Indian chameleon (Chamaeleo zeylanicus)

Short answers

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

80×60×100 cm (mesh / height).

Indian chameleon: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 26–33 °C, basking spot 35 °C, at night 17–21 °C.

Indian chameleon: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 10.0).

Indian chameleon: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 4–7 years.

Indian chameleon: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

26–33 °C

Night temperature

17–21 °C

Basking spot

35 °C

Humidity

50–65 %

UVB

Essential (UVB 10.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

80×60×100 cm (mesh / height)

Substrate

Coco humus and sand, planting, branches, a rain system

Feeding

Food

House crickets, crickets, roaches

Feeding interval

daily to every other day

Key facts

Adult size

30–40 cm total length

Life expectancy

4–7 years

Origin

India, Sri Lanka – dry forest

Protection status

CITES II; export from India is prohibited – only European captive-bred animals

Brumation

A cooler dry 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

The only chameleon of the Indian subcontinent, to be kept warm and dry. It lays its eggs deep in the ground – a laying container with 25–30 cm of damp sand and loam is essential.

Do you keep this species?

Add your animal to Reptoria – Reptoria reminds you about feeding and shedding. Add your animal for free →

Look for Indian chameleon (Chamaeleo zeylanicus) in the marketplace →

Related species

• African chameleon (Chamaeleo africanus) – Intermediate
• Anchieta's chameleon (Chamaeleo anchietae) – Intermediate
• Arabian chameleon (Chamaeleo arabicus) – Intermediate
• Graceful chameleon (Chamaeleo gracilis) – Intermediate
• Common chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) – Intermediate
• Smooth chameleon (Chamaeleo laevigatus) – Intermediate
• Veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) – Intermediate
• Flap-necked chameleon (Chamaeleo dilepis) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Indian chameleon (Chamaeleo zeylanicus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (80×60×100 cm (mesh / height)), substrate (Coco humus and sand, planting, 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.