Veiled Chameleons at Aquariums West 1262 Burrard Street, Van., B.C. 604-669-9249
Click here to watch the video of the Veiled Chameleons from our last shipment. Photo Sharon Graham .
How to Care For Your Veiled Chameleon
Feeding
The young chameleon is a voracious eater. They will consume lots and lots of crickets, supplemented with silkworms, mealworms, superworms, waxworms, and butterworms. All are available at Aquariums West. We receive our fresh food every Tuesday. Butterworms should be fed regularly due to their high calcium content. Crickets can be "gut loaded" with nutritious foods such as spinach, carrots, lime, and processed cricket food prior to feeding. We carry reptile vitamins which can be dusted on the crickets before adding to their cage. Adults chameleons can be offered greens (lettuce, spinach, etc.), but only as a supplement to their base cricket diet. You will want to feed your chameleon every day. It is so much fun to watch them eat! If you click on the video you can see them eating crickets at Aquariums West. Superworms, mealworms, etc., can be fed by hand. Crickets should be set loose within the enclosure.
Necessary Supplements
A calcium supplement is essential. We carry convenient individual packets of vitamins which have enough vitamins to cover 100 crickets. Just poor your crickets in a bag with the vitamin powder on them and release them in the cage.
Water
You can simply place an ice cube on top of the cage letting it melt on to a plant below or you can make a drip system which slowly releases water onto plants. You should spray the enclosure twice a day with a spray bottle. Watering is the most inconvenient part of owning a veiled chameleon. Chameleons do not care for standing water.
Enclosure
Chameleons require a full screen enclosure in order to facilitate continual fresh air. In addition, seeing their reflections in the glass of an aquarium type enclosure will stress the chameleon. Chameleons will also enjoy just hanging out in a house plant or tree.
Lighting and heating
Veiled chameleons sleep at night and should have the lights out. During the day, bright lights should be placed on top of the enclosure to allow the chameleon to climb upward to find heat. During the day, the gradient of heat in the cage should be 80 F to 95 F, while at night 70 F to 85 F. The chameleon will seek its own level of comfort by choosing its height within the cage. Heat emmitters which do not produce light are available from Aquariums West for night time use. Because chameleons' primary heat sensors are on their backs, chameleons should not be given "heat rocks" or under substrate heating pads; the use of these items could result in your chameleon being badly burned.
Veiled chameleons sleep at night and should have the lights out. During the day, bright lights should be placed on top of the enclosure to allow the chameleon to climb upward to find heat. During the day, the gradient of heat in the cage should be 80 F to 95 F, while at night 70 F to 85 F. The chameleon will seek its own level of comfort by choosing its height within the cage. Heat emmitters which do not produce light are available from Aquariums West for night time use. Because chameleons' primary heat sensors are on their backs, chameleons should not be given "heat rocks" or under substrate heating pads; the use of these items could result in your chameleon being badly burned. 