Panther Chameleon Care Sheet

Scientific Name: Chamaeleo pardalis

Description

Like all Chameleons, the Panther Chameleon changes colours with environment and mood, moves their eyes indepentantly, and catches food with its tongue.

Read all about the Panther Chameleon in the Wild to better understand these interesting lizards.

Take a look at these Panther Chameleon Pictures to put an image to their description.

Captive Care Information

Food & Water

Feed your Panther Chameleon a varied diet of insects; including but not limited to crickets, mealworms, butterworms, silkworms and waxworms. Feed waxworms sparingly, as they are very high in fat, and not an overall healthy choice to be part of their everyday diet. Be sure to dust or spray your gut-loaded insects with a vitamin supplement containing calcium. Feed hatchlings and juveniles everyday, and adults once every 2 days. A Chameleon's appetite severly decreases as they reach adulthood. The Panther Chameleon will most likely never drink out of a bowl. They will get their water from lapping the dew off of leaves in their enclosure, so daily misting are required. You can also use a drip system, which slowly drips water. You can position the system over a plant in the enclosure, so your Chameleon will always know where to go for water.

Lighting, Temperature & Humidity

You should give your Panther Chameleon a 10 - 12 hour light cycle each day, using a full-spectrum flourescent fixture. They require the UV rays from full-spectrum bulbs to help breakdown vitamins correctly. You must also supply a heat gradient from about 75 degrees F to 85 degrees F. Do not let the temperature drop below 75 degrees F or above 90 degrees F. Use an incandescent bulb or ceramic heat emitter to achieve the temperature gradient. Never use a heating pad on the bottom of the enclosure. The Chameleon's heat sensors are on its back, not its belly, and they can be seriously injured. Keep humidity levels between 65% - 85%. The misting, drip system, real plants or a shallow bowl of water can be used to maintain these levels.

Housing

Panther Chameleons are tree dwellers, and as such, need a lot of space to climb around. A minimum size for an adult Panther is 3' by 3' by 4' high. It should always be taller than wide or deep. Use a full screen enclosure, never a glass aquarium. These guys will climb on anything, and glass frustrates them. This, and the combination of being able to see their reflection will stress them out. As mentioned, they are tree dwellers, and do not really need a substrate. Subtrate of any kind can lead to impaction if eaten, and as Chameleons catch prey with their tongue, substrate commonly goes with it. Provide a live plant for hiding, and a lot of branches and walkways for your Panther Chameleon to climb and bask on.