Housing for Chameleons

There are many different methods of housing chameleons and it can be very difficult to obtain an enclosure off the shelf that does not need modifying somewhat.

A panther chameleon enclosure needs to provide plenty of ventilation, a medium to high humidity and must also be able to deal with water run off that is produced by misting and/or dripping. You must also take into account the ambient temperature of your home when deciding between enclosure types. All these are crucial factors to think about in making sure you make the correct cage choice to suit your own personal circumstances.

Panther chameleons are an arboreal species which means they spend most of their time in trees, bushes and shrubs. This means that you need to provide more height to the enclosure than width and they cannot be kept in the standard size vivariums that are commonly used for bearded dragons and other ground dwelling species.Adult panther chameleons should never be housed in pairs or groups, males are fiercely territorial and can inflict serious injuries on one another. Females of the species, although less aggressive, can and will still fight if the mood takes them. Even if you think you have a compatible pair that do not show signs of aggression towards each other there will always be a dominant animal that gets the lion’s share of food and preferred basking areas, and this will lead to the sub-dominant animal hiding away and suffering from what’s known as “low level stress”.
Even though the sub-dominant animal may seem relatively healthy to look at, eventually the stress could suppress the animal’s immune system and leave it susceptible to disease and infection. (See problems page). Even the sight of other chameleons in separate cages can have a detrimental effect on health, so if you have multiple animals make sure there is a visual barrier between them to minimize the amount of stress they are subjected to.

CAGE TYPES

I have compiled a list of cage types with a brief description and the pros and cons of each so you can decide which will best suit your needs and circumstances.

Wooden vivariums


Large vents are essential when using wooden enclosures.	A wooden vivarium with a modified mesh door for ventilation.

Melamine wooden vivariums can have the added benefit of retaining heat and humidity but lack the essential ventilation needed by most chameleon species.Also, the amount of water needed to keep a chameleon well hydrated can pose problems by accumulating in the bottom of the enclosure and swelling up the wood in a relatively short space of time.

On the other hand, if the temperature in the room where the enclosure will be placed drops too cold at night (below 68F) then a wooden vivarium may be for you but with a few modifications made. You can create adequate ventilation in a wooden vivarium by cutting large holes in the sides with a jigsaw and replacing with aluminium mesh or large plastic vents. It is also advisable to cut out the top of the enclosure and replace with mesh, this way you can have all your lighting placed outside on top of the cage which is ideal in maximizing your cage space and keeping your chameleon away from direct contact with the bulb.
A method I have used myself with wooden vivariums is to replace the sliding glass doors with a small timber framework on hinges to make up the door, and then staple the mesh to the back of the framework. This works well in providing lots of airflow but can also retain heat at night if the temperature in your room drops too low. The last thing to consider is water run off.

To stop your nice new vivarium from swelling up you need to combat water collection in the bottom of the enclosure. This can be as simple as a shallow bowl to catch water drops or as elaborate as a full plastic liner or even a combination of the two.

A row of screen enclosures housing adults, note the visual
barriers to prevent them seeing each other.

Full screen cages

Screen cages are excellent in providing much needed ventilation and are ideal for most chameleon species. Ninety percent of my animals are kept in these with modified plastic sides to prevent them seeing each other and they all seem to do very well in them.

If the room temperature where the cage is kept drops low at night (below 68F) then additional night time heating may be required in the form of a ceramic heater set on a thermostat. These are very effective and easy to set up. In general, full screen cages are a very good choice for a wide range of chameleon species.

Free range

Although quite rare, some keepers prefer to keep their chameleons in a dedicated area of a room and have them free ranging on large plants and a network of vines and branches. This may sound appealing to some but it is not without its problems. Ensuring that your chameleon is getting adequate heat and UV-B exposure may be difficult with such a large area to cover, also the panther chameleon is a very active species and it would not take long to explore outside its dedicated area where it could get injured or lost.

