Panther
chameleons are one of the prettiest chameleons. They are also know to
be the most hardy of chameleons and the easiest for first time
chameleon owners. The information here is only a brief description of
what is required to care for your new chameleons and I would
recommend you learn as much as possible to maintain that your
chameleon be as happy as possible.
Housing
Requirements:
Babies can be kept in glass aquariums with a
screen top. Juveniles, Sub Adults and Adults should be kept in all
screen cages. The cage should be kept vertical, not horizontal. Cage
size recommendation 18" x 18" x 36" But general rule
is bigger is always better. The cages should be kept with foliage and
sturdy climbing and perching sights and branches. Ficus and Hibiscus
are good plants.
We
use paper towels on the bottom of the cage, easier for cleaning and
no chance of the chameleons eating a substrate during feeding. It
also helps me to monitor fecal matter.
Chameleons
are solitaire animals and should be house individually once they hit
about 6 months old. They should only be kept together during a
breeding session…and PLEASE do not breed blood
related chameleons!
Temperature and Humidity:
The ideal temperature for Panthers should be 70F to 75F, with a basking area to reach 90F to 95F. A 10 degree temperature drop at night is recommended.
The
ideal humidity range should be at 40% to 50%. We accomplish this by
frequently misting the leaves of the cage with a spray bottle. We use
very warm water and my chameleons enjoy the shower on themselves as
well.
Lighting:
Panther
chameleons require UV radiation lighting in order to metabolize
calcium. They also need a heat lamp in on corner where they can bask
for heat. We use ZooMed REPTISUN 5.0 UVB light and a 60 watt heat
bulb. Babies
should have lower wattage basking areas, to only use 30 to 40 watt
blubs.
Feeding
and Hydration:
Our chameleons are fed daily. We gut load our crickets, waxworms and mealworms with Nature Zone Cricket Bites and Sticky Tongue Farms Mineral All. Make sure you are gut loading your insects with a calcium supply. I put about 5 - 6 crickets in the cage at a time. Babies I feed more frequently. Twice a day. Most chameleons will eat right from your hand if you hold the insect very still.
Our chameleons are fed daily. We gut load our crickets, waxworms and mealworms with Nature Zone Cricket Bites and Sticky Tongue Farms Mineral All. Make sure you are gut loading your insects with a calcium supply. I put about 5 - 6 crickets in the cage at a time. Babies I feed more frequently. Twice a day. Most chameleons will eat right from your hand if you hold the insect very still.
Chameleons
will NOT drink standing water. They get their source
of water from Dew and Rain in their natural environment. We immitate
this by using a drip system in one corner of my cage, drip water for
them two to three times a day. They get their drink from the leaves,
use a tupperwear dish underneath the dripping area to catch the waste
and dispose the old water daily.
Please
remember, chameleons can become very stressed if handled too much and
if they are left living withother chameleons.