Husbandry Guidelines for Veiled Chameleon Chamaeleo calyptratus (Reptilia: Chamaeleonidae) DUMÉRIL & DUMÉRIL 1851 Date By From Version 2015 Stuart Daniel WSI Richmond v 1 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY RISKS This species, veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus), is classed as an innocuous animal and poses minimal to no risk to keepers. The veiled chameleon is a small, generally non-aggressive species which possesses no anatomical features that could cause any harm. Though it is common for individuals of this species to be reluctant toward handling, any action performed to avoid being handled is generally for display only and will not result in any physical aggression. Individuals that feel threatened will put on a threat display which involves an open mouth and extension of the throat pouch (see figure). On the odd occasion an individual may bite but it is very rare that this will break the skin or cause any discomfort at all. Working with any animal species poses a risk of zoonotic disease. Common zoonotic diseases are listed in the table below, as well as other potential hazards that may be present in the work environment. Potential hazards of working with veiled chameleons and in the work environment in general Physical Injury from manual handling Falls from ladders if enclosures are above head height Slips/trips over cluttered workspace or wet floor Chemical Injury or poisoning from misuse of chemicals -F10 veterinary disinfectant -Bleach -Medications Biological Zoonosis – Salmonella spp, Campylobacter spp, Klebsiella spp, Enterobacter spp, Yersinia spp, Mycobacterium spp, Zygomycosis, Phycomycosis, Mucomycosis, Aspergillus spp, Candida spp, Cryptosporidium, Gnathostomiasis, mites (Acha & Szyfres, 1989) Ergonomic Working in confined spaces and awkward positioning to reach certain areas Psychological Distress from loss of animals Distress from animal sickness Distress from abundance of pests Distress from workload Radiation Sun (for outdoor enclosures) UV from lamps Husbandry Guidelines for Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) Stuart Daniel (2015) 2 Open mouth threat display of a veiled chameleon Husbandry Guidelines for Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) Stuart Daniel (2015) 3 DISCLAIMER This document has been put together by a student of TAFE NSW as a part of the course Certificate III Captive Animals (ACM30310). The suggestions made within are recommendations only and may not be the only way of doing things. While a significant amount of research and communications with experienced keepers has been undertaken in the development of this document to determine best practice, this document should be used as a guide only. Management and husbandry techniques of this species will depend on variable circumstances depending upon the institution involved and the resources available. Much of the information within is anecdotal, gained from persons with experience keeping this species but with no real scientific background. So the information supplied by them is observational only, simply what they have found to work over the years of working with the species, with no rigorous scientific study conducted. Effort has been made, however, to ensure that the information within this document is current and that it is gained from reputable sources. Husbandry Guidelines for Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) Stuart Daniel (2015) 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................... 8 2 TAXONOMY .....................................................................................................................................10 2.1 NOMENCLATURE .........................................................................................................................10 2.2 SUBSPECIES .................................................................................................................................10 2.3 RECENT SYNONYMS ....................................................................................................................10 2.4 OTHER COMMON NAMES ............................................................................................................10 3 NATURAL HISTORY ......................................................................................................................11 3.1 MORPHOMETRICS ........................................................................................................................12 3.1.1 Mass And Basic Body Measurements ....................................................................................12 3.1.2 Sexual Dimorphism ................................................................................................................13 3.1.3 Distinguishing Features.........................................................................................................13 3.2 DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT ......................................................................................................17 3.3 CONSERVATION STATUS .............................................................................................................18 3.4 LONGEVITY .................................................................................................................................18 3.4.1 In the Wild .............................................................................................................................18 3.4.2 In Captivity ............................................................................................................................18 3.4.3 Techniques Used to Determine Age in Adults ........................................................................19 4 HOUSING REQUIREMENTS .........................................................................................................20 4.1 EXHIBIT/ENCLOSURE DESIGN .....................................................................................................20 4.2 HOLDING AREA DESIGN ..............................................................................................................26 4.3 SPATIAL REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................................................27 4.4 POSITION OF ENCLOSURES ..........................................................................................................28 4.5 WEATHER PROTECTION...............................................................................................................29 4.6 TEMPERATURE REQUIREMENTS ..................................................................................................30 4.7 SUBSTRATE .................................................................................................................................32 4.8 NESTBOXES AND/OR BEDDING MATERIAL ..................................................................................32 4.9 ENCLOSURE FURNISHINGS ..........................................................................................................33 5 GENERAL HUSBANDRY................................................................................................................35 5.1 HYGIENE AND CLEANING ............................................................................................................35 5.2 RECORD KEEPING .......................................................................................................................37 5.3 METHODS OF IDENTIFICATION ....................................................................................................39 5.4 ROUTINE DATA COLLECTION ......................................................................................................39 6 FEEDING REQUIREMENTS ..........................................................................................................41 6.1 DIET IN THE WILD .......................................................................................................................41 6.2 CAPTIVE DIET .............................................................................................................................42 6.3 SUPPLEMENTS .............................................................................................................................44 6.4 PRESENTATION OF FOOD .............................................................................................................45 7 HANDLING AND TRANSPORT ....................................................................................................49 7.1 TIMING OF CAPTURE AND HANDLING .........................................................................................49 7.2 CATCHING BAGS .........................................................................................................................49 7.3 CAPTURE AND RESTRAINT TECHNIQUES .....................................................................................49 7.4 WEIGHING AND EXAMINATION ...................................................................................................51 7.5 RELEASE .....................................................................................................................................52 7.6 TRANSPORT REQUIREMENTS .......................................................................................................52 7.6.1 Box Design .............................................................................................................................52 7.6.2 Furnishings