Glass terrariums

I have to point out that glass terrariums do not include fish tanks! Fish tanks should only house fish and are not acceptable as panther chameleon habitats.
There are many terrariums available on the market and the majority seem to have the same make up, full glass sides with front opening doors and a screen top for ventilation.

Terrariums may be OK for babies and juveniles but I could not recommend keeping an adult panther in one as the sizes in which they are available are rarely big enough. I also believe that there is not enough airflow in the lower parts of the terrarium and with glass being a poor insulator of heat the night time temperatures can fall to unacceptable levels without the aid of additional heating.

Terrariums can be very beneficial with some of the more tropical species requiring high humidity but if used to house panther chameleons care should be taken on the amount of water supplied, and you must ensure the terrarium dries adequately between misting and before the night cycle to avoid respiratory issues. (See problems page).

Cage Sizes

Adult males should be kept in an enclosure no smaller than 2ft x 2ft x 3ft high. They are usually very active and like to explore their surroundings in the hunt for food or potential breeding opportunities - the bigger the better when it comes to adult males and a 2ft x 2ft x 4ft high or bigger is an ideal size to give them enough space to roam freely. Adult females can vary in size dramatically (between 45 g and 120 g) and do well in enclosures ranging from 15"x15"x 2ft high to 2 ft x 2ft x 3ft high depending on the size of the female.

As a standard, most of my panther females are housed in 18"x 18"x 36" enclosures and this is ample room for females of most sizes. Hatchlings can be kept singly or in small groups of around 6 or 7 in an enclosure of around 12"x12"x12".You will have to separate them as they grow, and if you see an individual that is out-growing its cage-mates, or showing signs of aggression, move it to its own cage as soon as possible. At around 3 months of age, or around 3 inches in total length, they can be housed in a cage of around 15"x15"x18" high or 18"x18"x 2ft high. Young panther chameleons will always fair better in smaller enclosures as they feel more secure and will feed more readily. If you put a small panther chameleon into a large enclosure it will struggle to find its food and it may also hide away and not get the much-needed heat and UV-B exposure that is so important to them in the first few months of their lives.

When a panther chameleon reaches between 6 and 9 months old (depending on size) they are usually ready to be moved on to their final enclosure where they can stay for the rest of their lives.

Cage furniture

Cage design is a very important part of chameleon keeping. We as keepers have a responsibility to make their captive home as close to their natural habitat as possible. You can do this with the help of live plants (pothos, Ficus, umbrella plants) in the cage. These plants will create hiding places to help the chameleon feel more secure and also create humidity within the enclosure. The chameleons will also need a network of vertical and horizontal branches so they can make full use of the space provided and these will also aid the chameleon in moving in and out of hotter and cooler areas within the cage. (See heating and lighting). There are many fake vines and branches on the market that are very flexible and natural looking. These vines are excellent when used in chameleon enclosures as they can be bent and manipulated to go almost anywhere within the cage.

Another thing to consider is branch size, the branches within the cage should correspond to the chameleons grip and if you have a baby or juvenile chameleon then the majority of branches should be of a small enough size to accommodate the chameleons grasp. When keeping other reptiles there is a lot of choice when it comes to what substrates to use but with chameleons by far the best option is none at all. Bark or cocoa fibre may look attractive but it will create a breeding ground for bacteria and mould. It is also a good hiding place for feeder insects so if the chameleon accidentally ingests some of the substrate while feeding there is a possibility it will cause impactions. Using no substrate makes it very easy to wipe the bottom of the cage down and gives a better chance of keeping things bacteria-free.

If you feel you need something in the bottom of the enclosure then the only things I could recommend are paper towels or newspaper.

Cage positioning

Something to consider when setting up your new chameleon cage is where in the home to locate it. Chameleons are silent peaceful creatures that do not respond well to disturbance, in the wild or captivity. Try to place the cage in a low-traffic area within the home where the animal will not be constantly disturbed by passing humans or pets, as this could lead to health issues through stress and could shorten the lifespan of your new pet. Also try to avoid draughty areas and areas that may receive direct sunlight, which could increase the temperatures within the cage to dangerous levels.