Antimena chameleon (Furcifer antimena)

Short answers

Antimena chameleon: How big does the enclosure need to be?

80×80×120 cm, very well ventilated.

Antimena chameleon: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 28–32 °C (dry season 20–27 °C), basking spot Basking spot, locally 40–45 °C, at night 18–22 °C, 14–16 °C during the dry season.

Antimena chameleon: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (high UVB, dry forest).

Antimena chameleon: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: ~3–5 years.

Antimena chameleon: Is it suitable for beginners?

No – better suited to experienced keepers (difficulty: Intermediate to expert).

Climate

Daytime temperature

28–32 °C (dry season 20–27 °C)

Night temperature

18–22 °C, 14–16 °C during the dry season

Basking spot

Basking spot, locally 40–45 °C

Humidity

40–60 % by day, higher at night (dew fog)

UVB

Essential (high UVB, dry forest)

Enclosure

Minimum size

80×80×120 cm, very well ventilated

Substrate

A sand and soil mix, a dry egg-laying area

Feeding

Food

Locusts, crickets, roaches

Feeding interval

adults 2–3×/week

Key facts

Adult size

males ~35 cm, females ~20 cm

Life expectancy

~3–5 years

Origin

South-western Madagascar (spiny and dry forest, red sand)

Protection status

CITES Appendix II / EU Annex B, export quotas — registration required

Brumation

A cooler, drier rest period (nights down to ~14–15 °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 specialist from hot dry forest with strong day-night and seasonal climate swings. Reproduce the dry phase; rare in the trade, and demanding.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Angel's chameleon (Furcifer angeli) – Expert
• Campan's chameleon (Furcifer campani) – Expert
• Unicorn chameleon (Furcifer monoceras) – Expert
• Forked chameleon (Furcifer bifidus) – Expert
• Belted chameleon (Furcifer balteatus) – Expert
• Minor chameleon (Furcifer minor) – Expert
• Labord's chameleon (Furcifer labordi) – Expert
• Rhinoceros chameleon (Furcifer rhinoceratus) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Antimena chameleon (Furcifer antimena) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (80×80×120 cm, very well ventilated), substrate (A sand and soil mix, a dry egg-laying area), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.