Fea's chameleon (Trioceros feae)

Short answers

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

60×60×100 cm (mesh / height).

Fea's chameleon: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 20–26 °C, basking spot 28 °C, at night 14–18 °C.

Fea's chameleon: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 5.0–10.0).

Fea's chameleon: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 3–6 years.

Fea's chameleon: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

20–26 °C

Night temperature

14–18 °C

Basking spot

28 °C

Humidity

70–90 %

UVB

Essential (UVB 5.0–10.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

60×60×100 cm (mesh / height)

Substrate

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

Feeding

Food

House crickets, crickets, flies, wax moths

Feeding interval

daily to every other day

Key facts

Adult size

18–24 cm total length

Life expectancy

3–6 years

Origin

Bioko (Equatorial Guinea) – island montane forest

Protection status

CITES II; a very small island range

Brumation

A cooler spell of 8–10 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

An endemic of the island of Bioko with a striking nasal appendage. In Europe only in a few breeding groups – have the origin and bloodlines documented.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Affinis chameleon (Trioceros affinis) – Expert
• Bale two-horned chameleon (Trioceros balebicornutus) – Expert
• Usambara three-horned chameleon (Trioceros deremensis) – Intermediate to expert
• Elliot's chameleon (Trioceros ellioti) – Intermediate
• Goetze's chameleon (Trioceros goetzei) – Expert
• Harenna chameleon (Trioceros harennae) – Expert
• Von Höhnel's chameleon (Trioceros hoehnelii) – Intermediate
• Hornless chameleon (Trioceros incornutus) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Fea's chameleon (Trioceros feae) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (60×60×100 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.