Veiled Chameleon

Chamaeleo calyptratus

A striking, hardy chameleon for a first-time chameleon keeper — but strictly a display pet, not a hands-on one.

14–22 in5–8 years

Habitat

Enclosure

24×24×48 in tall screen enclosure minimum

Temperature

Basking 90–100°F · ambient 72–80°F

Humidity / Water

40–60%, with 2+ misting sessions daily

Heating & lighting

Screen (not glass) enclosure with a basking bulb and a linear 10–12% UVB tube. Airflow is critical — glass tanks cause respiratory infections.

Diet

Feed these

Crickets
Dubia roaches
Black soldier fly larvae
Silkworms and hornworms
Gut-loaded, calcium-dusted insects

Never feed

Wild-caught insects
Mealworms as a staple (too much chitin)
Water bowls — they don't recognize still water
Temperatures above 110°F

Feed adults every other day, juveniles daily. Chameleons drink droplets — run a dripper or mist at least twice a day. Females need a laying bin even without a male.

Cohabitation

Can live with

No one — house this species alone.

Never house with

Other veiled chameleons — even visual contact causes stress Any different species

Strictly solitary — even seeing another chameleon across the room stresses them. House alone and out of sight of each other.