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Old World Chameleons
Captive Care and Breeding
Dr. Rob Coke, DVM
Old World Chameleons have long fascinated mankind with their independently rotating
eyes, their lightning fast tongues, and their psychedelic colour changes. Over the past
few decades, chameleons have been kept as a temporary pet -- living from a month to a
couple of years. Within the last five years, an increase in information regarding proper
nutrition, environmental conditions, and breeding has led to longer life spans with
individuals even over ten years old. The next five years should bring even greater
successes in the areas of husbandry and breeding.
Panther Chameleon - Chamaeleo pardalis - The Panther, or jungle, chameleon
originates from the northern part of Madagascar . They are the most colourful of the
chameleons sporting an array of colours from green to blue to red. They thrive in warm,
humid climates with a moderate seasonal fluctuation in temperature. In the wild, they
live in scrub forests (up to 10' tall) and on the edge of larger forests. These chameleons
are one of the species that are repopulating the areas where the rain forest has been
destroyed. They are fiercely territorial, especially during breeding season. Their vibrant
colors and hardiness are contributing to the increase in sales and captive ownership.
Veiled Chameleon - Chamaeleo calyptratus - The veiled chameleon originates from
the Yemen coast of Saudi Arabia. This environment is a mixture of extremes ranging the
arid desert to the temperate mountains. Veiled's are generally a hearty species because
they can tolerate either extreme; however, they do best somewhere in between.
Amongst themselves, veiled's are one of the most aggressive species; but towards
humans, they are one of the most docile species. These are the hardiest of the
chameleon species and make terrific pets.
Jackson 's Chameleon - Chamaeleo jacksonii xantholophus - The male Jackson 's
chameleon has three ominous looking horns protruding from his forehead. This variety of
chameleon originates in Kenya, Africa . The Jackson chameleon was recently introduced
to Hawaii, USA and supports a thriving population. They are a true mountain species
coming from mountainous areas that have temperate days and cool nights. Therefore,
they must not get too hot or too dry (i.e. > 60% daytime humidity and > 80% nighttime humidity).
General Care Environment
Chameleons tend to be territorial and prefer to be caged individually. They need to be
housed in large enclosures with trees, branches or vines and should not be able to be
see each other when caged apart. The presence of another chameleon in the same cage
or sight of another chameleon in another cage may cause extreme stress and predispose
them to illness.
An ideal cage size for an adult male is 2'L x 2'W x 4'H – they can tolerate a smaller
enclosure, but will thrive in larger cages (an adult does well in a cage 1.5'L x 1.5'W x
3'H). The ideal cage covering is a vinyl-coated, metal mesh. Un-coated wire welded
mesh may be used as an alternative. Hardware cloth is too rough and may cause injury
to the chameleons feet. Aluminum window screening is not recommended due to the
possibility of trapping and removing claws. The wire mesh needs to be ½" x ½ " or ½" x
1". The large mesh provides good ventilation, protection, and a visible barrier. The cage
should be set so that the top of the cage sits about six feet off the ground thereby
allowing the chameleon to perch above eye level – providing a sense of security and
reducing stress.
The best cage interior should attempt to mimic the chameleon's natural environment.
The inclusion of several plants and twigs provides hiding places and makes the
chameleon feel safe and secure. Potted plants that can be safely used include: Ficus,
Schefflera, Bougainvillaea, and Hibiscus. Other decorative plants may include ivy,
pothos, or ferns. Plastic plants may also be used to facilitate cleaning and hygiene but
may not appeal to aesthetics. Branches add to the cage environment and provide strong
support for the larger chameleons. The branches should be of varying size to mimic the
natural environment and prevent foot damage/strain. The overall cage design should
provide a natural flow to allow basking/shade sites, and water/food access. The most
important thing to remember is to avoid any potentially toxic plants or trees.
