Article: HOLISTIC CHAMELEONS

Holistic Approach to raising Panther Chameleons:


As Herbalists and Holistic Healers, we have applied herbal methods, along with common sense to successfully care for these mystical creatures. We are aware that other methods also work. This is just our way. We try to mimic Mother Nature to the best of our ability. Chameleons naturally drink off of different tree leaves & barks. When it rains, the water picks up plant Alkaloids, & Tannic Acids from the barks & twigs. Panther Pardalis are H2O dependant, so the water was researched first. (The most important key to their health). Store bought, tap water filters, that hook up to your faucet DO NOT filter enough of the contaminants, 98-99% is not good enough. Fluoride, heavy metals & numerous parasites, including Cryptosporidium (Meyerowitz, S. ; Water The Ultimate Cure). It is deadly!! These & other enemies can be found in your tap water (“mmmmm…might as well go down to your local creek!”) Be careful; some well water can be very acidic & contain high levels of mineral deposits (hard water). Use RO!!

Fluoride is another killer of Chameleons & is a mind suppressant in humans by way of destroying the nervous system. It used to be a very successful rat poison at the turn of the century. Now banned in most of Europe, there is a huge controversy going on about its dangerous side effects and why we use it here in the “good old USA”. Bottled water is no better than tap water. According to top Cancer research scientists, Dr. Hulda Clark, all plastic bottled waters tested, contained Isopropyl Alcohol solvents. If this is cancer causing in humans, it cannot be good for Chameleons!

Don’t mess around, go right to www.spectrapure.com & get a hobbyist Reverse Osmosis System. It is the most inexpensive & healthiest way to achieve pure water. Both you & your pets will benefit! Knowing this potential nightmare makes you really appreciate RO water systems.

In the wild, they lay in 6”-7” of soil/sand. Soil & sand is full of skeletal remains & other nutrients, which nourish the eggs the same way a plant is fed. As an observation, Chameleons prefer to lay in a plant pot near the roots. When you really think about it, plain water & Vermiculite is just not enough. We have tried the Vermiculite, sterilized soil/peat mix, and a sand/peat mixture. Vermiculite used nowadays, may or may not contain asbestos. The last two mixes work the best. Using these, we have had a 100% success hatch rate on most of our clutches. In Madagascar, especially on the Nosy islands, it is completely sand! It has a very high PH of around 8.5. The eggs are then incubated at 72-82 degrees Fahrenheit during night & at daytime temperatures. Get ready for the babies!!

Baby Chameleons LOVE fruit flies! We have found that the blue fly culture contains Methyl Paraben, which causes throat & esophagus/tongue cancer in humans! This cannot be good for your little guys! Honestly, since we stopped using it, we don’t have the “Fading Baby Chameleon” syndrome. Where some just died for no apparent reason! A great substitute is Organic Bananas with a capful of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother). This inhibits mold growth.

Crickets are your Chameleons staple. They love to hunt them down, but they have to taste good! It is crucial that they are gut loaded with the most nutritious, Organic vegetables possible. How you gut load your crickets & mealworms is the backbone to your success! Silkworms are another great option. Mulberry leaves are highly nutritious, as long as they are NOT microwaved. www.silkwormswholesale.com feeds healthy chow, specially shipped in from China. Microwaves change the molecular structure of all foods, including water! There is proven research that it causes Auto Immune Disorders in humans. Eating anything out of a microwave is like eating a cold. In just 9 days of feeding a healthy houseplant microwaved water it completely disintegrated. Follow this link to see the actual experiment with photos! www.davidicke.com It is under the RESEARCH ARCHIVE: Medical/Health section. A very interesting & eye-opening website, highly recommended!!

Back to the feeding of your crickets…. Kohlrabi & Kale are two superior gut loads. They have ideal Phosphorus/Calcium balance and are loaded with Amino Acids. The Chams love the taste! It is best to get Organic; but if not, pesticides can be easily removed with a warm water, Apple Cider Vinegar soak. Supplements: Bee Pollen is full of Amino Acids & Protein. Kelp is “The Cadillac” of trace minerals & hormones. It is crucial in your Chameleon’s diet. We then combine the Kelp with Spirulina flakes to make a super gut load! The crickets taste great! I know this because they finish them all up!! Many Herps use fish flakes, as they contain Azo Dyes (Clark, H. ; Cure for All Cancers; 32) heavily contaminated with metals that break down the blood brain barrier in humans. It is very toxic!! Food coloring is found in everything! Most reptiles are very sensitive; you have to be very intense about your gut loading!

In the fields and jungles of Madagascar, not only do they ingest thousands of different types of plants thru eating insects, they also ingest tree Lichens and Tannic Acids thru the eating of bark. This is how they get their natural resistance to parasitic infections and the tannic acids are a form of calcium. Usnea, a tree lichen, is the natural form of Flagyl, and not only is it superior to its synthetic form, it is very gentle on your Chameleon. Boiled in a tea form is best. They love to drink it and wash their eyes in it. As if they know, it’s good for them! We use it periodically as an overall tonic. A great place to purchase these herbs is at www.starwest-botanicals.com . Valerian Root is another herbal tea we use. It is the only complete nervine in the plant kingdom. It is a direct nutritive for the nervous system and is natures tranquilizer. It has available Calcium and Magnesium for their bones! The Chameleons love this tea and we make sure they get it before any trips, etc. It really calms them down reducing stress levels. We hope this helps the progress of herpetology and makes for happier reptiles!

We try to do our best for Chameleons in hopes to preserve rare locales for many years by working with zoos, pet stores, private hobbyists & herp lovers! In continuing our research, we are always open to any suggestions/comments and are happy to answer any questions regarding this article. We love to talk about chameleons and have a burning passion for the well-being of these mystical creatures.


“Einstein gave us a taste of our brains we do waste.”


Much Joy in Raising these Jewels,
-John & Cathy
www.cruzinchameleons.com