Care of a Pigmy Chameleon

A pygmy chameleon is not a suitable pet for novice reptile keepers. If you already own a bearded dragon or leopard gecko, you may feel you are ready to keep something a little more unusual and challenging. Most pygmy chameleons in pet shops are wild-caught Rhampholeon brevicaudatus from Tanzanian rainforests. This is a dwarf, bearded species reaching approximately 2 to 3 inches in length when fully grown. Captive-bred bearded pygmy chameleons are quite rare, but they are healthier, less stressed and parasite-free. Unlike other chameleons, you must keep these tiny creatures in a cool but humid habitat with a natural leaf- and bark-based substrate to encourage their natural behavior of digging around plant roots and branches.

Things You'll Need

  • Vivarium with mesh top
  • Light fitting
  • 2-watt or 5-watt energy-saving bulb
  • Orchid bark
  • Sphagnum moss
  • Artificial leafy branches and plants
  • Reptile vine
  • Probe thermometer
  • Reptile hygrometer
  • Spray bottle
  • Dechlorinated water
  • Deep food dish
  • Shallow worm dish
  • Live food
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a small vivarium with a mesh or screen top. Ventilation is extremely important in a pygmy chameleon setup to prevent mold growth. A vivarium that is 12 inches wide by 12 inches deep by 12 to 18 inches high is adequate for one or two chameleons. For most pet reptiles, bigger is better when it comes to housing, but pygmy chameleons are the exception to the rule. They display natural behavior in a small, densely planted vivarium with plenty of hiding places where they can feel secure and safe.

    • 2

      Cover the base of the vivarium with a mixture of orchid bark and sphagnum moss to a depth of 2 or 3 inches. Vary the depth to make a natural rainforest floor so your chameleon can enjoy digging in the substrate. Gather artificial leafy branches and twigs into bunches and plant them vertically at either side of the vivarium. Twist a piece of reptile vine around the inside of the enclosure to make a pathway through the branches so your chameleon can access a variety of heights when climbing the decor.

    • 3

      Provide lighting without creating additional heat. Pygmy chameleons start to overheat at 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and temperatures above 85 degrees can prove fatal. A 2-watt low-energy bulb emits almost no heat, but provides the equivalent illumination of a 20-watt incandescent bulb. Pygmy chameleons do not require UVA or UVB light because in the wild they live among leaf litter on the rainforest floor, unexposed to sunlight. Lighting is not vital, but pygmies blend into their environment so effectively it is difficult to see them without a light source inside your vivarium.

    • 4

      Attach the thermometer probe inside the vivarium and run the cable outside. Stick the display unit on the front of the enclosure so you can easily see the reading. Maintain a daytime temperature of 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit with a drop to 65 degrees overnight. This is room temperature for most homes. Excessively warm weather causes problems for pygmy chameleons, so position a fan to blow air over your vivarium's mesh top to keep your chameleon cool in the summer, if necessary. Never allow the fan to blow directly into the enclosure.

    • 5

      Stick the hygrometer to the back wall inside the vivarium. Fill a spray bottle with water and leave it overnight to allow the tap-water chemicals to dissipate naturally, or add a dose of reptile drinking-water dechlorinator. Pygmy chameleons drink from leaves, not a dish, so the misting water must be chlorine-free. Maintain humidity by spraying the enclosure twice a day. Check the hygrometer regularly and keep humidity at approximately 70 percent.

    • 6

      Feed your pygmy chameleon live feeder insects, such as the smallest size of locusts, mini meal worms and buffalo worms. As a guide, a healthy chameleon will consume two or three insects a day. Gut load (feed a specialized formula or nutritious fruit or vegetables) and dust all food items with a calcium and vitamin supplement. Crickets are also suitable, but they tend to hide in a densely planted vivarium if you let them loose. Bury a narrow, deep-sided container in the substrate and drop the crickets in at feeding time so they cannot escape and your chameleon can find its prey.

    • 7

      Spot clean the vivarium daily and perform a complete substrate change every two or three months.