Veiled Chameleon Care Sheet

Veiled Chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus) are arboreal reptiles native to the Arabian Peninsula, known for their striking colour changes, large casque shaped heads, and independently moving eyes. They are one of the most commonly kept chameleon species due to their hardiness and adaptability, but they still require precise care to thrive in captivity. Males typically reach 18-24 inches in length, while females remain slightly smaller at 12-18 inches. With proper husbandry, they can live 5-8 years.

Care sheets are only to be taken as guidelines. Just as with all animals, each reptile will have unique traits and personalities special to the individual animal that may require adaptation in their husbandry and care. The following care sheet will address basic requirements but as the primary caretaker of your pet, we encourage you to take notice of your pet's behaviours and preferences and make adjustments as they grow with you and your family. Please also keep in mind that unlike mammals, most reptiles change their behaviour according to the weather seasons even if you keep them indoors all year round.

We keep chameleons in stock at our Toronto store and ship across Canada.

Enclosure: A spacious, well ventilated enclosure is crucial for Veiled Chameleons. Screen cages are preferred over glass or plastic enclosures, as they provide excellent airflow and additional climbing surfaces. However, it is very important to note that screen enclosures can be very difficult to maintain humidity and for this reason, sometimes it is better to choose a glass enclosure instead. A screen enclosure where you are not able to maintain humidity can be detrimental to your chameleon. A minimum enclosure size for a male adult is 24x24x48 inches, though larger is always better. Females can be housed in slightly smaller enclosure due to their smaller size. It is not advisable to place hatchlings into the full size enclosure unless you are highly experienced. Juveniles are very delicate and more sensitive to their environment, and we recommend a smaller environment when they are young so that you have more control over the climate. Vertical space and lots of climbing branches and foliage are essential, as these lizards spend most of their time climbing.

Substrate: Fine substrates such as coco fibre are generally discouraged, as Veiled Chameleons are prone to accidental ingestion especially when they are young. Instead, a bare floor with paper towels, reptile carpet, or a bioactive setup with a drainage layer and live plants is ideal. If a bioactive enclosure is used, a safe soil mixture without perlite or fertilizers should be chosen. Once they are bigger, the use of mulch or bark mixtures is also acceptable.

Temperature: Proper heating is necessary to maintain healthy thermoregulation. The basking spot should be maintained at 85-90°F (29-32°C), while the ambient temperature should range between 72-80°F (22-27°C). Nighttime temperatures can drop to around 65-70°F (18-21°C), which Veiled Chameleons tolerate well. A heat lamp should be placed outside the enclosure to prevent burns, as chameleons do not recognize heat sources and may climb too close, and they are known to burn their casques if you place the heat source inside the enclosure. Juveniles thrive best at more moderate temperatures while adults can withstand larger fluctuations.

Humidity: Humidity levels should be kept around 40-60%. Using a reptile fogger or misting system is highly beneficial for this species. Chameleons will easily succumb to dehydration if proper humidity is not maintained.

Lighting: Provide UVB lighting for 10-12 hours a day to support proper calcium and vitamin D3 metabolism and overall health. Use a full-spectrum UVB bulb specifically designed for reptiles. UVB lighting can be provided in the form of linear fluorescent, compact fluorescent, mercury vapour, and more recent technology provides UVB lighting in LED form as well. Heating bulbs can be provided by basking heat bulbs, heat emitters, or deep heat projectors. The amount of lighting you need will depend on the size of your setup and temperature of the room the enclosure stays in.

Decor: It is crucial that lots of climbing opportunities are provided for Veiled Chameleons. They eat, sleep, and roam high up in the trees and it is such a pleasure to watch them navigate branches of all sizes. A healthy chameleon will never be found on the ground unless it is a female preparing to lay eggs. Climbing and hiding spots are achieved by placing branches at different levels, live plants with sturdy branches, vines, and foliage canopies, both artificial and live.

Feeding: Veiled Chameleons are omnivores, with a diet primarily consisting of crickets, dubia roaches, and other gut-loaded insects when they are juveniles. Occasional treats such as hornworms, silkworms, and locusts can provide variety. When they are adult age, they will also eat plant matter such as dandelion greens, lettuces, and hibiscus flowers.

Gut loading: Gut-load insects with nutritious foods before feeding them to your chameleon to ensure optimal nutritional value.

Supplementation: Lightly dust insects with calcium powder. You can use a multivitamin if you wish but in our experience, Vitamin A supplement is more beneficial for this species. Be careful not to over supplement with vitamin D3.

Water: Unlike many other reptiles, chameleons do not drink from standing water, so misting or an automatic drip system is necessary to provide drinking water. A well-hydrated chameleon will exhibit bright eyes and smooth skin, while dehydration may cause sunken eyes and lethargy.