Decary's leaf chameleon (Brookesia decaryi)

Short answers

Decary's leaf chameleon: How big does the enclosure need to be?

40×40×40 cm.

Decary's leaf chameleon: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 21–27 °C, basking spot No basking spot, at night 16–20 °C.

Decary's leaf chameleon: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Recommended (UVB 2–5 %).

Decary's leaf chameleon: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 3–5 years.

Decary's leaf chameleon: Is it suitable for beginners?

Rather not – it is considered an intermediate species (difficulty: Intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

21–27 °C

Night temperature

16–20 °C

Basking spot

No basking spot

Humidity

70–85 %

UVB

Recommended (UVB 2–5 %)

Enclosure

Minimum size

40×40×40 cm

Substrate

Coco humus, a layer of leaf litter, low twigs

Feeding

Food

Fruit flies, springtails, micro crickets

Feeding interval

daily to every other day

Key facts

Adult size

7–9 cm total length

Life expectancy

3–5 years

Origin

Western Madagascar (Ankarafantsika)

Protection status

CITES II; IUCN "Vulnerable"

Brumation

A dry spell of 6–8 weeks

Cohabitation

Keep them singly – this is the least stressful option. A pair (one male, one female) works only in a sufficiently large, densely structured enclosure with many hiding places so the animals can avoid each other; never keep males together. No husbandry reports on the compatibility of this species exist; the information comes from the genus. There are reports of Brookesia kept together in trios, but permanent contact can cause stress.

Notes

Strikingly spined and beige in colour, from dry forest rather than rainforest – slightly lower humidity than the eastern species. A small range, and correspondingly rare.

Do you keep this species?

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Look for Decary's leaf chameleon (Brookesia decaryi) in the marketplace →

Related species

• Betsch's leaf chameleon (Brookesia betschi) – Expert
• Brygoo's leaf chameleon (Brookesia brygooi) – Expert
• Ebenau's leaf chameleon (Brookesia ebenaui) – Expert
• Armoured leaf chameleon (Brookesia perarmata) – Expert
• Griveaud's leaf chameleon (Brookesia griveaudi) – Expert
• Karche's leaf chameleon (Brookesia karchei) – Expert
• Minute leaf chameleon (Brookesia minima) – Expert
• Brown leaf chameleon (Brookesia superciliaris) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Decary's leaf chameleon (Brookesia decaryi) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (40×40×40 cm), substrate (Coco humus, a layer of leaf litter, low twigs), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.