Blade chameleon (Calumma gallus)

Short answers

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

60×60×90 cm (mesh / height).

Blade chameleon: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 20–26 °C, basking spot 28 °C, at night 15–19 °C.

Blade chameleon: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 5.0–10.0).

Blade chameleon: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 2–4 years.

Blade chameleon: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

20–26 °C

Night temperature

15–19 °C

Basking spot

28 °C

Humidity

75–90 %

UVB

Essential (UVB 5.0–10.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

60×60×90 cm (mesh / height)

Substrate

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

Feeding

Food

House crickets, crickets, flies

Feeding interval

daily to every other day

Key facts

Adult size

10–14 cm total length

Life expectancy

2–4 years

Origin

Eastern Madagascar – rainforest

Protection status

CITES II

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

The male has an extremely long, flexible nasal appendage. Very small and short-lived – it needs the finest food and absolutely reliable misting.

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
• Amber Mountain chameleon (Calumma amber) – Intermediate to expert
• Boettger's chameleon (Calumma boettgeri) – Intermediate
• Capuron's chameleon (Calumma capuroni) – Expert
• Forked chameleon (Calumma furcifer) – Expert
• Glaw's chameleon (Calumma glawi) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Blade chameleon (Calumma gallus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (60×60×90 cm (mesh / height)), substrate (Coco humus, dense planting, fine 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.