Should I get a wild caught Panther Chameleon?

Wild Caught Panthers are big and bright. So why not start with one of them? Today I explain why even us experienced keepers would rather go for a well started juvenile from a reputable breeder!

Alright, you keep hearing from me to get a well started juvenile panther chameleon from a reputable breeder. But maybe you see an awesome panther chameleon at a show and find out it is wild caught. So, it is important that I be up front with the reasons I recommend against getting a wild caught panthers. If I recommend that they be left to breeders then, obviously, it can be done by someone! How hard is it? Well, one thing I value highly in any of the Chameleon Academy outreaches is that I explain everything so that you understand the reasons behind what I say. Once you understand the reasons you can decide if you agree or not. And, if you do not agree with what I say, then you can speak to me as someone who understands the level of thought I have put into it and you can reciprocate with the same level of discussion. And, that is how we grow as a community. So, I am going to explain the challenges inherent with a wild caught chameleon in captivity.

Most listeners/viewers here will fall under three categories.

1) The person considering getting a wild caught panther,

2) The person who found this podcast episode as they are on their way home from buying a wild caught panther chameleon.

And 3) the person who simply loves chameleon stuff and is just hanging out.

If you are thinking about getting a wild caught then I hope to be effective in communicating the reasons why I would advise against it. If you just bought one then you will learn the high level action item list for acclimating a wild caught panther. And if you are listening just because you love chameleons then you are in the right place because that is what we do here! All are welcome!

Alright, you keep hearing from me to get a well started juvenile panther chameleon from a reputable breeder. But maybe you see an awesome panther chameleon at a show and find out it is wild caught. So, it is important that I be up front with the reasons I recommend against getting a wild caught panthers. If I recommend that they be left to breeders then, obviously, it can be done by someone! How hard is it? Well, one thing I value highly in any of the Chameleon Academy outreaches is that I explain everything so that you understand the reasons behind what I say. Once you understand the reasons you can decide if you agree or not. And, if you do not agree with what I say, then you can speak to me as someone who understands the level of thought I have put into it and you can reciprocate with the same level of discussion. And, that is how we grow as a community. So, I am going to explain the challenges inherent with a wild caught chameleon in captivity.

Okay, so, obviously, the community had to start with wild caught chameleons. And you know the caution that chameleons are fragile and won’t live long? Well, that idea got started back when we had to work with wild caught chameleons. As is typical with humans, we make an observation and figure out how it can be anything but our fault. It is the chameleon’s fault.  They’re the ones that are fragile! The problem is that you are taking an animal perfectly suited for certain environmental and social conditions and you are totally switching it up on them. You are throwing animals that like to live apart in a cage with tons of others. And then you are depriving them of water. And then you are forcing them to have predators milling about all over while they are trapped and unable to escape. (That predator is the collector, the exporter, the importer, and you, by the way.) Just because we know we aren’t going to hurt them doesn’t mean that their instincts shut off. So you have a highly stressful and zero luxury conditions for weeks. Now, I do want to mention that things have gotten so much better over the last 40 years. We now have exporters that have better understanding as to how to care for chameleons. The importers have trained them and incentivized them by simply not paying for chameleons that have not been cared for or properly transported. But in the 80s and 90s it was a meat market. Actually, looking back, you have to be impressed that as many of them survived that process as did.

Things are better these days as long as the export came from a reputable exporter. Though, how would you know? The problem with evaluating a panther chameleon at a show is that you are evaluating a chameleon who is hopped up on adrenaline and is doing his best to look strong. So if they can hide any weakness they will. You really won’t know the truth until you get home. Now, we in the community know where to get wild caught panther chameleons that have been properly cared for and are of exceptional health. There are a handful of importers that work with excellent exporters that can provide the breeder community with breeding stock. But these quality importers are most likely not the ones you are running into at reptile expos. My warning here is for the beginner that is looking for their first chameleon experience.

If you are ready to step up, need to expand your bloodlines, and have a need for wild bloodlines then there are steps to take to properly acclimate and do it successfully. But that is not a fun process and is not something you want to take on when you are starting out. A breeder is willing to go to the vet, come back with the medications necessary for deparitization, and then keep the chameleon in isolation both for a couple month quarantine period and have limited interaction with it for its entire life. Sure, there are some wild caught panthers that do not have a fear of humans, but most do not feel comfortable hanging out with animals their instincts tell them are dangerous.

