Chameleon Care
When welcoming one of these fascinating creatures into our homes we need to consider how best to re-create their natural environment. Some of these factors include caging, lighting, heat, diet and nutrition, which are all extremely important for maintaining chameleons' health and quality of life.
The methods and products listed below are what we use here with each one of our chameleons. While there are a variety of methods used by other breeders, we have found that this is what ultimately works best for our animals!
The methods and products listed below are what we use here with each one of our chameleons. While there are a variety of methods used by other breeders, we have found that this is what ultimately works best for our animals!
Enclosure Requirements
When considering your chameleon's home it is important to think about their specific needs as well as the overall appearance and size of the cage. Screen cages are required because they allow for plenty of air flow that is necessary for the chameleon's delicate respiratory system. In addition, chameleons are solitary animals and become easily stressed when seeing another chameleon. Glass cages pose the risk of putting the chameleon in a constant state of stress due to the fact they catch glimpses of their reflections in the glass. Screen enclosures eliminate this risk.
In our opinion no enclosure could ever be too large for your chameleon so the bigger the area you can provide the better. Minimal space recommendations are as follows as well as links to where these cages can be purchased:
Juvenile Chameleons: 16in x 16in x 30in
Zoo Med ReptiBreeze Open Air Screen Cage, Medium, 16 x 16 x 30-Inches
Adult Females: 18in x 18in x 36in
Zoo Med ReptiBreeze Open Air Screen Cage, Large, 18 x 18 x 36-Inches
Adult Males: 24in x 24in x 48in
Zoo Med ReptiBreeze Open Air Screen Cage, Extra Large, 24 x 24 x 48-Inches
In our opinion no enclosure could ever be too large for your chameleon so the bigger the area you can provide the better. Minimal space recommendations are as follows as well as links to where these cages can be purchased:
Juvenile Chameleons: 16in x 16in x 30in
Zoo Med ReptiBreeze Open Air Screen Cage, Medium, 16 x 16 x 30-Inches
Adult Females: 18in x 18in x 36in
Zoo Med ReptiBreeze Open Air Screen Cage, Large, 18 x 18 x 36-Inches
Adult Males: 24in x 24in x 48in
Zoo Med ReptiBreeze Open Air Screen Cage, Extra Large, 24 x 24 x 48-Inches
We also highly recommend Dragon Strand cages. While they are more expensive, they include a lot of extra features that make keeping chameleons easier and more efficient so if budget is not an issue a Dragon Strand cage would be the best option. You can check them out here:
Dragon Strand Chameleon Caging Systems
Dragon Strand Chameleon Caging Systems
Cage Décor
In our opinion, setting up the inside of a chameleon's cage is one of the most rewarding and enjoyable parts of chameleon ownership! By using a configuration of live plants, branches and vines you can create a mini-paradise for your magnificent friend! For great inspiration we suggest doing an internet search of chameleons in their natural habitat in Madagascar. The sky's the limit to what you can create when you use nature to get your ideas!
Plants
When selecting plants for your enclosure ensure that they are non-toxic for your chameleon, as some will occasionally chomp on the leaves. The best places to purcase plants include local nurseries or home and garden centers.
After you select and purchase the plants you would like to include in your enclosure it is necessary to repot the plants in organic soil and treat the plants to ensure they do not contain pesticide or harmful fertilizers.
This can be done quite easily buy rinsing the leaves very well with tepid water and wiping them down well with a cloth or paper towels. Do this several times over the leaves to ensure it is safe your chameleon. Once this step is complete you will be ready to turn your chameleon cage into a jungle home!
Check out a few of our favorite plants to use below:
After you select and purchase the plants you would like to include in your enclosure it is necessary to repot the plants in organic soil and treat the plants to ensure they do not contain pesticide or harmful fertilizers.
This can be done quite easily buy rinsing the leaves very well with tepid water and wiping them down well with a cloth or paper towels. Do this several times over the leaves to ensure it is safe your chameleon. Once this step is complete you will be ready to turn your chameleon cage into a jungle home!
