The Puffer Forum

Hey Brent, yes, you must join us in our pygmy craze, they are just so darn cute! I've just fed mine and stood there watching Kitty2 catching crickets one right after the other. It's so cool how they get that tongue ready and then shoot it out!
Thank you for your kind words Brent, luckily everything seems to be going very well with the 2nd Kitty, and I'm wondering if my first Kitty had issues (especially since she laid an egg up in the plant). Whatever the case, my 2nd Kitty is doing just fine and very active too, much more active than Burt. We've been having more hot weather, so I've been making sure to spray often to keep them cool. I unplugged the heat mat as well, and one day I had to put the fan in front of the terrarium to cool them down.
Brent, if you don't like the word "cage" (and who can blame you), you can always say "habitat" instead.
These little ones are perfect because they are so easy to take care of, and the only thing I have to be concerned with is the warmer weather, otherwise you pretty much sit back and be entertained by them. Two Sundays from today there is a reptile show near us and I intend to go. If I don't have any problems between now and then, I intend to get another female and have a trio -- if they have any available that is.

Yes. I'll try and make things work. ;]

Ah, "habitat."

That's a good word, for what it's worth. I think I'll start using it.

Where did you guys purchase your plants? There doesn't seem to be a single pet store around that sells them, and I doubt they'd have too many lizard-safe non-toxic plants at any greenhouses or the like. Anywhere online?

-x-

That's really good Suzanne! Glad Kitty2 is seemingly working out. I agree that Kitty1 laying her egg in the plant was a darn strange thing to do. If you were to get a 3rd, what sort of name would you like (I know it's hard to name something before you see it, but I'll ask anyway)?

-x-

Just thought I'd ask- does anyone know of a reptile wholesaler or something along those lines that is based in Canada or can ship to Canada (and furthermore, Newfoundland)? Google has insufficient info there. I'm actually wondering if there is one... Perhaps I'll just order through Pets Unlimited if I can.

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...That ships live animals, of course.

brent- picasso is actually my boy. hes a veiled cham, very beautiful and is doing fairly well now that he is off his meds. you can look up a list of chameleon safe plants online. the 2 best ones and most easy to find are pothos and umbrella plants. google them to see what they look like. btw, just thought id ad *BWHA-HA-HA-HA-HA* ive done it again!!!!!! man looks like i really did start a craze for chameleons on here hehe... anyway, theyre so stunning, you should definately get one, or lots of them XD

PPG- about water, its absolutely imparitive that you water your crickets. when you hydrate your crickets, your chams will be better hydrated when they eat them. i use flukers water gel because it has calcium. you could always try ebay if you cant find it in your area. most reptile keepers use it. good stuff and relatively cheap.

dont remember how it was brought up, but: when you gut load, you will want to feed as many things as possible to your crickets. this is because crickets themselves arent super nutritious and since the chams are only getting crickets, they need to be as nutritious and as vitamin packed as possible. in my opinion, carrots and oragnes just isnt sufficient (not trying to tell you what to do, just want to share what ive learned). try giving your crickets anything and everything you have laying around the kitchen that is healthy: fruit, veggies, lunch meat, sugarless cereal ect. i buy my gutload from a guy at chameleon forums.com if you sign up and PM him, his name is ssimsswiss. his home made gutload is called cricket crack and its got about 50 ingredients in it everything from bee pollen to red beans and various herbs... theres so much good stuff in there and its very very reasonably priced. i paid i think 12 bucks (shipped) for a sandwich baggy packed full of it... which will literally last you forever, especially since you have tiny crickets. he deals in personal check or paypal. at least pm him and check it out, he will send you a list of ingredients. i use cricket crack, water gel and the occasional orange or other watery fruit to gut load and thats really all you need

The plant that I have in my tank was one that I seen for sale one day when we were in town. It's nothing special and you don't have to worry about a plant being toxic or anything because the chameleons won't eat the plants. However, whatever plant you do settle on, make sure you wash all the soil off the roots, and you also want to lightly rinse the leaves (to get rid of any possible fertilizer residue). I actually washed all the soil off mine and then stuck it right in the terrarium and then put the substrate over it. I didn't pay much for the plant, so if it survives that's great and if not, then I will replace it with another. I do like that my chameleons are hard to see due to the bushiness of the plant. I'm sure that makes them feel more secure, even if it's difficult for me to see where they are. I figure if they feel safe they will be happier, and healthier.

As to a name for a 3rd pygmy ... well not sure about that because Burt & Kitty are my parent's names, so I'd have to think about who the other female could be (although my Aunt's name is a good possibility).

