Chameleon Academy Podcast

What size cage should we use for chameleon hatchlings? As we evaluate our husbandry to provide an enriching life for our chameleons we need to start at how we care for them from day 1. I talk about how we should be starting off our chameleons from the moment they leave the egg.

Do you think it would be cool to see chameleons in the wild? In this podcast episode I talk about my top picks to see wild chameleons!

We need to go back to the wild source if we want to move our captive husbandry forward. But there are cautions and dangers in doing so that we need to avoid. Freshly back from Madagascar, I discuss how important wild environmental data is, the dangers in misusing it, and how to change our captive husbandry properly.

We all know parasites are an issue with our captive reptiles, but not all of us have a microscope or would know what to do with one if we did.

Today I am going to give you the bare bones, high level introduction to parasites that requires no previous knowledge, but will make you highly effective in fighting the parasites that want to move in on your reptile.

We have always been amazed when we see an enclosure set up naturalistically with thriving plant life. There is a magic in getting lost in the details of one of these environments. It is even more powerful when the chameleon is the last thing you notice because it had so well hidden itself in plain sight (as chameleons are able to do).

Getting ready to buy a chameleon cage? Listen here first! We often don’t think about how we are going to set things up once we get our chameleon cage. After years of doing this, I’d like to share five things that can make the difference between annoyance and smooth sailing!

Here are my picks for the next steps for chameleon keepers to level up after they get comfortable with the basics of chameleon husbandry.

Do you love keeping chameleons so much that you are thinking of adding another one to your household? We talk a lot about what you should consider if you are getting your first chameleon, but a favorite topic of mine is what you should consider if you are getting your second, third, or fourth chameleon!

Doing your own parasite checks on your chameleon has long been for advanced keepers. But there is no reason why this cannot be a part of every day chameleon husbandry for anyone with multiple chameleons.Today I am making the argument for adding fecal checks to standard husbandry.

Coccidia is a parasite that can do great harm to your chameleon. By knowing the coccidia  lifecycle we are able to device medications and strategies to eradicate it. by the end of this episode you will have a working knowledge of the coccidia parasite in the context of chameleons.

What do I do to improve pet store standards for keeping chameleons? Not only are chameleons not being cared for correctly, the improper care gives the wrong message to the beginning chameleon keeper. Do we tell the pet store to up their chameleon care? Do we tell the corporation to improve their chameleon care standards? Today I discuss the the ways we can make a difference in creating a better world for captive chameleons.

Rare Genetics, Inc. is opening up a final round of test development for a genetic test for panther chameleon locale. This is a 35 minute conversation with Dr. Ben Morrill, who is actively working on a way to explore panther chameleon local forms using genetic material from their shed skin. We are very excited to see this go to market and future improvements as we put it out there for people to use in their projects.

If you keep chameleons (or any reptile) you might feel like there is change in the air. Yes, there are some major shifts happening and it is wise that we face them head on.

Quality over quantity. TC Houston started taking about small batch breeding on the Animals at Home podcast a few years ago and it started a chain reaction. I am convinced that we can make our community better by embracing these concepts.

Dart frogs are a most incredible creature! And Troy Goldberg of YouTube's Troy Goldberg's garage, joins me to share how to take care of these little guys!

Rus Wilson from Aquarimax (https://www.aquarimax.com/) and I talk about what Isopods I should use for my new Custom Reptile Habitats Arboreal XL Enclosure. It has a special "forest Floor Viewing Window" and I want to have some awesome isopod action down there!!

Breeding chameleons is a resource consuming task if done properly. Burnout amongst chameleon breeders is common. And with that our community experience is depleted. In this episode I look at how we can use Small Batch Breeding concepts to strengthen our community and increase satisfaction for the individual keeper turned breeder.

Michael DiBoneventura joins us today to represent the perspective of a new breeder. He has a ton of experience with various reptiles throughout his life, like most of us, but he got started with Panther Chameleons by raising them individually. We discuss some of the information he used and what he looks for when sourcing animals ethically. He also talks about female management and clutch sizes that he shoots for. Great discussion!