Check out a few of our favorite plants to use below:
Schefflera Aribicola, "Umbrella Plant"
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Radamachera, "China Doll Plant"
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Hibiscus
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Monstera Deliciosa plant
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Chamaedorea Cataractarum, "Cascade Palm Plant"
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Ficus Benjamina, "Weeping FigTree"
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Branches & Vines
A few guidelines to go by when selecting wood for your enclosure include size, number and placement of branches and vines. We always include a minimum of 8 branches and 2 or more long vines in each chameleon cage. These can be collected from the outdoors. The more naturalistic elements you use in the enclosure, the better. Plus it's free! Our favorite branches to use include oak, ficus, curly willow, and crab apple. Avoid all types of trees that have heavy sap, and especially pine trees). Make sure to keep the size of your chameleon's feet in mind when selecting the branches - you want to make sure they will be very easy for your chameleon to grab onto and walk along.
Also, be sure to treat branches and vines thoroughly before placing them in the enclosure. There are many great videos on You Tube that show several different methods on how to prepare the wood to be used in a reptile enclosure. Check them out to find the method that works best for your situation.
Once your branches and vines are treated they will be ready to be installed into your chameleon's enclosure. The branches allow for a place for the chameleon to comfortably perch on and the vines serve as pathways that they can use to navigate easily all throughout the cage.
When considering placement of branches it is necessary to place the highest branch a few inches down in the cage so that the chameleon cannot get too close to the basking light. If the branches are too high up it is possible for chameleons to burn themselves, even if the light is not directly touching their skin.
From there, stagger branches in layers about 6 inches apart all the way down to the base of the cage. This allows for the chameleon to have many comfortable places to sit within each heat gradient of the cage. It is just as important for them to have access to cooler spots as it is for them to have a basking spot so that they can regulate their temperatures as needed throughout the day.
The branches can be secured by placing thumbtacks on the outsides of the cage through the screen. Another solution is a wonderful invention called Dragon Strand ledges! These ledges secure to the inside of the metal frames of the screen cage and allow for a very easy way to mount branches without damaging the screen of the cage.
Check them out here:
Dragon Strand Ledges
Also, be sure to treat branches and vines thoroughly before placing them in the enclosure. There are many great videos on You Tube that show several different methods on how to prepare the wood to be used in a reptile enclosure. Check them out to find the method that works best for your situation.
Once your branches and vines are treated they will be ready to be installed into your chameleon's enclosure. The branches allow for a place for the chameleon to comfortably perch on and the vines serve as pathways that they can use to navigate easily all throughout the cage.
When considering placement of branches it is necessary to place the highest branch a few inches down in the cage so that the chameleon cannot get too close to the basking light. If the branches are too high up it is possible for chameleons to burn themselves, even if the light is not directly touching their skin.
From there, stagger branches in layers about 6 inches apart all the way down to the base of the cage. This allows for the chameleon to have many comfortable places to sit within each heat gradient of the cage. It is just as important for them to have access to cooler spots as it is for them to have a basking spot so that they can regulate their temperatures as needed throughout the day.
The branches can be secured by placing thumbtacks on the outsides of the cage through the screen. Another solution is a wonderful invention called Dragon Strand ledges! These ledges secure to the inside of the metal frames of the screen cage and allow for a very easy way to mount branches without damaging the screen of the cage.
Check them out here:
Dragon Strand Ledges
Dragon Strand Ledge | Photo credit, Dragon Strand
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Cage with Dragon Strand Ledges installed | Photo credit, Dragon Strand
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UVB Lighting & Fixtures
It is of great importance to have proper UVB lighting for your chameleon. Without this, chameleons will develop a very painful, debilitating, incurable disease called Metabolic Bone Disease. Serious as it is, it can be very easily prevented by simply providing the proper lighting. It is important to use a linear light fixture and bulb, NOT a compact bulb that screws into a regular light bulb socket fixture. We recommend using either of the UVB light fixtures and bulbs listed below. We have experience using both and are happy with the results we have seen in our own chameleons.
