Chameleon

[brawson]

Hi all,

On our way back from Predator World near Sun City, we stopped at an intersection and the locals were selling naartjies, peacan nuts and then showed us a small chameleon. My heart dropped as I can only imagine the horrors this poor fella encountered as he/her was obviously caught in the wild. They wanted R300 for it, i haggled him down to R150 (fair enough for freedom/safe place). I then went through to Pet Masters in Boksburg and purchased a Exo-Terra Explorarium (expanding full screen terrarium), forest bark, a fake plant, climbing log and some calcium). We have small meal worms which we use for our Capuchins.

Is there anything I don't have that I would need as well as care tips?

Can anyone identify given a photo and the area assumed as Pilansberg, Sun City area (photo attached)

[sillybilly]

The last time I was near Sun City, the exact same thing happened to me. 1st robot selling a chameleon and then pow 2nd robot a tortoise. I see you were trying to save the animal but buying it causes them to go catch another wildy to sell. Chameleons get stressed pretty easily so its a sad thing what these people are doing.

[imperial exotix]

That looks like a flap neck cham, I suggest you put him back in the wild where he wont be caught. As far as I know wild chams dont do well in captivity, let this guy go and buy captive breed one.

[24088847]

Flapnecks are incredibly difficult to keep. They need alot of unfiltered natural light and are best kept out doors in the summer. Once caught they dont do well in captivity and require alot of time and effort. An exoterra uvB bulb will need to be bought but go and do ur research on them. They are very cute but stress out.
Just remember it is illegal to keep them.

[brawson]

thanks for the replies people.

I thought about it on the way home that buying the fella would simply mean that the poachers would go out and steal another one from the wild to sell but then i also thought that simply leaving it with him would mean it would sooner die/get injured as his description on caring for it was: "you just cut a small piece of meat and leave it to bring the flies and put it a cage..." Further down the road was another guy selling one (this guy looked very dodge).

If it is illegal, why are they not being arrested etc for poaching etc?

I will follow the advice from 24088847, will check around my area for reptile vets that can assist.

[Fooble]

That is a Flapneck Chameleon.

Problem here is you have become "victim" to the common chameleon scam.
You felt sorry for it and bought it, tomorrow the same guy will be back at the same place selling another one.
Problem is the demand has now been created and he will continue to sell and catch these as long as people buy them.

Fact is it is illegal to sell/keep or trade these chameleons in Gauteng at all.
How ever since you have the animal already and can't release it you are going to need to care for it as it's now your responsibility so be prepared for the following (failing which is highly likely you will loose the animal):

You got a mesh terrarium is that correct?
If you intend on keeping it inside you will need the following :
1. A UVB 10.0 bulb( if the enclosure is small) or a UVB 10.0 UVB tube a 30cm should be fine id suggest Exo terra or Zoo Med don't buy the other cheaper brands. ( And the answer is yes the UV tubes and bulbs are extensive but without them the chameleon WILL DIE)

If you are keeping the chameleon outside you can do so in his mesh terrarium leaving it outside 24hrs a day in a space where it is getting a bare minimum of 10 hours of unfiltered sunlight daily but does have the option of hiding beneath foliage/plants in its cage to escape direct sunlight ( the chameleon will be alot better when kept outside)

2. For a heat source you will need a Heat lamp you can use either a 40watt Infa-red heat lamp or a 40 Watt Spot Light for heat do not use a normal house hold light or an energy saver these are not the same thing.

3. You need to spray/mist the chameleons enclosure down at least twice daily as the chameleon will not drink from a bowl.
Try use an array of plastic or live plants in the cage so you can spray these s the chameleon can lick up the water droplets off them as they do not like to be directly sprayed with water

4. Diet this is IMPORTANT that sized chameleon needs to be fed daily, varying the diet is ideal but you should be feeding a chameleon of that size between 7-10 3/4 sized crickets a day ( which you dust with a good quality calcium powder which is purchased from any decent petstore you need to get a calcium powder that contains vitamin D3 be sure of this) You can also supply the chameleon with meal worms in a shallow dish placed beneath a perch/branch so he can eat from his elevated position.

Flapneck chameleons are hardy little animals follow these guidelines and it will thrive. Bare in mind chameleons do not like to be handled much so keep that down to only essential handling.

[Durban Keeper]

Very nice post Fooble!

[AmyZee123]

Hello!
Im new to this forum, so excuse me if I make some mistakes, my friend fell into the scam of buying a chameleon from a guy just outside the pilanesburg.... Ive done the best I can to help her out with him,
I think hes flapneck, maybe the size of my index finger, I built him a house by following a guide I found on the net. By grabbing a ficus (excuse my spelling if it's incorrect, apparently they eat this tree?) I then put the plant on a bigger dish, and attatched a mesh around the circumference, im trying to find a lamp for him. apparently I need a uvb 10?
I know we should release him into the wild, but we stay in the northern suburbs of jhb, and im afraid I dont think hell survive!
If anyone can help me out with some starter points id be much obliged!

[mania]

@Brawson, these guys have been arrested numerous time by north west counter poaching unit, but they end up getting bail of about R1500, which is pety cash to them because they go back on the streets the very next day and make the money back. When we bust these guys they normally only have one chameleon in there hand and others they tie to the surrounding trees with fishing gut to the legs which is sometimes difficult to find them. Also with the tortoises they either keep them in plastic packets in their back packs or they often drill holes near the rump base of the shell and tie the tortoises to trees or poles near by so when they are busted they not in possession of the others. Its like fighting a loosing battle because its only human nature for people to feel sorry for the animals and buy them off these idiots so therefore forming a small business for these guys and when one guy gets arrested there others that take his place because they see how good the business is.

[brawson]

excuse my language but R1500 is f**ken BS!!! Thats 5 chameleons sold and they make that money back (10 if they reduce their price to R150)!!! And in doing so, increases the sales and reduces the population of flap necks!!! Seriously, the government and officials care more about increasing their salaries than increasing the fine payable!!! Here's a simple solution, fine the bastards R30000 and everytime they are arrested a game ranger records it. The more poachers that get arrested, the higher the fine increases per R1500!! Soon all of them will be in cages just like the poor creatures they steal and sell... Yes, yes there will always be poachers but just as they intend to reduce the population of indigenous wild, so too do we intend to reduce their population and keep them captive!!!

[Bushviper]

Compare this to what the guys got fined in Cape Town for a few geckos and a snake or two. Seems like you have to be "indigenous" to have the law applied differently to you.

Equal justice for all?

[brawson]

yeah, "protected species" selling protected species... its just wrong!