Pygmy Chameleon?

[Gourami Swami]

Hey guys, what do you know about pygmy chameleons? My lfs just got two in for 30$ each. (or maybe it was 50...) anyway, Could they live in a spare 1og I have laying around? How active are they? When I was there watching them they didnt move much, but when i went back 5 minutes later they were in way different spots! Also, can they be handled, and do they need any equiptment like an UTH or heat lamp?

 

[evilxyardxgnome]

Being an arboreal species, your best bet is to use a tank with more height than a standard 10 gallon has. Unless you were to turn the tank on its end and make a custom screen.

 

[Kioka]

Don't keep chameleons in a glass aquarium... they need a LOT of ventilation. Unfortunately with an open-ventilation system, you need to figure out how to keep up the humidity.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

Don't keep chameleons in a glass aquarium... they need a LOT of ventilation. Unfortunately with an open-ventilation system, you need to figure out how to keep up the humidity.

Agreed. Also this species is very fragile and probably should be kept as a display animal only. Chams don't like being held and they stress pretty easily.

 

[Gourami Swami]

Alright I think im gonna pass on this guy then. I dont want to buy a whole new enclosure. I think Im gonna get a quarter sized albino pacman frog. There is currently a crested gecko in the tank but I emtied out my 20 X-high for him so I have a free 10g... I really like the PM frog, but anyone have any other ideas?

 

[Kioka]

I seen people have Pac-Man frogs in kritter keepers for life. So a 10 gallon won't be so cruel.

 

[Tucc185]

Just as a clarification--pygmy chameleons of the genera Rhampholeon (most commonly available) and Brookesia are both also called pygmy leaf chameleons due to the fact they mimic dead leaves. They are primarily terrestrial, lacking the prehensile tails that enable the more familiar chameleon species to climb easily, and generally do not exceed 3" in total size. They, unlike other chameleons, will thrive in glass aquaria of the appropriate size and setup, a ten gallon would be fine for one or two as long as some basic needs are met. They like densely planted terrariums with lots of cover, dead leaves or leaf litter of some kind on top of the substrate, and moderate temperature and humidity. The downside to these chameleons is that they are primarily wild caught and therefore prone to parasite problems and naturally have a short lifespan, 1-2 years being the average. They do make an interesting display animal but be aware that they are different (and have very different care requirements) than the average chameleon.