Furcifer pardalis

Screen/heavily ventilated (mesh) arboreal terrarium, planted and densely furnished with climbing supports. Good ventilation is essential to prevent respiratory infections; closed glass terrariums are not recommended.

Minimum dimensions for a single adult; bigger is always better (ideally 90x60x120 cm or more for a male). Height is the priority for this arboreal species.

Moderate humidity with peaks during mistings followed by complete drying between them (around 50% during the day, rising to 70-85% at night/early morning). Stagnant, high humidity over a waterlogged substrate promotes respiratory infections.

Avoid any loose, ingestible particulate substrate (impaction risk), as the chameleon hunts mobile prey. Favour a bare base or a genuine planted bioactive setup.

Essential and high. A T5 HO UVB 5.0-6.0 (5-6%) tube placed above the mesh, with a basking spot allowing a UVI of about 3 to be reached in the upper zone. Replace the tube every 6-12 months. A deficiency rapidly causes metabolic bone disease.

Does not drink from a bowl: hydration via droplets from regular mistings and/or a drip system on the foliage several times a day. Monitor hydration (urate colour: white = well hydrated, yellow/orange = dehydration).

Madagascar (north and north-east/east coasts). The geographic locality (Nosy Be, Ambanja, Ambilobe, Diego/Antsiranana, Sambava, Tamatave, etc.) determines coloration. Introduced populations on Réunion and Mauritius.

Insectivore — Crickets, locusts, roaches (Blaptica dubia), hornworms and other larvae as an occasional treat.

Varied prey, gut-loaded (fed 24-48 h beforehand), dusted with calcium without D3 at every meal, calcium with D3 and multivitamins 1-2 times a week (adjust according to UVB). Juveniles fed daily, adults every 2-3 days to avoid obesity.

Clutch 15–30 eggs/young. Female laying several clutches a year, even without a male (infertile eggs); provide a deep laying bin. Long and variable incubation (generally 6-12 months, with a thermal diapause). Repeated breeding heavily exhausts females.

• Metabolic bone disease (calcium/UVB/D3 deficiency)
• Dehydration and gout/kidney damage
• Egg retention (dystocia) in females
• Respiratory infections (insufficient ventilation, stagnant humidity)
• Stomatitis (mouth rot) and internal parasites, common in wild-caught specimens