea, its that bad...but the bigger the scarier too....i hate going in to petsmart,petland,etc...cause they always have too many birds

i was attacked when i was younger and ever since, i dont like it.....my ex girl laughed at me when we were in petland looking at all the cute puppies...and for some reason i wasnt paying attention to the lady walkin around with one of bigger birds...i almost passed out because it was so close....LOL

 

[Mikeyjer]

Oh they can hurt when they attack!!! Willie(my avitar) tear a good chunk off my hand one time when he freaked out, but it was my fault, he could have done a lot worse. You just have to be real careful when your around birds, don't ever trust their beaks even IF you raised them as a baby......I've been bitten too many times to know better....lol

 

[rcmike]

Unfortunately I lost the male last week. He was fine one morning and I got home early at about 11 and he was sitting on the bottom. I picked him up and he thrashed around a little and was dead in 5 min. After doing some research on the dwarf Jacksons it turns out they are much more delecate than normal Jacksons. The female seems to be doing well and she does look like she could be pregnant. Instead of trying to find another male I just got a baby veiled for the other cage. I have some experience with them anyway.
Does anyone know of a good reptile vet? I want to have them checked out for parasites, etc.

 

[Ebay Fish]

Talk to Dr. James Talbott @ Belle Forest Animal Hospital. Thier # is 662.1700

 

[rcmike]

Thanks Sean. I think that is actually who we used to go to years ago. He didn't seem to know a ton about chameleons but that has been years ago. If you get another male like that one sometime in the future I may get it. I think I'll wait a while though. That was the coolest Jackson's I have ever seen. I really liked the mountain ones you had. That male had some freaky looking eyes.

 

[danieljames]

Sorry you lost your's. Here's a few images of what he has Mike. I think the stuff surrounding the eggs is vermiculite?? I'm not 100% on that. That last one might not be a chameleon....she was crazy camouflaged though. It's head is pointing down in the center of the last pic. He got the dwarves after these pics were taken.

 

[danieljames]

Off topic, but while i'm flooding.....this is around 3 am, six guinness, and just "one more pack" later. Being able to actually see the bird is apparently a fundamental.

 

[Dirtball]

rcmike, From somebody that has raised most reptiles and is now into saltwater. I have raised Vailds, bearded dragons, corn snakes and loepard geckos. Then when you are raising 75 corn snakes and 100 bearded dragons you have to raise the rats and mice to feed them. The best thing about jacksons is that give live berth and veilds take about 6 month to incubate. You can put the eggs in either vermiculite or perlite. Just dont get it to wet you will mold the eggs.
Good luck with your adventure.