Rhinoceros chameleon (Furcifer rhinoceratus)

Short answers

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

60×60×90 cm (mesh / height).

Rhinoceros chameleon: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 26–32 °C, basking spot 35 °C, at night 17–21 °C.

Rhinoceros chameleon: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 5.0–10.0).

Rhinoceros chameleon: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 2–5 years.

Rhinoceros chameleon: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

26–32 °C

Night temperature

17–21 °C

Basking spot

35 °C

Humidity

50–70 %

UVB

Essential (UVB 5.0–10.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

60×60×90 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

Males up to ~27 cm, females approx. 13–15 cm total length

Life expectancy

2–5 years

Origin

Western Madagascar – dry forest

Protection status

CITES II

Brumation

A 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

A dry-forest species; the male has a long, rhinoceros-like nasal appendage. To be kept markedly drier and hotter than the Madagascan rainforest chameleons.

Do you keep this species?

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

Look for Rhinoceros chameleon (Furcifer rhinoceratus) in the marketplace →

Related species

• Angel's chameleon (Furcifer angeli) – Expert
• Antimena chameleon (Furcifer antimena) – Intermediate to expert
• Campan's chameleon (Furcifer campani) – Expert
• Unicorn chameleon (Furcifer monoceras) – Expert
• Forked chameleon (Furcifer bifidus) – Expert
• Belted chameleon (Furcifer balteatus) – Expert
• Minor chameleon (Furcifer minor) – Expert
• Labord's chameleon (Furcifer labordi) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Rhinoceros chameleon (Furcifer rhinoceratus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (60×60×90 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.