# Vielded chameleon



## Morpheus uk

Might begettin one, any tips?

I know they eat insects but heard they also eat vegatables aswell?


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## Orin

Morpheus uk said:


> Might begettin one, any tips?I know they eat insects but heard they also eat vegatables aswell?


Some adults chow down on fruits, most will chew on leaves but young ones are pretty much strict insectivores. They are really an amazing animal but are a bit fiesty.


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## Morpheus uk

Yeah, got one in the end yesterday!

They had the parent out and they were hissing away lol, thier incredible!


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## Morpheus uk




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## macro junkie

how much did u pay for it..


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## macro junkie

i read there hard to keep..?your bug crazy..u have all sorts now..lol


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## Andrew

Awwww, what a cute little cham. :lol: I've been thinking about raising a couple in my greenhouse(caged) this summer after it gets established.


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## Mantida

I read on your flickr that you've never kept reptiles before - then good luck! Veiled chameleons are one of the HARDEST herps to keep and are not for beginners. One mistake can easily kill them even though they are the hardiest of chameleons to keep. What cage do you have it in? They need cages that are higher than wide that are screen instead of glass. They can be injured and stressed easily in a glass cage and during handling especially when they are little, so keep it to a minimum. As your cham grows, it definately needs a screen cage - they cannot stand to see their reflection in the glass (will attack it and hurt themselves). They need UVA/B flourscent lighting, a regular light for basking (80-90 degrees @ basking area for young chams), a very stable humidity level of 30-50% yet with a really good airflow, and calcium and vitamin supplement as well as a varied diet. Adults can eat pinkie mice also.


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## macro junkie

lmao..and theres me thinking i want one..u have just woke me up..im a beginer this isnt for me.i would love to shoot it tho with my lens,


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## Morpheus uk

Lol, thx all, my dad had lizards in the past, had a big ol iguarna, yep we got all the stuff now, but just need the fitting for the tube, oh yeah they`re in one of those flexarium all netted tanks


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## Mantida

Morpheus uk said:


> Lol, thx all, my dad had lizards in the past, had a big ol iguarna, yep we got all the stuff now, but just need the fitting for the tube, oh yeah they`re in one of those flexarium all netted tanks


That's awesome, do take photos when the little guy/gal grows up!


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## Rick

I always liked all species of them. There is one at a local store I have been eyeing. That one you have is tiny. If this is your first and they're hard to keep I hope it works out. You should always fully research a future pet before getting one. I keep herps and many of them require special lighting, supplements, etc. Good luck.


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## Morpheus uk

Thx all, got everything sorted and researched as much as i could, my dad sorts most of it out for his anyway


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## Orin

Morpheus uk said:


> Thx all, got everything sorted and researched as much as i could, my dad sorts most of it out for his anyway


Many suggestions aren't really necessary, here's what you do need:

1. 60watt bulb with a basking branch (bulb should be within 4-6 inches of the branch). Use a full-spectrum bulb, I just use the 'reveal' and consimilars available at most stores.

2. Calcium with vitamin D3 to dust food once or twice a week.

3. Pretty much a daily misting and feeding, they can go without one or both for days but only if they're healthy from regular food and water.

Though it's not the best cage you can grow them up healthy in a 10gallon with screen lid as long as the above requirements are met.


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## Morpheus uk

Yep, what im doing so far, have a nice little basking spot


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## Orin

Rick said:


> I always liked all species of them. There is one at a local store I have been eyeing. That one you have is tiny. If this is your first and they're hard to keep I hope it works out. You should always fully research a future pet before getting one. I keep herps and many of them require special lighting, supplements, etc. Good luck.


How much is the one at the local store? Check this out:

http://www.bidabug.org/auction/APViewInCat.asp?ID=14


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## Rick

Orin said:


> How much is the one at the local store? Check this out:http://www.bidabug.org/auction/APViewInCat.asp?ID=14


It is a different species. Next time I am in there I will look. But they want $85 and he is much bigger than the one posted here. But that one is cheap Orin. May have to get one now.


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## Mantida

$15 for a vieled chameleon baby? Wow! The one at Petco was around $100 for one that looked around 6 months...


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## macro junkie

Morpheus uk said:


> Yep, what im doing so far, have a nice little basking spot


u didnt answer my Q :angry: how much did u pay for it?


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## Morpheus uk

Woops thouht i did, £25


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## macro junkie

Morpheus uk said:


> Woops thouht i did, £25


i would love to get one for macro work..but i dont think id be able to look after it right..