I'm afraid I can't help you in regards to a reptile wholesaler in Canada. But one thing I did when I wanted to find the pygmies in my area was to join a forum and get talking to people that live near you and see where they've gotten theirs. That's my suggestion. Then of course, once you find one, you will soon find other places that sell them. That's how it was for me. First I found the one guy, and then come to find out, there's about 4 other places that sell them in my area, although prices do vary from very reasonable to what I consider expensive. I found a website yesterday that has the Bearded pygmies (which is what I have), and they want £29.50 for the chameleon and another £29.95 for the courier! I just can't see that, so naturally I won't be buying from them!

*** Kilofey -- I've actually got something like Fluker's and actually my friend in the US is sending me some Fluker's, so my crickets are being watered. I have been feeding them since I got them. I even went online to find out what they like to eat. I definitely believe in giving a feeder cricket, worm or fish the best life they can have before they are eaten. I think everything deserves a good life. So I think my cham's will benefit from my crickets getting good stuff to eat.

I know Picasso is yours... Haha

Sorry if it seemed otherwise. (:

I vote... Lot's of them!

-x-

That's really good advice Kilo! I never knew you /could/ feed crickets so many different things. I figured just fruits and veggies. I did hear however to not use broccili or spinach as it can block calcium absorption in whatever eats the cricket. ;]

^Most of you probably knew that. Just putting it out there for good measure.

[e]

Okay, let's read that incredulously long post by Suzanne! =O

Actually if you look around some different sites they tell you to feed them carrots. Lots of vitamin A. They also like grainy food like chicken feed, though its not of much nutritional value like a carrot. What leads you to believe carrots arent nutritional? I think you need to brush up on your veggie knowledge Kilo. From what I have gathered carrots are one of the best food items you can gut load with, next to a supplement of course. I'm not trying to be rude here, just saying you should check again.
As for plants, I bought mine at a local nursery. Just type chameleon safe plants into a search engine and you will get large lists of what can be used. Most will need to be house type plants because of their tropical nature. I put pothos and a miniature ficus tree (ficus too small) in my terrarium. They look great and are thriving. That ficus is Miss Piglets favorite spot to hang out. Two weeks till the reptile show. Gonna try to get another male and possibly another female.

Alright, Suzanne:

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that chameleons did in fact eat / nibble on the plants. Just looked it up again- only certain species are omnivorous.

That isn't a bad idea. The reason I didn't join chameleonforums is because it looks so bare. Is it though?

I figure I will have to chat with some people to find a solid seller in Canada all the same.

Thanks. (:

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As for the actual list of plants, I've already got that covered. The only problem I think I'll have is obtaining them.

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I think I need to start quoting people.

Well I definitely could be wrong (have been before in fact) .... but I thought I read somewhere that said one didn't have to worry about a pygmy chameleon eating the plant and therefore you didn't have to worry about toxicity being an issue. I have no idea what the plant is that's in the terrarium with my chameleons, I just thought it would make a good hiding spot for them.

I've just been online looking at the website where I got my last female. They had some beautiful green pygmies when we went to pick up Kitty2, but I'm not sure I want to pay nearly 3 times as much for one of them. Besides, I should probably stay with the same species in the same terrarium. Even though very tempted by one of those prettier ones.

Sorry about the long post .... sometimes my fingers just keep going and I have alot to say.

Haha, that's fine.

I just looked up the plant-thing again. Only certain species are omnivorous. No specifics though...

I have no interest in fancy colours, really... I'd just go for the one I liked more (not if I already had chams though, of course).

So... Which one of you would count as my referrer to chameleonforums? Perhaps Kilo, since she truly got cham chat going 'round here.

What's your username on there, Kilo?

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Nevermind. PicassoTheVeiled.

hey how did you know that??? maybe i posted my name here already and forgot XD yea, thats me PicassoTheVeiled. and sorry, i must have read the post wrong, i thought u said something about suzanne having picasso... my eyes read too fast for my brain sometimes lol.

PPG- you should name your new girl suzanne then youd have the whole little family aawwweeee! and brent is right, some chameleons do eat the plants, it wouldnt be a bad idea to double check and make sure your pygmys arent going to eat them

i thought i read not to feed them carrots ill check again tho

I remembered seeing it on Rob's topic about his possible new tank (under marine puffers) so I went back and looked for it.

Nah, something weird about naming a pygmy after myself, besides I've got 4 siblings and I'd need to get 4 more chams to make the "little family" -- definitely don't have the space for that many! Although maybe if babies come along I can think about naming them after my siblings.

Yes, that would be a bit weird; wouldn't it? x]

I generally name things after their characteristics in both appearance and personality. I quite often choose to use a different language (not english).

http://stjohns.kijiji.ca/c-pets-other-p ... Z209379403

Seem reliable to you?