Lighting: Since chameleons are found in several types of habitats, a proper cage should
make use of different lighting schemes. A fluorescent light can be used as a basis of
overall lighting in the cage. The bulbs should be of a wide-spectrum, day-light type such
as: Vita-Lite, ESU Daylight, or ZooMed Repti-Sun 5-0. Remember that the basking light
you have placed (see below) also emits light. The best source of light is the sun. It is
recommended that chameleons be allowed access to unfiltered sunlight for an hour or
two a week (weather permitting). This provides natural levels of UV radiation allowing
sufficient UV light exposure (as with the fluorescent bulbs) to convert dietary vitamin D3
to its active form to allow the proper absorption of calcium.
Water: Chameleons must have access to a water source. In the wild chameleons will
drink morning dew drops or raindrops that collect on leafy surfaces. The best way to
provide this natural means of a water source is to mist/spray the cage plants two to four
times each day. Humidity can affect a chameleons hydration status. Humidity levels
should be around 40-60% for Panthers, higher for Jackson's, and lower for Veiled's. The
presence of live plants will aid in maintaining this level. Humidity can be enhanced with
the assistance of a cool-mist humidifier or a timed misting system (a greenhouse or a
manufactured type).
Other sources of water that have been used include the following: A dripping water
source can be made out of a plastic cup with a pinhole in the bottom, a medical I.V. bag
filled with spring water set to a slow drip, or one of the commercial water drippers.
Another water source, though not very effective, is a dish with an air stone set to bubble
the water to attract the chameleons attention. The BEST water source is still routine
misting/spraying three to four times a day. With any of the water sources, the best way
to make sure the chameleon is getting enough water is through visual signs of drinking
or physically watering the chameleon with a pipette or spraying water into their mouth
on the tongue.
Temperature: Chameleons come from various environments. Generally, the tolerated
ambient temperatures range from 70 to 85 degrees for Panthers and Veiled's and 60 to
78 for Jackson's (NEVER maintain Jackson 's above 82-84 degrees for long periods of
time). Chameleons prefer a temperature drop of about 10 degrees at night. They also
like to bask in the mornings to raise their body temperature. A spot light should be
placed above the cage to allow basking during the day for Panthers and Veiled's. The
wattage of the bulb needs to be low enough to allow only a 5 to 10 degree rise in
ambient temperature at the closest basking sight. A low wattage bulb will help to
prevent thermal burns, which can occur if a chameleon gets too close to a bulb emitting
too much heat. When placing chameleons outside for sunning, the temperature needs to
monitored to prevent them from getting too cold or too hot. A shade cloth or towel can
be placed over one end to allow the chameleon to hide from the sun when it gets too
hot. Alternatively, the cage can be set underneath the shade of a tree to allow a mix of
sunlight and shading. The best way to monitor the temperature is an indoor/outdoor
thermometer with a remote sensor probe. The main unit can be placed on the side of the
cage and the probe can be move around inside the cage to measure all of the various
temperatures to determine if they are in the proper range.
Diet
In the wild, the chameleon is an omnivore. They sit on tree limbs waiting for their next
meal to walk by. They will visually stalk or even climb after their prey. The eyes, which
rotate independently 360 degrees, fixate forward on potential prey. When prey is spotted
they coat their tongue with a sticky saliva, they open their mouth with their tongue
protruding slightly. The end of the tongue is a bundled, accordion folded muscle
surrounding a modified hyoid bone. When released the tongue, roughly the length of the
chameleons body, shoots out, sticks to, and essentially grabs the prey. The tongue then
retracts pulling the prey into the chameleons mouth.