Amazon:
Reptisun UVB Fixture and Bulbs
Amazon:
Reptisun UVB Fixture and Bulbs
Pangea Reptile:
Pangea Reptile UVB light fixtures & Bulbs For this option you will select the length of the fixture you need; it should run the whole top length of your cage. Next you will need to select the correct UVB bulb. For cages 18x18x24 or smaller we use the 6% UVB output and for any cage larger than that we use the 12% UVB output. The Pangea lights and fixtures are less expensive than other brands and do not need to be changed as frequently (They should be changed every 9 months to a year while most other brands that you will find in pet stores need to be changed every 6 months). Pangea Reptile does not always have these specific fixtures and bulbs in stock though which is why we have also listed the Zoo Med Reptisun ones.
Pangea Reptile UVB light fixtures & Bulbs For this option you will select the length of the fixture you need; it should run the whole top length of your cage. Next you will need to select the correct UVB bulb. For cages 18x18x24 or smaller we use the 6% UVB output and for any cage larger than that we use the 12% UVB output. The Pangea lights and fixtures are less expensive than other brands and do not need to be changed as frequently (They should be changed every 9 months to a year while most other brands that you will find in pet stores need to be changed every 6 months). Pangea Reptile does not always have these specific fixtures and bulbs in stock though which is why we have also listed the Zoo Med Reptisun ones.
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WARNING!!!
Do NOT under any circumstances use the spiral, light bulb style UVB light pictured here that comes in many of the commercial chameleon kits available at pet stores. You can use the fixtures for your basking lights (which should just be a normal incandescent light from the hardware store or plant bulb that emits heat as well), but do not screw a light that advertises UVB or a specific color (blue light, red light, etc) into it. They do not supply the correct amount of UVB for the specific needs of chameleons. Chameleons WILL become sick with metabolic bone disease and possibly other illnesses as well if this incorrect lighting is used. We professionals in the chameleon community are working very hard to educate pet stores on this and to have this item pulled from the chameleon care kits. Please do not make this mistake by the false advertising on the box or trying to save a few dollars. We care about you and your chameleon very much. We would hate to see your chameleon hurt and you sad!
To learn more about metabolic bone disease in chameleons, it's prevention or to get help, please visit the Sweet Pea Foundation for MBD.
Sweet Pea, a chameleon with Metabolic Bone Disease | Photo credit, Marianna Bolin
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Basking
In addition to providing a proper UVB light source for your chameleon you will also need to provide a heat source. Chameleons require heat gradients within the cage to regulate their temperatures during the day.
Adult Panther Chameleons: Basking spot: 87-90 degrees
Ambient cage temperature: 75-82 degrees
Juvenile panther chameleons require a basking spot of 85 degrees since their bodies are so much smaller they tend to overheat easily.
Special Note: Chameleons do not require a heat source at night and an evening drop in temperature, even down into the low 60's, is beneficial to their health.
Here at Cloud 9 Chameleons we use incandescent plant lights in place of basking bulbs because they not only provide a great source of heat but also help maintain the health of the plants in the enclosures. A win-win for sure!
Special Note: Regardless of the basking source you chose, the specialty reptile basking lights that are seen in pet stores are greatly overpriced and you can just as easily achieve proper basking temperatures using a regular incandescent bulb from the hardware store.
Here is the bulb we use:
PHILIPS Incandescent Light Bulb for Plants
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If you do not already have a heat lamp fixture, for a 18x18x24 cage or smaller we recommend the one below. It is smaller and allows for a large enough basking area without causing the entire cage to overheat. It also comes with a dimmer switch so that it can be customized to the proper basking temperature as this can vary depending on age and species of your chameleon, cage used, household temperatures, change of seasons and placement of cage in the home. It is also very affordable!
Fluker's Repta-Clamp Lamp (with dimable switch) For larger enclosures we use the fixture below as it provides a larger basking area and more output of heat to accommodate larger spaces: Fluker's Repta-Clamp Lamp Ceramic with (Dimmable Switch) |
Fluker's Clamp Lamp with Dimmer - 5.5"
Fluker's Clamp Lamp, 8.5"
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To accurately gauge the temperatures in different areas of the chameleon's cage we suggest using an infrared temperature gun. The one we use here is listed below.
