HERP-CARE CHECKLIST
What will I need for my Veiled Chameleon?
- Use screen sided enclosure and keep veiled chameleons individually after they reach sexual maturity at around 8 to 10 months of age.
- During the day a room temperature between 72°F and 80°F is ideal.
- A basking spot of approximately 85°F to 95°F degrees should be achieved.
- Use UVB light for 10 – 12 hours
- Mist the enclosure with a spray bottle twice a day for approximately two minutes to provide a water source for drinking.
- Maintain 60% humidity
- A variety of insects, including gut-loaded crickets, roaches, mealworms, hornworms, Calci worms, and wax worms.
- Feed Dark, leafy green vegetables, such as collard greens, mustard greens, and deep green lettuces.
The veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) is a species of chameleon (family Chamaeleonidae) native to the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
Males can grow to around 17-24 inches in length and females around 14 inches.
They are born as pastel green before growing stripes and become more colorful as they grow.
They are known for their variable color changes due to various emotional reasons, e.g., stress, social status, reproduction, and aggression.
This chameleon lives in several habitat types in its native range, including plateaus, mountains, and valleys. Like most other chameleons, it is arboreal, living in trees and other large plants.
The veiled chameleon is primarily insectivorous. However, it is one of several chameleon species also known to consume plant matter. This is believed to perhaps be used as a source of water during the dry season.
It is best to keep veiled chameleons individually in their enclosures after they reach sexual maturity at around 8 to 10 months of age, to avoid potential stress and fighting.
The tall casque on the head of a veiled chameleon helps with hydration: water that collects on it trickles down to the chameleon’s mouth.
The veiled chameleon is the most common Chameleon species in the pet trade and has been bred in captivity for almost thirty years.
Use the Herpville App to set reminders for feeding, watering, breeding and cleaning.
Temperature
| Basking Spot | Ambient | Cool Side | Night | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Min | 85°F | 72°F | 70°F | 70°F |
| Max | 90°F | 78°F | 75°F | – |
- Create a basking zone during daytime using incandescent light or ceramic heater.
- Use point and shoot thermometer to measure temperature regularly.
Lighting
- To ensure your reptile is making vitamin D in their skin so they can absorb calcium from their food, provide UVB rays with full-spectrum lighting for 10–12 hours a day.
Humidity
- Keep the enclosure humidity at 60%.
Shedding
- Sheds every 4 – 8 weeks
- When humidity falls too low, Chameleon has difficulty to shed.
- Hydrate the animal in multiple ways because it doesn’t drink water.
Feeding Schedule
- Juveniles should be fed once to twice a day; feed the adults every other day.
- A variety of insects, including gut-loaded crickets, roaches, mealworms, hornworms, Calci worms, and wax worms. Dark, leafy green vegetables can be fed for hydration.
- Chameleons do not drink water from a bowl. Mist the enclosure plants 4–5 times daily for 2 minutes so that leaves are saturated and dripping with water.
- Provide vitamin D supplements
Substrate
- Veiled chameleons do best in screen-sided enclosures because of the increased airflow.
- Use real and plastic plants so that water doesn’t absorb while you create mist.
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Herpville app provides you with tools, tips, and techniques to keep your reptile pets and amphibians alive and healthy.
Whether you are a reptile hobbyist, pro breeder, or own a reptile business, Herpville will significantly improve your reptile husbandry and will provide support for the entire lifecycle of reptile breeding.
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