Amber Mountain chameleon (Calumma amber)
Chameleons · Difficulty: Intermediate to expert
Key facts and care guidance for Amber Mountain chameleon (Calumma amber) (origin: Montagne d'Ambre, Antsiranana province, northern Madagascar; evergreen montane cloud forest at 1000–1300 m altitude). Adult size around up to ~35 cm. Life expectancy ~4–6 years. The values below are carefully researched guidance.
Short answers
Amber Mountain chameleon: How big does the enclosure need to be?
80×80×150 cm, densely planted.
Amber Mountain chameleon: What temperature does it need?
Daytime 22–28 °C, basking spot 28–30 °C (moderate), at night 10–18 °C.
Amber Mountain chameleon: Does it need UVB lighting?
UVB: Recommended (moderate, montane rainforest).
Amber Mountain chameleon: How long do they live?
Life expectancy: ~4–6 years.
Amber Mountain chameleon: Is it suitable for beginners?
No – better suited to experienced keepers (difficulty: Intermediate to expert).
Climate
- Daytime temperature
- 22–28 °C
- Night temperature
- 10–18 °C
- Basking spot
- 28–30 °C (moderate)
- Humidity
- 70–100 %
- UVB
- Recommended (moderate, montane rainforest)
Enclosure
- Minimum size
- 80×80×150 cm, densely planted
- Substrate
- Forest floor or coco humus, moss, leaf litter
Feeding
- Food
- Crickets, house crickets, roaches, flies
- Feeding interval
- adults 2–3×/week
Key facts
- Adult size
- up to ~35 cm
- Life expectancy
- ~4–6 years
- Origin
- Montagne d'Ambre, Antsiranana province, northern Madagascar; evergreen montane cloud forest at 1000–1300 m altitude
- Protection status
- CITES Appendix II / EU Annex B — no legal export of wild-caught animals, captive-bred animals only
- Brumation
- A cooler dry season with a night-time drop to ~10 °C
- Cohabitation
- Keep them singly. Chameleons are pronounced loners, and even the mere sight of another of their kind means constant stress — you can see it in dark colouring, refusal to feed and weakened defences. Males fight in earnest, and females are harassed by males. So screen neighbouring enclosures from each other as well. For breeding, introduce the female briefly, stay with them and separate them again afterwards.
Notes
A montane rainforest species with high humidity and cool nights, and no permanent heat. No legal export — documented captive-bred animals only; offer slender climbing branches.
Do you keep this species?
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Related species
- Amber Mountain chameleon (Calumma ambreense) – Expert
- Andringitra chameleon (Calumma andringitraense) – Expert
- Side-striped chameleon (Calumma gastrotaenia) – Intermediate
- Boettger's chameleon (Calumma boettgeri) – Intermediate
- Capuron's chameleon (Calumma capuroni) – Expert
- Forked chameleon (Calumma furcifer) – Expert
- Glaw's chameleon (Calumma glawi) – Expert
- Guibe's chameleon (Calumma guibei) – Expert
What you need to start
To keep Amber Mountain chameleon (Calumma amber) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (80×80×150 cm, densely planted), substrate (Forest floor or coco humus, moss, leaf litter), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.
The complete, interactive care database is in the Reptoria app.
Last updated: 9 October 2026 · Editor: Reptoria editorial team · Sources include: reptile-database.reptarium.cz, madcham.de, Wikipedia EN, bmleh.de (Gutachten Reptilien 1997, lokal), eu_annex.txt (lokal, VO (EU) 2026/1383)
All values are non-binding guidance and do not replace expert advice. Research thoroughly from several sources before acquiring and keeping an animal, and observe the applicable law (species and animal protection in particular).