AstroAI Digital Laser Infrared Thermometer |
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Water and Humidity
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It is important to provide your chameleon with access to clean drinking water throughout each day. Chameleons will not drink from standing water in a bowl, rather they lick droplets of water off of the leaves in their cages. To ensure that your chameleon always has access to water, we highly suggest purchasing an automatic mister that will go off at timed increments throughout the day. Here is the one we like:
Monsoon Mist System |
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Humidity levels in the cage should be between 50-90% during the day and should be between 70%-90% at night. You can measure humidity levels using a humidity gage. We like this one:
Hygrometer Thermometer |
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It is possible to maintain proper humidity levels with the help of a mist system and also placing live plants inside the enclosure. If you are struggling with keeping the humidity levels up at night it is benifical to use a fogger. We really like this one:
Coospider Reptile Fogger |
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A note on water quality: As with all animals, it is important to provide good quality water that is not contaminated with things like chlorine, fluoride or other toxins and heavy metals. We suggest either purchasing distilled water or using a water conditioner. An effective one can be found here:
Reptisafe |
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Automate it!
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Life gets busy and with things like school, work, kids, date night, etc. it can be REALLY easy to forget to turn on the chameleon's lights in the morning and off again at night. However due to the very sensitive nature of these animals it is required that they get the proper amount of heat and uvb light every day. If they do not it is detrimental to their health and can quickly result in sickness or even death. We highly recommend getting a timed outlet that will turn the lights on and off for you at the proper times. Panther chameleons require approximately 12 hours of light each day depending on the season. We time our lights to go on at 8:00am and of again at 8:00pm. We use and are very happy with the timed outlet power strip below. It is very easy to set up and works perfectly every time!
Outlet Power Strip with Timer |
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Diet
Painted grasshopper in Madagascar | Photo credit, Corbin Dunn
While the food we feed to our chameleons here is not nearly as intriguing as what Madagascar has to offer, we do try our very best to provide them with the most nutritious and appetizing diet possible!
We feed our chameleons a vast array of insects including:
Dubia Roaches, crickets, grasshoppers, silk worms, moths, superworms, mantises, black soldier flies, and hornworms as a treat. We DO NOT feed other types of worms (mealworms, wax worms, or butterworms, etc.) because they are not good for chameleon health. To purchase any of these insects in bulk and have them shipped right to your doorstep we recommend the following companies:
Crickets and Superworms:
Ghann's Cricket Farm
(Make sure you are ordering superworms and not meal worms. They look very similar but mealworms are not good for chameleons)!
Black soldier flies and Dubia roaches:
Dubiaroaches.com
Silkworms:
BeastMode Silkworms
Hornworms:
Great Lakes Hornworm
Only use hornworms once in a while, as a treat!
How much food, how often:
Babies (1-4 months old)
Here at Cloud 9 we feed our babies 3 times a day as many insects as they will consume. Typically babies eat about 10 to 12 bugs per feeding. It is almost impossible to overfeed a baby chameleon, so as long as we see them eating, we continue adding more food. Our babies are fed fruitflies bean beetles and pinhead crickets the first 2 months and then graduate to 1/8 inch crickets, tiny silk worms, black soldier fly larvae and baby dubia roaches. When babies are big enough to eat 1/4 inch crickets they are old enough to leave The Cloud and go to their new homes. This is typically between 3-4 months old.
Juveniles (4-12 months old)
Juvenile panther chameleons are fed once a day and can eat approximately 10-12 insects per day. We feed our juveniles 1/4 - 1/2 in crickets, small dubia roaches, silk worms, small grasshoppers and black soldier flies.
Adults (1+ years)
When feeding adult males it is very important to remember that reptiles are not like people and do not need to eat every day. It is very easy to overfeed an adult chameleon and it can lead to health complications that can shorten their lifespans. Females that are overfed can become egg-bound and die as a result of overfeeding. Males (as well as females) can develop fatty liver which greatly diminishes their quality of life and can shorten it by several years. Here we feed our adults every other day. We chose from a variety of feeders including large crickets, medium dubia roaches, silkworms, grasshoppers and wild-caught insects such as flies, bees, locusts, cicadas and mantises. If a very large insect is fed, we only feed one. If the insect is medium sized we feed 3-6 depending on the size. We never offer more than 6 insects at a time and we keep the number closer to 4 for gravid females.
