Getting Started Part 1

 

Are you setting up for your new panther chameleon?  Do you still have questions about what you need?  Are you unsure about your current setup?   Well you came to the right place.  This article will focus on setting up a new home for your panther chameleon.  Throughout the article, you will find helpful hints and tips that will save you both time and money!

 

 

 

What kind of Cage do I need?

 

The first thing you will need is an all screen cage.  Panther chameleons need a screen cage because they require good ventilation.  The type of screen cage you purchase will depend on your budget and needs.  The two most popular cages being used today are aluminum screen cages and Reptariums™. Both are good chameleon cages, and each has its pros and cons.  The following is a quick overview and comparison of each:

 

	Reptarium™	Aluminum Cage	Winner
Price	Very inexpensive, and they come in many sizes.  Prices range from $22 to $85 depending on size.	Can cost twice as much as Reptariums™ of a comparable size.	Reptarium™
Maintenance	Can be taken apart completely for cleaning.  The material is lightweight and can either be hand washed or machine washed.  The bottom of the cage will require a plastic tray.  You have the option to buy the Soft Tray from the manufacture of the Reptarium™, or you can make one, using plastic/vinyl that can be purchased from a hardware store.	Most come with a solid bottom that can be easily cleaned.	Tie
Durability/ Construction	Light weight, packs away nicely, and has a PVC frame that can be used for attaching vines and other things to. Screen material is prone to being chewed up by crickets.  Cup feeding can almost eliminate this problem.  The zipper can cause wear on the fabric and seams.  High temperature of Heat lamps can melt the material if not placed far enough.	Hinged door, hard bottom, and cricket proof screen.  Some are prone to corrosion.  Heat lamps can be placed directly on top of the cage	Aluminum Cage
Accessibility	The zipper can be difficult to open and close at times.	Hinged door makes very easy opening and closing of the cage	Aluminum Cage
Mobility	Very lightweight, and can be moved outdoors with very little effort.	Some larger cages are difficult to move out doors.  Adult cages of 2X2X4 are fairly difficult to move in and out.	Reptarium™
Visibility	The cage material is dark making visibility low.	Screen material is easy to see through.	Aluminum Cage

 

 

 

Reptarium™ Aluminum Cage

The two cages are both better then a glass tank, which is not recommended to house most chameleons in.  For panther chameleons, they should be avoided completely.

 

 

Hints and Tips on Cages

 

1. Do not use any medium/bedding on the bottom of the chameleon cage.
2. If you decide to put something at the bottom, you can place paper towels on the bottom of the cage to collect waste and excess water. Be sure to replace it frequently as need. (it should be replaced at a minimum of once a week)

 

What size cage should I get?

 

The size of the cage will depend on the panther chameleon’s age and sex.  At 3 months old, a 16”x16”x29” or similar size screen cage will be fine for a male or female.  As they grow and mature you will need to upgrade to a bigger cage.  Female will need at minimum an 18”x18”x36” screen cage or larger. An adult male will need at minimum a 24”x24”x48” screen cage or larger. It helps to keep the size of the cage around the size of the chameleon.  The following table will help you choose the appropriate size cage for your chameleon.

 

Age	Reptarium™	Aluminum Screen Cage
3 months	22 gallon	12”x18”x20”
6 months	38 gallon+	18”x18”x36”+
1 year	100 gallon+	24”x24”x48 +

 

Try to think long term, and use good judgment.  Obviously, if you buy the largest cage, then you won’t ever have to upgrade.  But also consider how difficult it will be for a young chameleon to find food in such a large enclosure.  The table above should only be used as a base line for choosing the correct cage size.

 

 

How do I furnish my chameleon’s cage?

 

Now the fun part!  Your chameleon will need a few things to make it happy.  Let’s start with the plants. 

 

 

 

The live plants you choose will be helpful in many ways. They will keep the humidity up, while giving your cage a natural look.  In addition to live plants, you will need some branches and or vines. A combination of live plants, branches, and vines makes for a complete enclosure.  Place the taller plants in the back and the shorter plants upfront for maximum visibility.

 

 

 

The most commonly used plants for chameleon cages is the ficus tree, umbrella tree, and pothos.  All three are safe for using with your chameleon.  They can be found at your local hardware/garden/nursery store. The pothos and umbrella tree are quite hardy.  The ficus tree, on the other hand, can be a little tricky at times. 

The number of plants you use will depend on the size of the cage.  You have to consider that the more plants you have, the more you will have to clean.

 

Hints and Tips on Vines and Branches

 

1. To attach artificial vines to the cage you can use small black UV resistant zip ties. These can be found at your locale hardware store in the electrical department. The zip ties will fit through any of the common cage screens.
2. If you are using a Reptarium™ use the frame to your advantage, and attach the vines to it.
3. Before you use any branches that have been collected outdoors, YOU MUST TREAT THEM FIRST!  The easiest way is to bake them at 350F for 30 minutes. This works fine for smaller branches.  If you have a larger branch that will not fit in the oven, then do the following:  Fill a 32 gallon trash can with water add a 1 cup of bleach.   Allow the branch to soak completely over night.  Remove the branch and spray it off with the hose. Allow the branch to dry completely before placing it in the cage.

 

 

Whether you use artificial branches and vines, or the real thing, you will need at least two pieces.  One closer to the basking area, and one at the lower end of the cage.  The important thing is to provide different temperature levels in the cage to allow the chameleon to thermo regulate.  Keep in mind that you should use at least 2 pieces.  The more the merrier.  Panther chameleons are cold-blooded, which means they cannot generate their own body heat.  In order to regulate their body temperature, they either move closer to, or away from a heat source.

 

What kind of lighting and heating do chameleons require?