Chameleons eat a varied diet consisting of flies, crickets, grasshoppers, butterflies,
silkworms, roaches, arachnids, waxworms, stick insects, mealworms, etc. The largest
species also can eat small mammals, small birds, and other lizards. In captivity, this
meal pattern is impractical. A staple diet of crickets (Acheta) can be supplemented with
a secondary food source of mealworms (Zoophobias). To prevent "food burnout" a treat
type feeding of silkworms, grasshoppers, butterflies, etc. or pinkie mice can be very
beneficial from once or twice every week to every other week. If you elect to feed your
chameleon insects gathered from the wild or the backyard, remember not to collect
them in areas where chemicals and/or insecticides have been used because the residues
may be passed along and harm the hungry chameleon. If possible insects should be gutloaded prior to being fed to the chameleon. This is accomplished by feeding the insects a
combination diet of rolled oats, ground legumes, corn meal, fresh greens, carrots, and
sweet potatoes. An alternative insect food source can be grain mixes obtained from a
feed store or co-op but make sure that they are FREE from any added medications or
chemicals. Additionally a calcium source – such as Nutrobal, alfalfa pellets, greens, or
calcium carbonate -- can be added to the cricket cage to provide higher ingested calcium
levels. The insects can be "dusted" with vitamin and calcium supplements such as
Mineral-I, Rep-Cal, or Repti-Vite, but this should be used only once or twice a week for
adult males and two to three times a week for adult females. Additional supplementing is
recommended for juveniles (3-4x per week). A multi-vitamin should be fed once weekly
for juveniles and twice monthly for adults.
Chameleons can be hand fed individual insects or the insects can be placed in an opaque
container (make sure the container is kept clean and that it's not so tall that the
chameleon is unable to reach the insect at the bottom of the container). We recommend
that adult chameleons be feed 3-4x per week. The veiled chameleons, especially adult
males, are unique in that they may supplement their water intake from eating plant
material and may often accept a small dish of leafy greens and vegetables (the same for
an adult iguana).
Handling
The act of handling chameleons will not kill them. Some chameleons do become stressed
when handled. If they are sick with some other disease, then handling may stress them
beyond their physical capacity. Those chameleons should be handled as little as possible.
Most chameleons can be handled with no problem. Some of the wild caught chameleons
are not used to being handled and may resist handling. With these chameleons, handle
only as necessary at first, gradually increasing the frequency and duration to accustom
them to handling. Most captive bred chameleons can be handled without any problems,
though some captive bred chameleons may resist being handled at the beginning.
Reproduction
In general, chameleons will readily breed in captivity. Close observation is required to
determine when the female is ready to be breed. When ready, the female will often
attain a very light coloration or in the veiled chameleon blue patches along her sides.
The female should be introduced into the male chameleons cage to allow him to have
territorial as well as sexual dominance. In the presence of a male, the female may act
hostile but will immediately back down and walk away enticing the male to follow her. He
will chase after and pin her down during copulation which can last from 10 to 45 minutes
and may be repeated over the course of several days. If she is not ready, the female will
turn black and hiss and attempt to bite the male. At this point, remove the female and
try again the next day if she still shows receptive colours.
Panther and Veiled Chameleons: The panther and veiled chameleons are oviparous
(egg layers). They reach sexual maturity after 6 months of age (veiled females can
reach sexual maturity as early as 4 months). After copulation, the female will adopt a
darkened pattern throughout her gestation period (1 to 3 months). One month into her
gestation a large container of moist potting soil needs to be placed in the cage for her to
lay her eggs. The soil level needs to be 6" to 8" deep and moist enough for her to create
tunnels that do not collapse, yet not so moist that the eggs will suffocate once laid. A
week or two before laying, she will increase in weight, decrease her appetite, and start
to dig tunnels in the soil. An alternative method for laying eggs consist of placing the
gravid female in a bucket (such as a standard five gallon bucket) with an overhead light
source and a few inches of sand or potting soil. After laying, she will be noticeably thin
and lethargic. Check the soil carefully for eggs. These eggs should be removed to
another container filled with moistened vermiculite for incubation. The panther eggs can
be kept at 77 degrees for the first couple of months then raised to 80-82 degrees until
hatching which could take 6 to 9 more months. The veiled eggs can be incubated at a
constant 80-82 degrees for about six months. Another method of incubation of panther
and veiled eggs consist of placing them in a dark closet where the temperatures range
from the low 70's to the low 80's. This method may lengthen the incubation time but
may provide a higher hatch rate.
