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Snakes and
Lizards
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My
panther
chameleon is certainly one of the most impressive animals to call my
apartment home. This is probably
the type of chameleon most people picture when they think of a
chameleon - one that not only has large, independently-moving eyes and
a long, projectile tongue, but that also can change its colors to match
almost any in the rainbow. Although most any chameleon has
the
ability to change colors and
patterns, very few are capable of displaying the spectrum of
colors evident in a male panther chameleon, which is why they
are one of the most sought after species. There are several
geographic varieties of panther chameleons and mine is the "Diego
Suarez" type. All panther chameleons are native to the island
of
Madagascar located
off the southeast coast of Africa and the Diego Suarez breed
is
native to
the
northern part of the island. My panther chameleon is a captive bred animal that I purchased from a Florida breeder in July of 2000. He was about 16 months old at that time, and I received him via overnight UPS shipping. I can remember how stunned I was when I removed him from his shipping box - he was obviously a little stressed from the journey and was displaying the most vivid array of colors I have ever seen in a lizard. He got significantly duller as he calmed down but even at rest displayed an array of red, white, and green. Since chameleons display their brightest colors and patterns when they are excited (either positively or negatively), a dull chameleon is usually the sign of a happy chameleon. I have noticed, however, that my panther is particularly bright when he is sleeping, and I have no idea why this should be the case. |
 
Panther chameleons require a lot of light, lots of space, and moderate humidity (left). Light is provided by a four-foot fluorescent fixture with two bulbs, a mercury vapor bulb in a reflector lamp, and a regular incandescent spotlight. Humidity is supplemented by an ultrasonic humidifier piped into the enclosure via PVC pipes. Panther chameleons also prefer a heavily planted enclosure (right). |
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The
enclosure
for my panther chameleon is similar to that for my other chameleons; it
is a large cage I purchased from Martin's
cages
that is made of 1" PVC coated wire with a slide-out plastic tray in the
bottom. I prefer this type of caging because the chameleon
can
easily climb on it without running the risk of having toenails caught.
It doesn't prevent insects
from escaping, but since I either hand feed the chameleon or
leave insects in a bowl in the cage, that's no a problem. I
keep
the bottom tray filled with
sphagnum peat
moss (the powdered type that can be used as a soil
supplement) so
it easily absorbs and retains excess water. As is evident from the photo above, the enclosure is heavily planted and includes a network of sticks for the chameleon to climb on. The sticks are connected by cable ties and simulate the branches present in the chameleon's native environment. (See also my page on setting up a cage for veiled chameleons.) The potted plants (including Ficus benjamina, Epipremnum, Spathiphyllum, and Schefflera) provide extra humidity and plenty of places to hide; most chameleons are shy animals and prefer to remain inconspicuous. Of course, growing plants requires lots of light, and chameleons also require a basking spot. I have three lights on my chameleon cage. In the back is located a four-foot fluorescent fixture that holds two bulbs. This is the type of "shop light" fixture that you can purchase at most home improvement stores, and is an inexpensive way to light a large enclosure. I once had UVB fluorescent bulbs in the fixture, but with the addition of a mercury vapor bulb to my set-up, I no longer needed to spend the money on them. Mercury vapor bulbs (similar to the ones sold here) are special lights that emit UVA, UVB, and infrared heat, all at the same time, and so it's the main basking light for my chameleon. These bulbs are relatively new on the market and are supposed to do a better job of simulating natural sunlight. They are a little on the expensive side but since they don't need to be replaced annually (as suggested for UVB fluorescent bulbs) they probably are more economical in the long run. Additionally, many people who use them say their reptiles are much healthier when using those bulbs instead of the combination of incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. I can't say that my chameleon is decidedly happier with the set-up, but that's mainly because I didn't have him for very long before getting the mercury vapor bulb. I may eventually add them to some of my other tanks, however, if positive feedback continues to come in from other herpers. I have a second incandescent spotlight in another part of the enclosure, mainly to warm things up a bit more and provide some extra light for the plants. Chameleons only drink water that is moving (dripping) and I provide water to my panther chameleon in two ways. First, I have an ultrasonic humidifier that mists the tank a few times each day. (See my page on seeting up an enclosure for prehensile-tailed skinks for more information on this.) Much of this mist condenses on the plant leaves, creating a spot where the chameleon can drink. Secondly, I fill a drip bottle every other day and set it on top of the chameleon's cage; this also drips onto the leaves, providing a place for the chameleon to drink. I'm not sure how often the chameleon actually takes advantage of these drinking opportunities, but I usually only see him drink maybe once a week. I feed the panther chameleon the same sort of insects I feed most of my other lizards: cockroaches, superworms, crickets, mealworms, waxworms,and any other insects I happen to catch in the garden. I usually feed him by hand to make sure he gets everything, but sometimes I will also leave insects in a large glass bowl that he can east at his leisure. Chameleons in general are some of the more challenging lizards to keep in captivity. Good information about panther chameleons and other species can be found on the web site of the Chameleon Information Network. |
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This
page was last updated on December 12, 2006.
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