Chameleon Care Sheet

Chameleons are lizards that are commonly kept as pets but are usually fairly difficult to care for. The most common chameleon kept in captivity is the veiled chameleon. The veiled chameleon is native to the Middle East ranging from Yemen to Saudi Arabia. This particular chameleon requires very specific care and a fair amount of time to devote to daily maintenance. An adult veiled chameleon will need a fairly large area in which to live. The enclosure should measure at least 3' L x 2' W x 3' H, at a minimum. With this species an all screen-sided enclosure works the best. Veiled chameleons are an arboreal species, meaning they prefer vertical space to horizontal space. Being adapted to this arboreal lifestyle, the veiled chameleon will need many branches, vines, and basking areas in which to perch. The branches have to be wide enough to support the weight of the chameleon but not so wide as to be uncomfortable for the chameleon to walk along. The branches and vines should be arranged to allow the chameleon access to all areas of the cage, but care should be taken not to overcrowd the enclosure. Remember, when collecting branches from the outdoors they must be sterilized properly before they can be used. To sterilize branches, scrub them with a dilute bleach solution, 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. Wash the branches off completely with clean water and leave them in direct sunlight to dry.

The enclosure should be well planted and a constant clean source of water should be available. Chameleons are omnivores, meaning they eat both plant and animal material. Chameleons will thrive on a diet consisting of fresh plants and gut-loaded insects dusted in a calcium supplement. Pothos is a plant that is tropical in nature, hardy, fairly attractive, and chameleons seem to find it rather tasty. They can also be bought at any local grocery store or Wal-Mart. Care should be taken however that no fertilizers or pesticides were used on the plant, as this could be toxic to your pet. Pothos are known for the their high oxalate content. Oxalate causes problems with calcium absorption so fresh greens should be offered to combat this. Also by dusting the crickets with calcium you increase the amount being ingested. Crickets have a calcium phosphorus balance of about 1:1 so dusting them before putting them in the enclosure gets them closer to a 2:1 ratio which is acceptable for this species. Although chameleons are omnivorous, the majority of their diet is made up of insects. These insects should be gut loaded, which means fed a very high nutritional valued diet within an hour of being eaten. The chameleon will use this added nutrition as well.

Do not, by any means house veiled chameleons together. They are not social in nature and have been known to be combative towards each other if housed together. Male veileds can be easily identified from birth. There is a small appendage that stems from the crux of the rear feet that is fleshy and triangular in shape. This is called a tarsal spur, and is a reliable method of sexing these types of chameleons. The only time veiled chameleons can be put together is during the brief time required for copulation. Otherwise these chameleons should never be together for fear one would get severely injured.

Veiled chameleons like really hot basking spots. The temperature in these areas should be maintained between 90ºand 105º F. The ambient air temperature should be kept in the 70’s during the night and through out the day warm up to the 80’s. Chameleons who do not have appropriate temperatures in their enclosures cannot properly thermoregulate. If this happens they can develop many health problems including respiratory and digestion problems. Make sure the basking area is secure and that the chameleon cannot actually touch the bulb. This poses a threat for thermal burns if it is exposed. With lighting in mind, it is important to provide chameleons with full-spectrum fluorescent lighting that emits UVB wavelengths. UVB, when processed by a chameleon, creates Vitamin D3. It is actually a little more complicated but to keep it simple remember, Vitamin D3 is created when ultra violet radiation is absorbed through a reptiles skin and a chemical reaction occurs. Vitamin D3 is important for calcium absorption, and without appropriate amounts of vitamin D3 chameleons will suffer from a calcium deficiency, which can lead to many metabolic problems including Metabolic Bone Disease. The best way to provide full-spectrum lighting with UVB in a captive situation is to have two fluorescent fixtures running the length of the enclosure. In one fixture, use a bulb that emits UVB, such as the ZooMed UVB 310 bulb. In the second fixture, use a full-spectrum fluorescent bulb such as a Vita-lite. Both of these bulbs must be replaced after 6 months, as their ability to emit true full-spectrum light diminishes over time.

No artificial light can be as effective as natural sunlight. Many reptile hobbyists recommend having an outdoor enclosure set-up for temporary basking retreats. If you live in a climate that is conducive to that or if you want to take them out in the summer months, you will want to have several aspects covered. First of all the outdoor enclosure must be secure. I’m not sure how happy a chameleon would be roaming around your neighborhood or being harassed by the neighborhood tomcat. Second there should be a shaded area so the chameleon can retreat to a cooler area if it becomes overheated. Also do not use a glass enclosure outside as it will reflect the sunlight and become entirely too hot for your chameleon to handle. Make sure that you have a water supply available to your chameleon and Last but not least, you should never leave a chameleon unattended outdoors for any length of time.

This is by no means an invasive study of veiled chameleons and is only a guide to get you started. If you feel this is the pet for you, make sure to speak with your veterinarian about caring for this type of animal. It would be a good idea to do a lot of research and get help from the experts before choosing a pet, especially when dealing with chameleons. Good luck and have fun; this species can be truly amazing to care for.