Pfeffer's chameleon (Trioceros pfefferi)

Short answers

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

60×60×90 cm (mesh / height).

Pfeffer's chameleon: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 19–25 °C (COOL), basking spot 27 °C, at night 13–17 °C.

Pfeffer's chameleon: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 5.0–10.0).

Pfeffer's chameleon: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 3–6 years.

Pfeffer's chameleon: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

19–25 °C (COOL)

Night temperature

13–17 °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, dense planting, moss, fine branches, a rain system

Feeding

Food

House crickets, crickets, flies, wax moths

Feeding interval

daily to every other day

Key facts

Adult size

15–20 cm total length

Life expectancy

3–6 years

Origin

Cameroon – montane cloud forest

Protection status

CITES II; a small 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

A cloud-forest species with a striking nasal ornament in the male. It needs permanently high humidity at low temperatures – in summer, active cooling is usually unavoidable.

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
• Fea's chameleon (Trioceros feae) – Expert
• Goetze's chameleon (Trioceros goetzei) – Expert
• Harenna chameleon (Trioceros harennae) – Expert
• Von Höhnel's chameleon (Trioceros hoehnelii) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Pfeffer's chameleon (Trioceros pfefferi) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (60×60×90 cm (mesh / height)), substrate (Coco humus, dense planting, moss, 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.