Beginner chameleon?

I want a Jacksons chameleon. Are they good for Cham beginners? Im very good with snakes and lizards and geckos, and ive wanted a cham since day one. Now i am confident that i can take on chameleon care? SO.... is a jacksons good for newbies, or should i get something else?

Any chameleon you purchase is going to be a new challenge. Do your homework, read as much as you can about jacksons. Buy the chameleon handbook, its a good starter book for newbs and has a large section on jacksons. Also join the chameleon forums: www.chameleonforums.com
Its an excellent source of info and there are alot of members that keep jacksons. I think a jacksons can def be a first cham. Just read about their specific needs (ie cooler temps & less supplementing/dusting of feeders) than veileds or panthers. Def buy a cb if its a first cham dont buy a wc from one of the big importers. Find a breeder or cham forum member with juvies or sub adults for sale. A big reason ppl lose their first chams are because they dont know it and they buy wc's that are sick and loaded with parasites from the importation process. It may take a while to find a cb but its worth it in the long run.

Any idea where i can get that book? Im very iffy buying off the internet without a good reference..

ebay is 100% safe so is amazon.

Originally Posted by wormfood

Any idea where i can get that book? Im very iffy buying off the internet without a good reference..

You can buy it on chamforums I think. Ive also found it at petco or petsmart.

I wouldnt recommend jacksons personally as a beginner. Most if not all are wc and many are dehydrated and stressed when they come in. I would recommend a veiled, you can get CBB for as low as $40, CBB vs. WC makes a huge difference especially in chameleons.

Originally Posted by hadenglock

I wouldnt recommend jacksons personally as a beginner. Most if not all are wc and many are dehydrated and stressed when they come in. I would recommend a veiled, you can get CBB for as low as $40, CBB vs. WC makes a huge difference especially in chameleons.

Thats WHY I SUGGESTED HE START WITH A CB JACKSONS! Read the thread before posting! A cb jacksons is an acceptable cham for a newbie. In fact there is no such thing as a beginner chameleon. ALL chams are high maintenance reptiles. Yes, a veiled will accept below optimal care and survive but so what we dont want a animal to survive in captivity. The goal is for the animal to THRIVE in captivity with the proper husbandry. If the OP does his research on husbandry and starts with a healthy cb jacksons he can be as successful as if he'd gotten a veiled. He wants a jacksons not a veiled so I'd say hes more likely to work harder to provide proper care for the jacksons & not get bored with it and either give it less than optimal care or trade or sell it for the cham he originally wanted.

Originally Posted by Killer Chams

Thats WHY I SUGGESTED HE START WITH A CB JACKSONS! Read the thread before posting! A cb jacksons is an acceptable cham for a newbie. In fact there is no such thing as a beginner chameleon. ALL chams are high maintenance reptiles. Yes, a veiled will accept below optimal care and survive but so what we dont want a animal to survive in captivity. The goal is for the animal to THRIVE in captivity with the proper husbandry. If the OP does his research on husbandry and starts with a healthy cb jacksons he can be as successful as if he'd gotten a veiled. He wants a jacksons not a veiled so I'd say hes more likely to work harder to provide proper care for the jacksons & not get bored with it and either give it less than optimal care or trade or sell it for the cham he originally wanted.

Lol, i already read your post. What, i cant give my two cents on a chameleon? i never said Veileds should be kept in less than optimal conditions, its just that when comparing them to a jacksons, they are more readily available in captivity as cbb. Im not saying i dont like jacksons im only saying what ive seen. Im sorry to have not checked with you first before i posted my opinion on this subject.

thank you guys very much for your thoughts on this. Im not planning on getting one right away. I need to get some reading material on jacksons and panthers first(i read care books like people read actual novels lol) then after being completely confident in supplying optimal care not "enough" care i will be on the hunt for one. As i said jacksons is my first choice... but if a cb is not available ill get a panther. No matter what kind their all stunning and amazing lizards and ill be happy to have either!

Panthers are always a good choice as well, aside from price that might be detering to some people they are very hardy chams as well, i completely forgot about panthers lol.