Top 6 Mistakes Pet Chameleon Owners Make
While that is not necessarily a bad thing, many of these people underestimate the work that goes into owning a pet chameleon and this results in most pet chameleons dying within the first week of purchase. To help you avoid this, I’ve put together a list of the top 6 mistakes that pet chameleon owners tend to make.
Not Being Home Enough. Chameleons require careful observation (as you’re going to learn) but you must also be there to turn their light on/off and to mist them. That means you will not be able to stay away from your home for longer than 12 hours. Of course, there are some exceptions like using automatic lighting and watering systems. However, even with these systems in place you will still need to plan on not being away for long
Putting Two Chameleons Close To Each Other. Chameleons are very territorial and hate company, including humans and other chameleons. Even members of the opposite sex will fight each other over territory
Thinking of Owning a Chameleon or Already Have One?
The chameleon stands out as one of the most astonishingly bizarre creatures among all lizards, and this peculiarity undoubtedly accounts for their widespread popularity in private collections. Their unique characteristics have captivated pet enthusiasts, prompting a strong desire to include these fascinating creatures in their personal collections.
Handling the Chameleon. Chameleons do not really like to be handled so it’s best to only observe them. There are a few exceptions to this rule of course, however, unnecessary handling will stress out the chameleon and shorten its life. Before you touch your chameleon, make sure you are aware of the correct technique of handling it
Not Realizing When The Chameleon Is Stressed. A chameleon’s camouflage is natural to it so the lizard’s instincts inherently cause it to remain still when experiencing stress. This makes it difficult to notice when something’s wrong.
Not Providing a High-Variety Diet. A chameleon cannot thrive on a diet that is made up on only two to three different insects. I doesn’t matter if you powder these insects with supplements and ensure they are rich in nutrients. Chameleons love a variety of insects and there is absolutely no reason to limit a chameleon to a mere three different insects.
Providing an Enclosure That Is Too Small. Even though chameleons might not seem to move around a lot, they still require a large habitat to thrive in. They need places to hide so if you just throw a chameleon into an aquarium with a couple of twigs, it will become very stressed. The habitat must have plenty of greenery and a lot of twigs to climb on. The best option is to build the habitat yourself by using a fish aquarium. Provide ventilation, heavy plant cover, and at least one basking area. You must also ensure that all reachable areas are at least 12 inches from the basking lamp. In the “Chameleon Care Guide”, you can find an explanation of all the factors that you need to consider when constructing your chameleon’s enclosure.