Now, compare that to getting a juvenile who is in perfect health, was raised without parasites, sees their cage as safety and humans as food bringers, and has been deliberately or inadvertently selectively bred over the generations for captivity. There is no comparison as to the best way to go for you starting out. Oh yeah, and add on to that the lifetime support offered by panther chameleon breeders while you are at it. It is sometimes lucky if the person selling the wild caught knows more than the species name!

I do want to say that I work with some extremely knowledgeable importers. But they are not as common at reptile expos as people who just buy a bulk lot of reptiles and put them all out at a show. The problem is that it is difficult for you to tell the difference before spending some time in the community. That is the way it is everywhere.

Anyway, let’s go over specific concerns with wild caught panther chameleons.

The first concern with a wild caught panther is the disease they may carry. If you already have a chameleon in the house then you would need a quarantine period where they are in two separate rooms and you always thoroughly wash your hands and equipment after dealing with the wild caught. There are a plethora of viruses and germs and fungus and whatnot that wild caught chameleons have to deal with. And, these can be contagious, infect, and kill any other chameleon in the house. Now, the good news is that there are very few things that can infect you so basic cleanliness practices such as hand washing, not eating with the same hand that is cleaning the cage, and not kissing your chameleon are effective.

The absolute first thing to do with a wild caught chameleon is to get a fecal sample to a veterinarian for a parasite check. And then you and your vet can decide what, if any, treatment is necessary. Assume all wild caught chameleons have parasites. And get three negatives fecal samples before you assume they are cleared. If you are buying a wild caught because you think it is cheaper than a captive hatched then the vet bills are going to start getting your attention. You may or may not have spent more in the end and you may or may not actually have a live chameleon at the end of it!

In addition to disease, nature is a pretty rough place. Mother Nature is not kind and works tirelessly to kill every living thing every day. When I was in Madagascar I found chameleons with scarred-over bite marks, mouth rot, abscesses, and missing limbs. So your chameleon may start this journey with some of the scars of life that are either healed or else are ongoing. Add to that the exacerbation from additional stress and possible dehydration if not properly collected and you could have a number of serious internal conditions that will be difficult to visually detect. This is part of what the quarantine period is for. To figure out the disease and damage to the chameleon. So, I hope you are getting a feel for some of the complications that come along with a wild caught chameleon. But, wait, there is more.

Chameleons are sentient beings and have their minds and emotions. Where a captive hatched panther grows up seeing cages as their retreat and safe place, a wild caught has to adapt to a drastically smaller area and the set-up of this area must be done correctly to allow your chameleon the feeling of security. A captive hatched will be much more forgiving. I mean, they are still chameleons and each one has their own level of tolerance for humans, but a captive hatched chameleon has only been fed and nurtured by these big hairless apes. A wild caught has been hiding from lemurs and a host of other creatures. Taking an animal that has fended for itself for its whole life and then suddenly expect it to accept being a pet is a taller ask than having a chameleon that has been spoiled all its life to adjust to the look of another human that will give them tasty treats and continue spoiling them. You see the difference in transition?

The argument could be made that there are some benefits to buying a wild caught chameleon. It is usually worth it to hear both sides. If they are an adult you would think you can experience their personality, see what their adult colors are, are past the delicate young stage, and are usually cheaper.

Unfortunately, these really pseudo benefits. They aren’t the benefits they seem.

Whether wild caught or captive bred, you can’t determine their personality at an expo, pet store, or otherwise. You are seeing them in a high stress and confusing environment. You are likely to see a change, for better or for worse, when you get them home and they settle in. This is true for any chameleon no matter what their origin, but it can be more deceptive for an adult because you can think the personality you see will stick. Some of it will, but not enough for this to be a reliable judgement in the hustle and bustle of an expo.

It is true that you will be able to tell their adult colors so that is a solid benefit. Though, before you take that an run with it, please listen to everything else I am saying in this episode!

