Pygmy Chameleons.....another adventure!!!

[esnailme]

Well I am always up to something.

I am still in love with my newts but I was doing something one day and ran into the cutest creature you would ever want to place your eyes on.

It is a pygmy chameleon. ( see attached image)

To make a long story, the terrarium is made from a 10 gallon tank turned vertical.

I purchased a vertical conversion kit which is basically a piece of glass held inside with 100% silicone.

I now have a terrarium for my babies.

I just got them today. I have 2 females 1 male.

I was able to snap 1 picture then I had to turn out the light.

They are so cute!!!!

The substrate and foods that the pygmy chameleons eat are some of the same foods that newts/salamanders.

Let me know what you think

 

[axolotlfriend]

i like the tank but i don't see any chameleons

 

[freves]

That is a nice setup. I have always wondered how well those conversion kits work.I have considered dwarf chameleon species myself before. It seems like they would have more surface area if the tank was in it's standard position though.
Chip

 

[Alejandro]

I see no chamaleons either. Are those Rampholeon brevicaudata? If so, they will need more horizontal space and lots of leaf litter. The tank shown is more adept for species like Phelsuma laticauda.

 

[Molch]

don't see the critters either- if they are climbers, should they have more vertical "furniture", like branches etc? If they don't climb, why not lay the tank horizontally?

I'm interested in those conversion kits: what all do they contain and where can you get one?

 

[esnailme]

My bad...pics attached.

In one picture the chameleon is positioned horizontally on the stem the other is going vertical up the vine.

@freves & @Alejandro...I hate to disappoint you, from my reading and in their natural habitat this species is found in trees. This is why they are sometimes called the leaf chameleon. The pygmy chameleon can actually blend in with the leaves on the tree to avoid predation. Thus horizontal surface area is not important. Most people keep their pygmies in the 18" x 18" x 18". This is also why it is recommended to have pieces of sticks and thin branches. My male and female have both been on the vine in the pic since they arrived and have not touched the ground. I also have a female who is not on the vines. I am thinking she may be pregnant, shy or stressed.

@Alejandro.....yes the species is Rhampholeon Brevicaudatus.
@Molch....yes they are indeed climbers hence the vertical tank is perfect. The conversion kit comes with the glass door panel with the plastic hinge, air vent, bumper guards and handle. The only thing I had to buy is the silicone and and silicone gun and of course you need the tank. The same can be done with larger tanks. I ordered mine from aaafrogs. The other company is jungle box. I am sure if youb google junglebox it should pop up. AAAfrogs has a youtube video showing assembly. It was a snap. I had to wait 24 hours for the silicone to dry and cure. Oh I forgot I had to buy the hydroton, the vine and the plants I got at Walmart dirt cheap. For the substrate, I have a 1 inch layer of hydroton then I placed a piece of lattice that you can buy from a hobby store for $.25. Then I mixed a 50/50 combination of compressed brick coco fiber and a bag of potting soil from Dollar Tree. I have a 3 inch deep substrate. The depth is needed so that the female can dig to lay her eggs. I started to add a clump of soil from my whiteworm culture just to see if they would attempt to eat the worms. Then I got to thinking I need to save the whiteworms for the 30 babies that are inhaling them like air. That's it

 

[esnailme]

oops old age is catching up with me..


the pics ........honest

 

[Molch]

thanks - I might try one of those conversion kits, but I'll probably install a vent in the lid part as well. Do you find that it gets too humid and/or hot in there because it's so enclosed? Or is that a good thing?

 

[esnailme]

I forgot to mention that there is a vent with a clear lip on the bottom. The clear lip is so that there isn't a gap between the vent and the glass. Fruit flies and other insects cannot escape. Humidity is very important along with heat. The chams need to be misted twice a day. This along with the clay hydroton will keep the humidity up. I have a small aquarium light on top of my terrarium. I have seen the temp fluctuate between 74-80 since yesterday. From what I am reading the temp needs to drop at least 10 degrees after the light is turned off.

 

[ozarkhellbender]

Ok, You keep caudates, seahorses, and pygmy chameleons; plus you live in Missouri--were we separated at birth?! lol

Congratulations on your new captives! I don't have any currently, but I've been looking into getting some for a while (just as I've been looking into getting Dwarf seahorses).

I will have to agree with freves and Alejandro though, the research I've done on them shows they spend more time on the ground in the leaf litter. They are called Leaf chameleons because they resemble dead leaves and are found in leaf litter on the forest floor.

 

[esnailme]

@ozarkhellbender......yep sure do.....and I enjoy all my pets. I did not mention the green spotted puffer and African Dwarf Frog and the homeless jewel damsel. At one time I had all pets that had the name "dwarf" dwarf puffer, dwarf seahorses and dwarf frogs. This was a blast.

As far as the dwarf seahorses.......they are as cute as pudding pie. They are a lot of work and require much dedication. I had as many as 70 at one time. I was eating, sleeping and dreaming decapped brine shrimp. By the way you will have to decap (bleaching process) the brine shrimp. The dwarf will die if you don't.

@ozarkhellbender, Alejandro & freves........my bad you guys are exactly right.

p.s. one of the female chameleons have died already.