Rough chameleon (Trioceros rudis)

Short answers

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

60×60×90 cm (mesh / height).

Rough chameleon: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 18–25 °C (COOL), basking spot 27 °C, at night 10–16 °C.

Rough chameleon: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 5.0–10.0).

Rough chameleon: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 3–6 years.

Rough chameleon: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

18–25 °C (COOL)

Night temperature

10–16 °C

Basking spot

27 °C

Humidity

65–85 %

UVB

Essential (UVB 5.0–10.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

60×60×90 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

15–20 cm total length

Life expectancy

3–6 years

Origin

The East African highlands (Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi)

Protection status

CITES II

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

Live-bearing, from over 2,000 m – one of the coolest-living chameleons in captivity. A night drop below 16 °C is essential; room warmth around the clock shortens its life massively.

Do you keep this species?

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

Look for Rough chameleon (Trioceros rudis) in the marketplace →

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 Rough chameleon (Trioceros rudis) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (60×60×90 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.