This is a collaborative post: Panther chameleon are one of the most colourful as well as one of the most common species that are available today. The ones that live near to the Madagascar have the most beautiful colors and it depends upon the area and the origin.
Availability
These chameleon are available from the breeders as well as the shopkeepers, like the local reptile shops and through the internet as well. One of the most common panther chameleons is the Ambilobes or the Nosy Be which are becoming very common.
As per the size and the color the price of the chameleons may vary.
Size
The size of the panther chameleon ranges from 12 to 18 inches. The females might be a little smaller in size and their size may range from 10-14 inches. The male partner ranges from 140-180 in weight sand the healthy female would be around 60-80 grams.
Life span
These panther chameleons can have a life span in varied ranges depending upon the care they are provided. If you provide good conditions to your pet then it will live for about 5-7 years.
Caging
If you want that your pet easily locates the prey then you need to create an enclosure that is small. The screen cages should have the dimensions 16 inches in length, 16 inches in width and 30 inches in height.
Moreover if you want to keep and adult panther chameleon then you can go for a cage that has 18 inches length and width while the height is 36 inches. Whereas, the cage for female panther chameleon is 16 inches in length and width and with 30 inches in height. Also you would need to take care of basic things in the cage.
Temperature and lighting
It is important that you provide two kinds of lighting to the pet that is UVB and incandescent. The adult panther chameleons require a basking spot which is around 100degrees F and has a temperature between 75-85 degrees. Whereas the smaller chameleons have a basking area around 85-95 degrees. The lower ambient temperature is near to 75 degrees. It is necessary that the panther chameleon’s thermo regulate. So for this it is necessary t place the lights on the top of the cage.
We all know that the panther chameleons are the species that carry out basking but they also get a partial cover by the plants and need a UVB source to carry out the basking perfectly. There are various sizes of the UVB tube that are available. These include T8, T5 sizes. The T8 are 1 inch in diameter and need to be replaced after every 6 months. T5 lamps are the new ones and they are somewhat half an inch in the range of diameter.
The enclosures that are taller should use the T5 unit. And for using this it is necessary that the unit is mounted near to the ceiling. This will make sure that the configuration is getting right amount of UV gradient, and this will be transferred from the UV basking lamp.
This indicates that all the requirements of the chameleon can be fulfilled by the position of the enclosure. The chameleon is thus a basing species that may take some time to adjust in the area with light or with n light. To achieve this there are hiding spots.
Decoration
The panther chameleons live in a healthily manner in an environment where the decorations are absorbent and there are enough requirements to meet the basking conditions.
When you are selecting the bedding you need to ensure that that the pieces will easily absorb the moisture through the spray and also release it during the day. Mostly, we make use of the woodchip; this is because it is clean and also easily spotted. If you want a decoration that is more natural then you can use a soil mix. You can even make use of the nutrient rich soil mix that will help you provide your pet with an environment that is bio active and rich in the drainage also.
This system will be very effective in the temperatures that are hot.
Substrate
The chameleons can live in a better way without any substrate. The addition of the substrate into the enclosure will only add to your cleaning expenses and will give a place to the insects to hide. Even after this if you decide to give them a substrate in the enclosure then you can provide newspaper and paper towels.
Along with this if you water your plants it will provide the required humidity.
Panther Chameleon Food
It is important that you give varied food to your pet. This is because it likes variations and will get bored if you give the same food every day. For example you can give silkworms, hornworms, super worms, stick bugs and a lot more. Do not forget to feed them insects that are gut loaded and it is also very necessary that you dust your insects. Use vitamin powders for the same. It can be done in various ways and use calcium once in a week with D3.
Water
Water is very important for every pet and for the chameleons as well. You need to provide the water on time to pet as they need it and love it as well. If you mist water 2-3 times a day then it will meet the humidity requirements and by providing a running drip system you will be able to provide them water easily.