If you have any questions on how much to feed your panther chameleon or what insects are safe to feed, please send us a message and we will help you to set up the proper feeding schedule and diet for your scaly friend!
We feed our chameleons a vast array of insects including:
Dubia Roaches, crickets, grasshoppers, silk worms, moths, superworms, mantises, black soldier flies, and hornworms as a treat. We DO NOT feed other types of worms (mealworms, wax worms, or butterworms, etc.) because they are not good for chameleon health. To purchase any of these insects in bulk and have them shipped right to your doorstep we recommend the following companies:
Crickets and Superworms:
Ghann's Cricket Farm
(Make sure you are ordering superworms and not meal worms. They look very similar but mealworms are not good for chameleons)!
Black soldier flies and Dubia roaches:
Dubiaroaches.com
Silkworms:
BeastMode Silkworms
Hornworms:
Great Lakes Hornworm
Only use hornworms once in a while, as a treat!
How much food, how often:
Babies (1-4 months old)
Here at Cloud 9 we feed our babies 3 times a day as many insects as they will consume. Typically babies eat about 10 to 12 bugs per feeding. It is almost impossible to overfeed a baby chameleon, so as long as we see them eating, we continue adding more food. Our babies are fed fruitflies bean beetles and pinhead crickets the first 2 months and then graduate to 1/8 inch crickets, tiny silk worms, black soldier fly larvae and baby dubia roaches. When babies are big enough to eat 1/4 inch crickets they are old enough to leave The Cloud and go to their new homes. This is typically between 3-4 months old.
Juveniles (4-12 months old)
Juvenile panther chameleons are fed once a day and can eat approximately 10-12 insects per day. We feed our juveniles 1/4 - 1/2 in crickets, small dubia roaches, silk worms, small grasshoppers and black soldier flies.
Adults (1+ years)
When feeding adult males it is very important to remember that reptiles are not like people and do not need to eat every day. It is very easy to overfeed an adult chameleon and it can lead to health complications that can shorten their lifespans. Females that are overfed can become egg-bound and die as a result of overfeeding. Males (as well as females) can develop fatty liver which greatly diminishes their quality of life and can shorten it by several years. Here we feed our adults every other day. We chose from a variety of feeders including large crickets, medium dubia roaches, silkworms, grasshoppers and wild-caught insects such as flies, bees, locusts, cicadas and mantises. If a very large insect is fed, we only feed one. If the insect is medium sized we feed 3-6 depending on the size. We never offer more than 6 insects at a time and we keep the number closer to 4 for gravid females.
If you have any questions on how much to feed your panther chameleon or what insects are safe to feed, please send us a message and we will help you to set up the proper feeding schedule and diet for your scaly friend!
Vitamins & Supplements
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Proper heat and lighting is just one component to maintaining your chameleon's health and coloration. Feeding your chameleon and providing the proper supplements is equally important. While there are many different types of vitamins and supplements and schedules that are debated in the chameleon community today, we choose to feed our feeder insects (crickets and dubia roaches) with organic kale, dandelion greens, mustard greens, apples, berries and a manufactured blend of dry feed that contains very important components such as spirulina and bee pollen. It can be found here:
Roach World Premium Roach Chow for Dubia & Crickets with Super Foods |
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In addition to feeding insects healthy food prior to offering them to our chameleons, it is also necessary to dust them with vitamins and supplements. This is a crucial step that cannot be skipped! We (very lightly) dust all of our insects with calcium without D3 every day with the exception of the 1st and 15th each month. On those days we (very lightly) dust feeders with Reptivite with D3. This tried and true vitamin and supplement regimen has worked for us and provided our chameleons with optimum health and longevity for many years! Both of these products can be found on Amazon: Calcium w/o D3 Reptivite |
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We're here to help every step of the way!
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