Facts About the Yemen Chameleon
The Yemen Chameleon, also known as the Veiled Chameleon make a great pet. These lizards are fun to keep because they demonstrate intelligence, and they are not as skirmish as some types of pet lizards. The Yemen as a pet is very easy to keep if you are careful to ensure that they have the right environment to live in. When this species of lizard is kept healthy it will grow to about 500mm in length.
If you are considering getting a Yemen Chameleon as a pet you will want to look for one from a reputable pet shop or breeder. When shopping for your new pet there are a few things that you will want to watch for. When you handle a Yemen, they should be calm and not seem skittish; it is natural for very young Chameleons to seem a bit excited but they will settle down fairly fast.
The lizard you choose should be clean and appear to be alert and not sluggish at all. Due to the fact that a Yemen Chameleon will change their color according to their moods, you should always choose one that is a nice, bright green color. The ones that tend to be darker in color are not as good as pets.
In most cases you will want a male for a pet simply because they tend to outlive the females by a few years. You can get both a male and female but you will have to be prepared for them to breed. Keeping a male and female together isn’t a problem but you should only keep one male in the same living environment. More than one female is fine.
To house your new pet you will need a Vivarium and as the Yemen Chameleon does grow quite large you will have to make sure that the vivarium is big enough to accommodate it. No matter if you choose a housing unit that is glass, wood or plastic, you will have to pay special attention to the temperature and heating. Temperature control can be one of the most difficult aspects about keeping reptiles, as they have no body heat of their own they must be kept warm.
The temperature should be kept at about 95 to 100F; in most cases to ensure that temperature is suitable you will have to use basking lights and a thermometer to keep track of what the temperature is. The basking lights should only be used during daylight hours and turned off at night. If your house is especially cool at night, like during the winter you may want to leave the lights on a little longer.
In addition to basking lights you will have to make sure that you are using a UV light as well. It is very important that the Yemen Chameleon get a enough UV light or they could develop several diseases. Use the UV light for about 12 hours and then turn it off for 12 hours; keep repeating this process.
This type of lizard eats mostly insects; their main diet should consist of locusts and crickets but it is important that you also use a vitamin powder substitute to help prevent the metabolic diseases that are a frequent problem with the Yemen. Another main part of their diet should vegetation, such as leafy salad.
Because of the fact that the Yemen Chameleon produces a large amount of waste you will have to clean out their living area on a regular basis. To clean simply remove all the bedding, as well as branches and rocks. Clean the tank with a safe disinfectant and rinse well. When the tank is dry you can then replace the bedding and return the branches and rocks.
The Veiled Chameleon makes a wonderful pet if you have the patience to care for them properly.
Related Resources: