Care Sheet for ChameleonsAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 5.00 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 12/02/2007 |
Main Category: | Lizards |
Sub Category: | Chameleons |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | Scotty V. |
Years Experience: | 3 to 5 Years |
Species: | Bearded Pygmy Chameleon |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | Any breed of Pygmy Chameleon |
Sexing and Characteristics: | For the first 3-4 months it will be very hard to tell whether your bearded is a male or a female. Both sexes will have a small ’flip’ or beard at the tip of the chin which is actually scales growing outward. When your Pygmy reaches the age of about 6 months, males should be around 2.5 inches, females should be around 1.5-2.0 inches. They reach a maximum length of about 2.5 to 3.0 inches. Males generally will have a larger head and a shorter tail, obviously the females will have a longer tail with a narrower head. |
Mostly Active During: | Day |
Substrate and Water Needs: | I like yo use around 2 - 3 inches of shredded coconut husk. In case its a female you’ll need that extra layer for her to lay her eggs. The typically won’t take water from any form of bowl or dish, so I like to mist lightly about 20 minutes after I turn on the UVB so it gives them time to wake up. I also take the time to mist heavily about 20 minutes before the UVB goes off and its bed time. |
Lighting and UVB: | I use a UVB and I use a very low wattage bulb, around 25 typically, and have it suspending from a hook above the cage. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | The temperatures should range from around 82 - 86 degrees Fahrenheit in the evenings, and drop to a MINIMUM of 68 - 72 at night. The humidity needs to be around 45 - 55 during the evenings, generally there needs to be a low humidity seeing as this breed of chameleon is found in mid Africa around Tanzania. |
Heating and Equipment: | For a heating lamp I like to use around a 25 watt bulb and I suspend it from a hook in the wall. |
Caging Provided: | I like to use a 10 gallon with a screen cage enclosure so it provides open ventilation and gives the cham much more room to climb. |
Diet: | Carnivorous |
Description of Diet: | I feed my pygmy’s 2 - 3 small crickets ( sometimes called pinheads ), they usually take all day to stalk them. Fun to watch. You can also provide a small plastic container and drop the crickets in there ( very common thing to do ) and leave it in there all day. I also like to feed mine a mealworm every once in a while as a small treat. They normally take them out of my hand. They do "shoot" their tongues out. |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | I like to use Tetrafauna Reptolife Plus, you can use this for all reptiles; I prefer this because it contains Calcium and many vitamins and mineral formulas. It also contains Color Enhancers and Anti-Oxidants which really makes them beautiful creatures. This is a great powder supplement to use. You only have to lightly sprinkle over crickets or any prepared meal. I like to use this 4 - 5 times a week. Calcium loss is a big reason why many captive reptiles die. This stuff is vital. |
Maintenance: | Really easy to care for, especially for first time chameleon owners. Be sure to pick out any feces in the cage, I like to do spot cleans every time a walk by. Crickets WILL eat this and carry harmful bacteria into your reptile if eaten. |
Some Words on this Species: | These are truly fascinating creatures. Easy to care for, fun to watch, fun to hold, easy temperament. These truly make GREAT pets and I strongly recommend a Bearded Pygmy Chameleon to anyone who finds reptiles amazing. |
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