Wild caught are past the delicate baby stage, but the juvenile size that is sent out from reputable breeders is also past the delicate baby stage. And it has all of the strength of youth. So there really is little advantage to getting a chameleon that has lived half its life already.

And, finally, cheaper. We humans like to put initial price tag up on a pedestal. Well, money is important, I will give you that. But you have to add on the potential vet bills.

The bottom line is that there are a number of strikes against you with a wild-caught chameleon.

Experienced chameleon keepers get wild caught bloodlines to strengthen the breeding project so they can supply you with a content and healthy juvenile. It is completely worth the extra couple hundred dollars to get the captive bred panther chameleon.

So, now you know why I don’t recommend you get a wild caught. But I am sure there are some of you that have found this podcast because it is time to do research as you drive home from already purchasing a wild caught. So, I am going to give you a brief run down of steps to take to stabilize and acclimate a wild caught panther chameleon.

First Step – Privacy. Privacy is very important for wild caught as they are still figuring out what a cage is and what it means. They will figure out that it means security if it is set up correctly. Yes, we look at a cage as something that traps us and desperately want to get out. Well, a chameleon will be the same situation in a bare bones. Security for a chameleon means lots of plant cover in the cage to be able to hide, the cage high up so he can look down on the world, and a concerted effort to not let them see you do fast and jerky movements around them.

Second Step – Quarantine cage. The important thing about plants in the cage are that they exist and are thick enough for them to feel like they can hide but, also, perching branches not set up above the plants where they could poop on the plants and then try to drink from those plant leaves. This will complete the direct life cycle parasites lifecycle. We want to avoid reinfection! This cage needs to be away from quick movements which include you, your pets, opening doors, ceiling fans, etc..

Third Step – Health check. Next you need to partner with your vet to get a fecal sample done which will tell you what parasites your chameleon has come to you with. The world of parasites is amazingly fascinating. It is an entire microscopic world unto itself. It is fun to read and learn about, but not fun to treat. Though, treat you must because parasites in captivity can get overblown. Every chameleons’ body expects some parasite level, but captivity traps your chameleon in a cage with the egg carrying poop and so the 100s of thousands of eggs the parasites lay in hopes that one might find its way back to an appropriate host are now, suddenly, all looking to get at one particular host which cannot get further than four feet from the motherload of parasite eggs.

And you want any broken bones, infected jaw line, sprained wrists, damaged tail, skin lesions, etc to be treated ASAP.

Fourth, Step – be patient. A wild caught chameleon will slowly figure out he is safe and settle in. But this process will be set back with any holding, sticking your face in the cage, and all the other things people who are excited about having their first chameleon do.

So, in the end, those of us who have been around since the era where wild caught was the only thing available look on the current situation where captive hatched are readily available wistfully. It is such a much better experience to start with captive hatched that I , after decades of experience, will choose to spend more money and get on a waiting list for a captive bred chameleon every time over buying a wild caught. If you are getting your first chameleon, I recommend a juvenile Panther Chameleon. It is the best choice to make sure you start your chameleon journey off with the best possible chance to make a lasting memory.

Madagascar is one of the world’s largest islands and sits off the SouthEast coast of the African continent

Panther chameleons range around the coasts of the Northern half of Madagascar. Range data is from IUCN Red List.

“Nosy” means island in Malagasy. Each island has its own color variation of Panther Chameleon.

I hope this review of the issues surrounding wild caught panther chameleons has been useful. The Panther Chameleon Podcast is part of the Chameleon Academy Outreach. On this Panther Chameleon Podcast, I take on aspects of starting with panther chameleons that will directly benefit a person just starting off. Please note that you have an entire detailed panther chameleon care summary here on chameleonacademy.com.  This has been put together as a free resource to ensure the widest number of people can get a good start with their panther chameleon. If you would like to support this outreach you can do so at the Chameleon Academy Patreon page linked below and that helps keep this all running.

Getting a panther chameleon is a step to an incredible new world and an experience you will remember for your entire life. And I am going to do what I can to make sure it is a great one. If you would like to ask questions about any of this, check the Chameleon Academy home page for the schedule of when I do live interactive sessions on YouTube and Instagram.