Making wild animals as pets at home is kind of challenging yet fun for some people. Wild animals that are commonly kept as pets at home are snakes, lizards, chameleon, or even crocodiles. These reptiles have their own fans!
However, wild animals, such as chameleons, are exposed mostly to their natural environment. If you are a first timer owner of chameleon, these guides to take care of pet chameleons and things to consider before investing a chameleon will be very useful.
When you keep a chameleon as a pet at home, then you have to make sure that the place it lives is similar to its natural environment. It does not mean you have to make your house looks like a forest, though, but there are some things you need to pay attention to when you prepare a cage or a place where the chameleon will live.
Putting a pet in a cage won’t be comfortable for the animal itself. Who likes to be put in a cage while in nature the animal can live and move freely? That’s why as a chameleon owner, you have to make the cage as comfortable as you can. If you are looking for ideas to build a cage, read tips on how to build a comfy iguana cage.
4 tips on what you should do to make your chameleon feel comfortable in its cage will give you some enlightenment about how to make both of you feel comfortable.
How to Make Your Chameleon Comfortable in its Cage
Comfort is the key of being happy and enjoyable in our house, so for the chameleon is. It might not be easy for the chameleon for the first time staying at your house, but when you provide comfort for them then everything will be alright.
Cage seems to be restricted but if you can provide anything the chameleon needs then it will be great. Let’s see the 4 tips on what you should do to make your chameleon feel comfortable in its cage
- Set up the cage
Chameleons should be kept individually in each cage. They cannot be put together in a cage. For setting its cage, make sure you pay attention to these details:
- Prepare an enclosure that is well ventilated, size should be at least 16 x 16 x 30 inches.
- Cover the bottom habitat with reptile carpet (2-3 inches of coconut fiber). Clean and change it regularly at least once a month.
- Rocks and artificial branches can be included in the cage. You can buy this from pet store.
- Heating – Make sure the temperature is suitable
Basking zone should be created for your chameleon. Not only one sided from the bulb, but try to create it from some horizontal and vertical side. By doing this, your chameleon can choose the temperature it wants to bask.
The bottom part should be cooler than the top one. Set the bottom part into 21-27 degrees Celsius on the day and the top one should be around 27 to 29 degrees Celsius (for Jackson’s Chameleons).
Different breeds of chameleons will have quite different temperature. Do research about this. Heating on the cage is one of the ways to raise a healthy chameleon.
The use of UVA/UVB bulb will also be beneficial for your chameleon as it will boost the supply of the rays that is rich in calcium your chameleon needs.
- Provide sufficient food
By feeding your chameleon well inside the cage, it will grow healthily. Crickets and waxworms will be perfect to feed your chameleon. Provide as much as your chameleon needs and remove the leftovers on the next day. Calcium supplement is also essential.
Give this supplement twice a week. Regarding to drink, chameleon only gets water from its skin and habitat, they don’t drink from a dish so make sure to mist the habitat regularly.
- Regular cleaning is a must
Cage is supposed to be clean for the sake of your chameleon’s health. Regular cleaning every week with the removal of dead insects, leaves and waste matter is strongly suggested. This action will be able to decrease the chance of ants and other insect appearance.
Bacteria and parasite are also common problems in keeping chameleon in its cage without regular cleaning. By cleaning the cage regularly and maintaining it, the chance of your chameleon getting sick will be reduced. You can use disinfectant to kill the bacteria in the cage.
While you are cleaning, make sure you remove your chameleon from the cage. It is because it might be contaminated with the use of some chemical on the cleaning products.
Don’t forget to rinse the cleansing product thoroughly to prevent any harmful effect. Skin problems of iguana is one example of the harmful effect of leftover cleansing product. So, be aware of it!
Keeping a chameleon as a pet might not be easy at the beginning, but by learning and doing research about it, it would be surely great. Hope these 4 tips on what you should do to make your chameleon feel comfortable in its cage be helpful for you and your chameleon as well!