Hillenius' chameleon (Calumma hilleniusi)

Short answers

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

60×60×90 cm (mesh / height).

Hillenius' chameleon: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 18–25 °C (COOL), basking spot 27 °C, at night 12–17 °C.

Hillenius' chameleon: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 5.0–10.0).

Hillenius' chameleon: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 3–6 years.

Hillenius' chameleon: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

18–25 °C (COOL)

Night temperature

12–17 °C

Basking spot

27 °C

Humidity

70–90 %

UVB

Essential (UVB 5.0–10.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

60×60×90 cm (mesh / height)

Substrate

Coco humus, moss, dense planting, a rain system

Feeding

Food

House crickets, crickets, flies

Feeding interval

daily to every other day

Key facts

Adult size

13–18 cm total length

Life expectancy

3–6 years

Origin

Central Madagascar – highlands

Protection status

CITES II

Brumation

A cooler spell of 10–12 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 highland species with a pronounced cool season – in winter the nights may fall well below 15 °C. Without this rhythm there is no breeding.

Do you keep this species?

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Look for Hillenius' chameleon (Calumma hilleniusi) in the marketplace →

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 Hillenius' chameleon (Calumma hilleniusi) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (60×60×90 cm (mesh / height)), substrate (Coco humus, moss, dense planting, 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.