Jackson 's Chameleon: The Jackson 's chameleon is ovoviviparous which means that
the female will internally incubate her eggs and give birth to live young. After copulation,
the female will take a darkened pattern throughout her gestation period of 4 to 6
months. A week or two before laying, she will markedly increase in weight and decrease
her appetite. At 2 to 3 months into her gestation, the female should be moved to a cage
that has a smaller screen mesh (preferably 1/8" square) to prevent the escape of the
tiny babies after birth. Because the female Jackson chameleon internally incubates her
eggs, she may be prone to stress and disease. Careful observation throughout her
gestation should uncover any problems.
Neonatal Care: The small neonates are about 1 to 1½" long. They need to be housed in
an environment that is temperate, 77 degrees, with little variation. They also require a
higher humidity (greater than 60%) which can be maintained by periodic misting with
water. They can be housed individually or in small groups of 6 to 10. Generally, cages
can consist of glass or plastic enclosures with screen tops and adequate lighting. The
cage can be modestly decorated with climbing branches, a potted plant such as a Pothos
ivy or Ficus spp, and no substrate on the bottom. At two to three months of age they
should to be separated into individual cages.
The difficulty with neonates lies with feeding. They must be supplied with a constant
source of food for the first couple months of life. They can be fed small 1/8" to ¼"
crickets, wingless Drosophila fruit flies, or ¼" baby meal worms. The size of the food can
increase with age (generally the length of food roughly equals the width of the
youngsters head).
Health
With the increase in popularity and importation of chameleons, many different diseases
are frequently being encountered. Before a chameleon even becomes sick, a good
veterinarian who deals with reptiles (one who sees and treats chameleons frequently is a
bonus) should be located in your area. Signs that a chameleon might be sick include:
sunken eyes (dehydration), not eating for days, listlessness or weakness, rapid weight
loss, abnormal swellings, regurgitation, very watery faeces, etc. Some chameleons may
be predisposed to metabolic bone disease (calcium deficiency) due to improper
husbandry or inbreeding, trauma due to intraspecies aggression, stomatitis (mouth rot)
due to improper husbandry, parasites when not properly dewormed, egg-binding
(dystocia) due to not providing a proper laying spot, and foot/claw damage due to rough
coated or too small of screen. The best way to tell if your chameleon is not well is to get
to know its habits and appearance. If a substantial change occurs in either there is a
good chance something is amiss.
References
Here is a short list of further sources that will provide more detailed information.
1. Abate, Ardi and Ken Kalisch. Chameleon Information Network: Newsletters #10,11
and 14. San Diego , CA.
(email: chamnet1@aol.com)
2. Chameleon Care with Sticky Tongue Farms. Videocassette. Prod. Steve and Linda
Davison. Sticky Tongue Farms, 1995.
3. .Care and Breeding of Panther, Jackson 's, Veiled, and Parson's Chameleons. Philippe
de Vosjoli and Gary Ferguson, ed. Santee , CA : Advanced Vivarium Systems, 1995.
128pp.
4. de Vosjoli, Philippe. The General Care and Maintenance of True Chameleons: Part I
Husbandry. Lakeside , CA : Advanced Vivarium Systems, 1990. 36pp.
5. de Vosjoli, Philippe. True Chameleons: Part II, Notes on Popular Species, Diseases,
and Disorders. Lakeside , CA : Advanced Vivarium Systems, 1990. 29pp.
6. Glaw, Frank and Miguel Vence. A Fieldguide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of
Madagascar . 1st ed. Leverkusen , Germany : Moos-Druck, 1992.
7. Le Berre, Francois. The New Chameleon Handbook. Hauppaulage , NY : Barrons,
1995.
8. Martin, James. Masters of Disguise: A Natural History of Chameleons. New York :
Facts on File, 1992. 176pp.
9. Schmidt, W. et. Al. Chameleons: Volume I - Species. Neptune City , NJ : TFH, 1994.
10. Schmidt, W. et. Al. Chameleons: Volume II - Care and Breeding. Neptune City , NJ
:TFH, 1994.