Chameleons as pets

Buying a pet and looking after it is a huge responsibility. As a pet owner you must make sure that your pet has a suitable environment to live that allows it to express natural behaviors like they would in the wild. Correct nutrition is also important as well as lots of loving care and attention, allowing you to notice when your pet is not feeling well and may need to be taken to the veterinarian.

The most commonly kept pets are mammals such as dogs, cats, rabbits and hamsters. Humans are mammals too, so we generally find it quite easy to relate to other mammals and to realise when they are unwell or in distress. If you stand on your dog’s paw he will yelp therefore showing signs of pain. If your dog is too cold you will notice that he is shivering and if he is too hot you will notice that he is panting. If he doesn’t eat his dinner you will realise that he is feeling unwell. This is not the case for chameleons.

Chameleons are reptiles and reptiles are very different from mammals. Your chameleon will not give you such obvious signals to let you know that he is feeling unwell, too hot, too cold or is in pain. His signs of distress are much more subtle so getting to know your chameleons daily routine and behavior will help you pinpoint when something isn’t right. You should weigh your chameleon weekly as it may not be obvious just from looking at him that he is losing weight. A change in weight can indicate that your chameleon is unwell.

Many of the health problems which occur in chameleons are related to some aspect of their environment or their diet. Chameleons take a lot of special care and attention, and there of lots of factors to consider when caring for them, some include temperature, humidity, diet, furniture, etc. The sort of set up required for a chameleon can be costly so this is something to consider before purchasing.

Wherever possible buy a captive bred chameleon. Chameleons bought from wild stock are often exposed to, and can carry a wide range of different parasites, bacteria and viruses. Buying a wild caught chameleon also encourages this unethical trade.

Chameleons can be very territorial and will fight. It is often safer to keep one chameleon in each vivarium.

Reptiles carry many different bacteria, one of which is salmonella. Although not harmful to them, the bacteria can cause illness in humans. Therefore, it is essential to wash your hands thoroughly after handling all reptiles and before handling or eating food.

Everybody needs a holiday! When going on holiday ensure the carer of your chameleon fully understands how to care for him, like minded chameleon owners are a good port of call as they have the knowledge of care required.

Try to find a carer that is happy to come to your house to care for him rather than moving your chameleon to a strange new environment elsewhere. Unnecessary moving can cause stress due to the territorial nature of the chameleon. Alternatively, it’s worth considering if you can move your chameleon’s whole vivarium to the carers house if they would prefer to care for your chameleon in their own home.

Disease risk is also a factor to consider when choosing a carer. If your chameleon is either living in isolation, or in an isolated group, suddenly placing him in an environment where there are other chameleons is dangerous; there is a huge risk of disease spread. Wherever possible, arrange for your chameleon to be cared for at your own home rather than letting the carer take your chameleon to their own set up.

Please remember that chameleon health care is specialized and if they become ill treatment can be expensive. Insurance is one way to protect your chameleon. Ensure to research companies that are exotic specific to ensure a good cover and policy for your reptile pet.

At some point you may need to take your chameleon to the veterinarian. Try to choose a veterinarian who has a special interest in reptiles. Some veterinarians choose to specialize in exotics or zoo medicine so they have qualifications in zoological or exotic medicine to be able to adequately treat reptiles and exotic pets. If your local veterinary practice are not reptile enthusiasts they should be able to recommend a veterinarian who is. If you have difficulty finding a suitable veterinarian you could contact The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons – www.rcvs.org.uk.