In recent years, chameleons have ceased to be a rarity in home terrariums. They are easy enough to tame, adapt well to life in captivity. However, providing a comfortable environment for your exotic pet will take some effort.
Instructions
Step 1
Do not purchase rare types of anoles, as their maintenance requires the creation of conditions that are sometimes difficult to ensure. Better than others, leopard, common and Yemeni chameleons are suitable for keeping in a terrarium.
Step 2
To keep a chameleon, you need to purchase a vertical aquarium, the dimensions of which should be at least 50x50x120 for the male and 40x50x80 for the female. It is undesirable to use wooden boxes for this purpose, since wood absorbs odors and water, which can lead to the appearance of mold, and this is unacceptable. If you do put your pet in a wooden cage, do not wash it when cleaning. Sand the inner surface with sandpaper and wipe with a slightly damp cloth, then disinfect and dry in the sun for at least one hour. Clean at least once a month.
Step 3
Take care of ventilation. Good ventilation is provided by a net that replaces one of the walls of the cage or aquarium. However, this option is dangerous for the chameleon, since he can climb onto the net. At the same time, there is a danger that the animal, clinging to the mesh cell with a claw, will break a limb or even die, failing to free itself. For ventilation, the top cover and one of the side walls of the aquarium must have holes.
Step 4
Terrarium lighting should be very good. It is best to purchase fluorescent bulbs (simple bulbs are an additional source of heat).
Step 5
Cover the bottom of the aquarium with pebbles or gravel (approximately 2.5 cm), then charcoal to absorb the odor (0.6 cm), and on top with a layer of sandy soil (2.5 cm). Place the plants in plastic pots. Remove them from the aquarium for watering. Replace the pots only after the water has drained off. Provide your pet with a resting place (a piece of twisted bark will do) and climbing branches at different levels.
Step 6
Watch the temperature, it should be at least 28 degrees during the day, and 22 at night. Temperature and humidity should be different at different levels. The animal will find the most comfortable place for itself. To maintain the required humidity (70 - 90%), equip the terrarium with a small fountain.
Step 7
You can feed chameleons from a feeder (plastic or glass jar with low edges), or from tweezers. The main food is insects. Chameleons readily eat crickets, zoophobes, large exotic cockroaches, meal flies and worms. You can buy food at the pet store, and some types of insects (such as crickets) can be caught or bred by yourself. Adult insects eat pieces of fruit (bananas, grapes, citrus fruits) with great pleasure.
Step 8
In nature, chameleons spend most of their lives in trees and drink, licking droplets of water from plant leaves. In captivity, they can be drunk from a pipette or syringe. For the same purpose, the plants are sprayed daily with water. A small fountain or pump that provides a trickle of water will also help keep your pets hydrated.
Step 9
Chameleons are territorial animals. Therefore, it is better to keep only one individual in the terrarium. If you want to keep two or more animals together, then take care of a larger aquarium so that you can delineate the area with dense "thickets".