 

Now let’s focus on providing the appropriate lighting and heating for your chameleon.  Chameleons need two simple things in regards to heating and lighting.  The first is a basking bulb to provide a heat source, and second a UVB light source to help your chameleon produce the proper amount of D3.  The following table outlines the various options you have for setting up a light and heat system:

 

	Advantage	Disadvantage
Option 1: 60w basking bulb and a small light dome for heat.                  + Fluorescent light fixture and a Zoomed® Reptisun™ 5.0 UVB fluorescent bulb for UVB.	This setup is good for all cage setups, especially for smaller enclosures.  The bulbs are cheaper.	UVB will only penetrate a maximum distance of 12 inches.  More equipment on top of cage.
Option 2: Is to use a single mercury vapor (MV) bulb. MV bulbs contain UVB/UVA/heat all in one bulb. They require a 10” dome with a ceramic socket to handle the heat and spread the light out.  We currently use one made by Zoomed® called the Powersun™.	Excellent for larger enclosures.  The bulb can penetrate up to 6 feet deep.  Less clutter on top of the cage.  Lots of heat.	Too much heat for smaller enclosures.  We don’t recommend using this bulb for small enclosures.  The bulbs are more expensive.

 

 

 

WARNING! The Powersun™ bulb is only recommended for larger setups like the 18”x18”x36”, 24”x24”x48” and larger.

 

 

 

 

Some Hints and Tips on Lighting/Heating

 

1. If you are on a budget, you can use a regular 60w clear light bulb, found at your local hardware store as a basking bulb.
2. In extreme cold or heat you can change the wattage of the basking bulb.  You can also adjust the basking temperature by raising or lowering the basking bulb from the basking site.
3. If you are buying a young chameleon, more than likely you will need to upgrade the cage size at a later date.  Buy a 24” fluorescent bulb and fixture.  When you upgrade the size of the cage, you won’t have to buy another bulb and fixture.  At least not another fixture.  Be sure you replace your bulbs frequently.
4.  Watch out for burning your plants!  Make sure the bulb is not too close to any plants.

 

The basking lamp should be placed in the top corner of the cage.  Place some vines and branches about 6 – 10 inches under from the bulb.  Your chameleon will suffer thermal burns if he/she gets too close to the basking light.  Place the fluorescent bulb along the top center of the cage, lying across.  Remember, the fluorescent bulbs are only effective up to 12 inches.  Make sure your chameleon can get close enough to the bulb to absorb the bulb’s UVB. 

 

Never put a chameleon in a cage without first checking the temperature of his/her new enclosure.  You will want to check the temperature of the basing spot with a thermometer, as well as various sections of the cage.  Make sure you are providing a range of temperatures throughout the cage.  A digital thermometer is recommended for an accurate reading.  The following table outlines the appropriate temperature for panther chameleons.

 

	Temp
Basking area	85ºF - 90ºF
Daytime (ambient)	75ºF - 85ºF
Nighttime (ambient)	65ºF - 75ºF

 

How do I water my chameleon?

 

Chameleons will not drink standing water.  They will only lick water drops from leaves. To simulate this in captivity we use a dripper, which can be as simple as a small cup with a hole in the bottom, or as elaborate as a store bought dripper.  Another option is an automatic misting system. 

 

Making your own dripper is simple and inexpensive.  It can be as simple as a plastic cup with a small pinhole in the bottom (note SMALL).  Plastic cups are inexpensive, and can be easily replaced if needed over time. You can find many different sized cups for your setup. You can also control the number of drops  by the size of the hole. A simple pin prick in the bottom of the cup will do the trick. When you poke the hole, poke it from the inside of the cup, not the bottom. This will allow for a better drip. Fill the cup up with water and you're good to go.

 

The placement of the dripper is very important.  Place the dripper over a plant with heavy foliage like a ficus or an Umbrella tree. Make sure that your chameleon can drink from the leaves.  You will also want to place a small bowl or pot saucer on the bottom of the cage to collect the excess water from the drip.  Be careful that the water level in the collection bowl does not get too deep, as it can drown your chameleon.

 

 

Hints and Tips on Drippers

 

1. If your dripper pools water on the top of your cage, try raising the cup off the screen of the cage. This will give the water drops more force as they come out of the cup. It will also allow the drops to break through the screen and drip as it is suppose to.
2. To save money in the long–run, buy a larger dripper now, and only fill it as needed for the size of your chameleon.  This way, you won’t have to upgrade the size of your dripper in the future.  

 

 

In addition to a dripper you will also need a spray bottle. These can be purchased at your local hardware store for a few dollars. It is important to mist your chameleon at least 3 times per day. This will help keep the humidity level up, and give your chameleon a chance to drink. You will also need a humidity gauge to monitor the humidity in the cage.  When you mist, the entire cage should be misted from top to bottom.  Do not mist the chameleon directly.  Spraying water directly on a chameleon will cause him/her stress.  Try to let the mist fall on the chameleon. Putting warm water into you spray bottle can be a plus for your chameleon.

 

Hints and Tips on Drippers

 

1. Use two spray bottles, each with a different color.  In the Photo above, one misting bottle is blue and one is red.  The blue bottle is for water, and the red bottle is for cleaning chemicals like soap or bleach.  The color red is a caution color so this should keep you from mixing bottles to spray your chameleon with.

 

Conclusion

 

Now that you know how to setup your chameleon’s new home, it would be wise to setup the cage a few days before you are expecting him/her. This will allow you to make adjustments, and make sure that everything is working properly.  It is very stressful for a chameleon to be bothered during his first few weeks in his/her new home.  Try to minimize the stress by getting everything as close to perfect in advance.