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## Midderz

Morpheus uk said:


>


Lovely i want one


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## Rick

I read some caresheets for these guys and they're really not difficult to keep if you're familair with caring for reptiles that need special lighting, supplements, etc. However some say they should not be housed in a glass enclosure due to seeing their reflection. I have a large glass/screen enclosure that is not being used. The top and sides are screen and I wonder if that would work.


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## Birdfly

They are the easiest species of chameleons to keep, Neonates do better in a small aquarium with a 100% net lid as they need a bit more humidity than adults. As juveniles they can/should be "potted" up into a 100% net cage as they need good ventilation. This species has been reported to drink from a bowl of water and indeed mine did but they have to learn it, they normally recognise the light reflected from drops of water and drink from these if not sprayed directly, every day.

If you buy one of those low wattage garden ornamental water features and take the pump out you can sit it in a shallow tray of water and the chameleon will recognise the droplets scattered around it and drink from these whilst slowly learning to drink from the bowl.

As a neonate it is recomended that you just feed fly species at least for a while as those fed crickets have been known to regularily regurgitate them causeing varying degrees of dehydration. After that crickets are not a problem but i would recommmend feeding all the different species you can in the early/safe days as all of mine would not exept crickets they had not learnt to exept/recognise as food then.

They do positively thrive in captivity and this can lead to a short life in females, wild females lay 20 or so eggs in the wild but due to the better captive environment they can lay up to ninety (90) and this can lead to calcium deficiencies amongst others.

As mentioned above and before a good full spectrum flourescent tube is a must as is a good calcium/vit powder.

You will do well Morpheus with this species, I cant believe you payed £25 for her as they normally go for £45-£55 get a male


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## Morpheus uk

Heheheh, thx Birdfly

Im worried that i havent seen them drink yet, been sprayed everyday though, i`ll try to get flies then as ive seen a few hovering around, are wild caught livefood safe though?


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## Birdfly

Hard to say Morpheus, i catch wild flies, moths, bee's etc for my mantids all summer long cause they are better obviously, i have not had an unexplainable death yet but thats not to say it couldnt happen, best stick with captive raised curly wing flies for a while, pm me your address and i'll send you up my bluebottle pupae.

I noticed you said "they" or "them" have you got a pair? if so well done, you'll not regret it, males have such a big head crest, they look fantastic as adults.


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## Morpheus uk

Wow thx Birdfly  

Bit tiny my chm though isnt she? not sure what she can tckle yet as im used to feeding mantids crix half thier size lol, so being real cautous and feeding my cham tiny crix, sadly not a m/f pair, me and my dad got 2 females from a breeder in over here in gloucestershire, if i do well with my little beauty i hope to try and track down a male, she came from a batch of 86!


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## pedro92

Chams are not easy as everyone thinks i own a veiled cham. Go to chameleonforums.com and research. They take alot of money time and care. I have pics of them shooting tongue and drinking and many other things


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## pedro92

here is another picture. how do you delete previously posted attachments


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## Birdfly

No chameleons on the whole are tricky, expensive, time consuming etc but _calyptratus_ is very easy compared to the others  

You should have some years of reptile husbandry under the belt before trying these however


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## macro junkie

after all this time u still arnt hatching your own flys or making your own cultures TUT TUT


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## Morpheus uk

Who?

Just checked my ff, all of them can bloody fly!!!!!!


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## macro junkie

Morpheus uk said:


> Who?Just checked my ff, all of them can bloody fly!!!!!!


i keep readin u say"theres no insect in the garden"i would of thought by now u would be buying maggots and hatching your own..also if there flying buy a new culture for 2.50£. http://www.livefoodsdirect.co.uk/products.asp?dept=1009 your not still using that same culture i sent u months ago..? lol hahahah man that thing must be gloged up wth dead flys and casters..i bet its a right mess..lol


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## macro junkie

oh i want to shoot your lizard so bad..get your dad to drive u to mine.il take some pics then u can drive home :lol:


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## pedro92

macro junkie said:


> oh i want to shoot your lizard so bad..get your dad to drive u to mine.il take some pics then u can drive home :lol:


Whos lizard???


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## macro junkie

Chameleonare said:


> Whos lizard???


morpheus uk..


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## pedro92

macro junkie said:


> morpheus uk..


oh ok. I will be buying a panther very soon im so excited this will be my 2nd chameleon i built their cages and it turned out awesome


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