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Warning: Read This Before Planning To Buy and Raise a Chameleon (Or Else...) If you're planning to buy a chameleon and raise it in your house, then you must know some critical information about caring for it or you and your chameleon are in for some tough times. This is because there are many factors that come in play when raising a chameleon such as housing, diet, health, cleaning and other necessary preparations which can cause lots of headaches if done wrong. For example: The first thing you have to figure out if you're buying a chameleon from a reputable seller. Did your seller breed the chameleon him/herself? This is important because captive bred chameleons have less occurrence of parasites or disease. What's more, captive bred chameleons are more controlled and are in better health than wild caught chameleons. You should inspect the living arrangement of the chameleons you are buying from. If they were raised in a fish tank with little ventilation, this is a huge warning sign that the seller does not know how to take care of a chameleon. They should be raised in a enclosure with adequate lighting schedules and an enclosure that is well-taken care of. Also, most experienced sellers usually sell chameleons which are 6 weeks to 2 months old as they have a higher chance of survival and the breeders started the chameleon on a healthy diet and lighting schedule. With that out of the way, you need to figure out if you have enough space in your home to raise the chameleon. You are going to need an enclosure and set up space that is a low traffic area as chameleons are easily stressed. Typically, enclosures should be around 4-5 feet tall 3-4 feet wide and 2-3 feet of space so shop around for enclosures and see if it will fit your home. I recommend a nicely screened enclosure for circulation. Next comes all the tools and equipment you need to house a chameleon. You're going to probably want to buy a enclosure, set up UV fluorescent lighting and plants around 3-4 feet tall. You will have to setup up plants so that there are areas of high heat (closer exposure to the UV lighting) and cool air so your chameleon can warm up or cool down. You'll also need to buy some artificial limbs for the plants so your chameleon can move around. And finally, you need to figure out if you're going to have the time and dedication to take care of your chameleon like all other pets. You must check the temperature of your enclosure daily, monitor the humidity, clean the living space of your chameleon every 1-2 weeks and set up a lighting schedule to mimic natural sunlight schedules. You must also gut load and buy food (insects) for your chameleon and make sure you feed your chameleon on a schedule. Chameleons need to be carefully watched to monitor their health. If they have swollen joints, sunken eyes, sores on their mouth or body, it's a sign of poor health and you need to have a chameleon-friendly vet in hand. If chameleons fascinate you, I definitely recommend you do some research and look at what's required to raise them. While it seems like there's a lot of things to do, chameleons can be easy to raise once everything is set up. Technology such as drip water systems, humidity monitors, and light scheduling systems now make taking care of them easier. With these tips in mind, you can feel secure in your purchase and know what to expect from raising a chameleon. |