Veiled Chameleon — care sheet

Intermediate. The hardiest, most forgiving chameleon and the best one to start with — but chameleons are demanding: precise hydration, a well-ventilated cage, a hands-off approach, and (for females) a real egg-binding risk.

Insectivore — a varied, gut-loaded insect menu (crickets, dubia, hornworms, silkworms, black soldier fly larvae): juveniles daily, adults every 1–2 days. Veiled chameleons also nibble non-toxic live plants (pothos, hibiscus), which is normal.

A front-opening 24×24×48 in mesh cage minimum, larger preferred — they’re arboreal, so height and dense planting matter. Full-mesh suits humid climates; in a very dry home a partly solid (glass/PVC) enclosure holds humidity better. House ONE per cage — chameleons are solitary and stressed by company.

A gentle basking spot of 85°F (29°C) — the heat lamp only needs to be on for about 3 hours in the morning. They do NOT want a hot all-day basking zone.

General temperature 72–78°F (22–25°C), with a vertical gradient (warmer at the top, cooler below) so it can thermoregulate by climbing.

Night 55–65°F (13–18°C) — a genuine night-time drop is healthy.

UVB is essential (diurnal, arboreal): a T5 HO bulb (Arcadia Forest 6% or Zoo Med ReptiSun 5.0) giving UVI ~3.0 at basking height (Ferguson Zone 3), plus a bright 6500K daylight LED for wellbeing. 12-hour photoperiod; replace the UVB bulb yearly.

Low by day, high at night: 40–50% during the day and 80–100% at night. Crucially, they drink DROPLETS, not standing water — provide water by misting morning and evening, a dripper in the afternoon, and ideally a fogger before “sunrise”. A water bowl will be ignored.

Because so much water passes through daily, most keepers run a bare floor with a drainage system rather than loose substrate (which saturates and poses an impaction risk). Live potted plants add cover and humidity.

Dust insects with plain calcium at most feedings, a little calcium + D3 lightly (alongside UVB), and a multivitamin about every 2 weeks. Getting the supplement schedule right matters — too much D3 or vitamin A causes its own problems.

Males ~17–24 in with tail; females smaller, ~10–14 in

6–8 years (females often shorter, from the toll of egg-laying)

See a reptile or exotics vet if you notice: Sunken eyes, eyes closed during the day, or dry/orange stringy urate (dehydration — the No. 1 chameleon problem).; A rubbery jaw, bowed limbs, or a curled/kinked tail (signs pointing to metabolic bone disease).; A female who goes off food, digs restlessly, then becomes weak and straining (egg-binding — an emergency).; Gaping with mucus, or puffing/whistling (possible respiratory infection).; Persistent dark, stressed colouration with lethargy, or swollen, gritty joints (gout, often from over-supplementation)..