Belted chameleon (Furcifer balteatus)

Short answers

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

80×60×120 cm (mesh / height).

Belted chameleon: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 22–28 °C, basking spot 30 °C, at night 16–20 °C.

Belted chameleon: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 5.0–10.0).

Belted chameleon: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 3–6 years.

Belted chameleon: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–28 °C

Night temperature

16–20 °C

Basking spot

30 °C

Humidity

70–85 %

UVB

Essential (UVB 5.0–10.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

80×60×120 cm (mesh / height)

Substrate

Coco humus, dense planting, sturdy branches, a rain system

Feeding

Food

House crickets, crickets, roaches, wax moths

Feeding interval

daily to every other day

Key facts

Adult size

30–45 cm total length

Life expectancy

3–6 years

Origin

South-eastern Madagascar – rainforest

Protection status

CITES II; IUCN "Vulnerable"

Brumation

A cooler spell of 6–8 weeks

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 large, boldly banded species with a double nasal appendage. A very small remnant range and rarely bred – buy only with solid proof of origin.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Angel's chameleon (Furcifer angeli) – Expert
• Antimena chameleon (Furcifer antimena) – Intermediate to expert
• Campan's chameleon (Furcifer campani) – Expert
• Unicorn chameleon (Furcifer monoceras) – Expert
• Forked chameleon (Furcifer bifidus) – 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 Belted chameleon (Furcifer balteatus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (80×60×120 cm (mesh / height)), substrate (Coco humus, dense planting, sturdy branches, a rain system), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.