Chameleons are friendly reptiles that little by little are making their way into our homes. Before having a new pet chameleon, it is important to know what its life expectancy is to know if throughout its life you ​​can give it all the care it needs to grow healthy and happy.
How Long They Live
The life expectancy of pet chameleons depends on their gender. Males can live from 7-8 years and females between 3-5 years. To ensure that our pet lives for as long as possible we must have our pet well cared for and with all your space and food needs well covered. Being exotic pets, they have specific care.
Females live fewer years because their body is in a constant process of creating eggs, which entails a great metabolic waste. Even if they do not mate with the male, the eggs can accumulate inside, causing death.
The species also influence the life expectancy of these exotic animals. The smallest pet chameleon can last between 4-5 years. And yet, the largest can even reach 15 years.
Tips to increase the life expectancy of a pet chameleon
Their Diet
Chameleons are pets that have a very specific diet. For example, they only eat live prey. Mainly crickets and worms, which you should also give minimal care to. Therefore, your pet chameleon can hunt them with its tongue. So if you are very squeamish about insects, a chameleon is not the best pet for you. You can find these insects in specialized stores.
Pet Chameleon Terrarium Tips
Chameleons are very territorial animals. For this reason, you can only have one per terrarium. The terrarium must meet the ideal conditions for this type of pet. For example, temperature, humidity, light, air, etcetera. And also, you must control it daily to be able to correct problems immediately and that the life of your chameleon is safe.
By Juhku
Ideal Terrarium Conditions
The size of the terrarium can also influence the years that our pet chameleon can live. The larger it is, the more comfortable it will be, and the longer it will live. Cleaning the terrarium is another fundamental aspect. You must bear in mind that they are cold-blooded reptiles, which must be able to regulate their body temperature.
You should give them a little sunlight so that they can stabilize their body temperature. If especially in winter, you cannot provide it with much sunlight, you must place an infrared lamp in the terrarium to provide heat so that it can regulate its body temperature. A good idea is to put it on a timer so that it goes on and off for a few hours a day.
Another fundamental aspect is that the terrarium is well ventilated so that the air quality is good and your pet chameleon can breathe well and live longer.
We must bear in mind that these reptiles do not drink water directly from a drinking fountain, so to keep them well hydrated it is very important that the terrarium is humid. For this, you can spray the terrarium a couple of times a day with a sprayer.
Vet Visits are Important for your Pet Chameleon!
The visit to the vet is of vital importance since no matter how well you take care of them, they can always develop some type of disease. Many diseases are not detected with the naked eye, so you must always be attentive to the behavior of the chameleon and know its habits. Lack of appetite, weakness, or lumps can be a sign of a disease.
By Yurii Zushchyk
Cleaning the pet chameleon terrarium is very important to avoid health problems, so you must clean the terrarium at least once a week.
By following all these tips you will ensure that the life expectancy of your pet chameleon increases and lives healthy and happy with us for longer.
