Pygmy Chameleon — care sheet

Intermediate. They look like a beginner pet because they're tiny and cheap, but they're the opposite. Pygmies are heat-sensitive (over 80°F/26°C can kill them), need constant humidity, eat only live insects, and don't want to be handled. Get the room temperature and misting rhythm right and they're rewarding — get it wrong and they fade fast. Most are still wild-caught, which stacks the deck against a new keeper.

Strict insectivore. Small feeders sized smaller than the head — 1/8"–1/4" crickets, flightless/fruit flies, small roaches (dubia/discoid), plus baby silkworms and hornworms. Gut-load and hydrate feeders well. Adults: about 4–6 small crickets every other day; babies and juveniles eat more, more often.

Minimum ~18" x 18" x 18" (a front-opening, well-ventilated glass or PVC terrarium — NOT a tall full-screen chameleon cage). Because they're floor-dwellers they value floor space and dense low planting over height. Add ~5 gallons of space per extra animal if group-housing.

No traditional hot basking spot. If used at all, a low-wattage plant/heat lamp should keep the warmest point around 77–80°F (25–27°C) — never higher. In a normal room these often need no heat lamp at all.

Ambient/shaded areas ~68–75°F (20–24°C). They live in cool tropical understory, so a big hot-to-cold gradient isn't the goal — even, moderate temps are.

A natural night drop to ~58–65°F (14–18°C) is fine and welcome; room-temperature nights are ideal.

Low-intensity UVB is recommended for long-term health. Use a low-output linear tube such as an Arcadia ShadeDweller or Zoo Med T8 Reptisun 5.0, positioned so the animal can't get closer than ~6 inches to the bulb; heavy planting lets them self-regulate. Run ~12 hours a day and provide plenty of shade — these are shade-dwelling forest-floor animals, not sun-baskers.

High and steady: roughly 60–80% by day, rising to 80–100% at night. Achieve it with several light mistings a day and live plants — always paired with good ventilation so it never goes stagnant.

A deep, moisture-holding, well-draining substrate — at least ~3 inches of organic soil (e.g. coir/ReptiSoil/plantation soil) topped with clean, chemical-free leaf litter. This holds humidity, supports live plants, and mimics the forest floor they hunt on. Bioactive with a springtail/isopod cleanup crew works well.

Dust feeders with a plain calcium (no D3, no phosphorus) at most feedings; add a multivitamin roughly monthly and a calcium-with-D3 lightly and occasionally (about monthly). An all-in-one like Repashy Calcium Plus LoD or Arcadia EarthPro simplifies this. Don't over-supplement D3/vitamin A.

Tiny — about 3–3.5 inches (8–9 cm) total length, one of the smallest chameleons in the world.

Often cited as 1–3 years, but that low figure largely reflects wild-caught, stressed, or overheated animals. With cool temps, steady humidity, and a settled captive-bred animal, 3–5+ years (up to ~6) is realistic.

See a reptile or exotics vet if you notice: Sunken eyes, wrinkled skin, or lethargy — signs of dehydration; see an exotics vet promptly.; Not eating for several days, or visible weight/muscle loss along the spine and tail base.; Runny, bloody, or worm-visible droppings — common in wild-caught animals; get a fecal exam.; Eyes kept closed during the day, gaping, or labored breathing — possible infection or overheating.; Swollen limbs, jaw, or a rubbery jaw, or trembling — possible metabolic bone disease; needs a vet.; A female straining, staying on the floor, or bloated and unable to lay eggs (dystocia) — an emergency.; Any animal that stopped moving or is limp after a hot spell — treat suspected overheating as urgent..