Böhme's Two-horned Chameleon — Care Sheet & Morphs

Husbandry requirements

Böhme's Two-horned Chameleon — origin: Endemic to Tanzania — humid montane forests of the Eastern Arc Mountains (notably the Usambara massif). A strictly montane species, accustomed to a cool, misty climate with wide humidity swings..

Terrarium temperature gradient

Night min12 °C

Cool side18–22 °C

Warm side23–26 °C

NO true hot spot: a cool montane species, very sensitive to overheating. The daytime temperature must NEVER exceed ~27 °C; beyond that, there is a rapid risk of heat stress and death. A marked night-time drop is essential (ideally 10-15 °C). Do not install a powerful heat lamp; if a slight resting spot is offered, it must stay ≤ 26-27 °C. In summer, provide cooling (air-conditioned room, ventilation) to keep the nights cool.

Enclosure (adult)

45 × 45 × 60 cm

Vertical arboreal terrarium, highly ventilated (screen/mesh front or aerated glass-mesh). Avoid a fully closed all-glass setup that traps heat.

Minimum dimensions for a single adult; bigger is always better. Favour height. Furnish densely with thin, criss-crossing branches, vines and foliage (live plants such as Ficus, Pothos) offering plenty of hiding spots and shaded areas. Good air circulation is essential to prevent stagnant humidity and fungal infections.

Humidity

60–90 %

High, fluctuating humidity, typical of cloud forest. Mist several times a day; let the décor dry out partially between sprayings to prevent mould. Maximum humidity at night (fog/fogger, 80-100 %), more moderate during the day (50-70 %).

Substrate

Draining bioactive soil/substrate (with drainage)Damp sphagnum mossNo substrate (bare tank, more hygienic and easy to clean)

An arboreal species that spends its life up high: the substrate mainly serves to manage humidity and drainage. Ensure good runoff of misting water to prevent any stagnation. A planted bioactive base helps stabilise humidity.

UVB

Recommended

Low to moderate UVB is essential (a high-altitude forest with filtered light): a low-percentage T5 tube (approx. 5 %) or equivalent source giving a UV index of about 1 to 2 (Ferguson zone 2), placed at a good distance and filtered by the foliage. Provide shaded areas where the animal can completely escape it. Replace the UVB lamp every 6-12 months.

Water source

Always available

Does not drink from a bowl: it drinks droplets off the foliage. Provide water via a drip system (dripper) and regular misting. Dehydration, common and serious in this species, shows up as sunken eyes and an orange/yellow urate (which should stay white).

Origin

Chamaeleonidae

Endemic to Tanzania — humid montane forests of the Eastern Arc Mountains (notably the Usambara massif). A strictly montane species, accustomed to a cool, misty climate with wide humidity swings.

Feeding & health

Diet

Insectivore — Small crickets, flies (fruit flies for juveniles, houseflies for adults), small roaches, occasional wax moths

Prey of a suitable size (never wider than the space between the eyes). Well-fed insects (gut-loaded) then dusted with calcium without D3 at most meals, with an occasional supplement of calcium+D3 and multivitamins. Flies, much appreciated, stimulate hunting. Avoid overfeeding.

Breeding

Oviparous

Clutch 6–15 eggs/young. The female buries her eggs in a loose, moist substrate; provide a suitable laying site. Long, cool incubation (often several months, ~20-22 °C), sometimes with a diapause. Gravid females are fragile and prone to egg retention (dystocia).

Health watch points

Heat stress / overheating (the major cause of decline and death in this montane species)
Dehydration and renal complications (gout) linked to insufficient drinking
Internal parasites (very common in wild-imported animals)
Metabolic bone disease (MBD) from a calcium/UVB deficiency
Dystocia (egg retention) in females

Morphs & genetics

Registry of 0 documented gene for Böhme's Two-horned Chameleon.

Frequently asked questions

Answers to the most common questions about keeping the böhme's two-horned chameleon.

How big does Böhme's Two-horned Chameleon get as an adult?▾

It's a small to medium-sized species, reaching a total length of 13 to 20 cm, tail included. Males are easy to tell apart thanks to two flattened, blade-shaped rostral horns, while females lack them entirely and tend to have a slightly stockier build.

What kind of terrarium does this arboreal species need?▾

It needs a well-ventilated vertical terrarium, ideally with a mesh/screen front or aerated glass-mesh construction, avoiding a fully closed all-glass tank that traps too much heat. Allow at least 45 x 45 x 60 cm for a single adult, favouring height, and furnish it densely with thin, criss-crossing branches, vines and live plants providing plenty of hiding spots and shaded areas.

Why is temperature such a critical factor for this chameleon?▾

Native to Tanzania's high-altitude forests, it's a cool-climate species that cannot tolerate a true hot spot: daytime temperature must never exceed around 27 °C, or it risks rapid heat stress and even death. A pronounced night-time drop, ideally 10 to 15 °C, is essential, with an acceptable minimum of around 12 °C, and cooling the room may be necessary in summer to keep nights cool.

What humidity level should be maintained?▾

Humidity should stay high and fluctuating, between 60 and 90 %, with several daily mistings recreating a cloud-forest climate. Aim for maximum humidity at night (fog or fogger, 80-100 %) and more moderate levels during the day (50-70 %), letting the décor dry out partially between sprayings to prevent mould.

How do you provide drinking water, given that it won't drink from a bowl?▾

This chameleon only hydrates from droplets sitting on the foliage: a drip system combined with regular misting is essential. Dehydration is common and serious in this species; watch for sunken eyes and a urate that turns orange or yellow instead of staying white.

Is UVB necessary for this mountain-dwelling species?▾

Yes, but at low to moderate intensity: a UVB tube of around 5 %, giving a UV index of 1 to 2, filtered through foliage and placed at a good distance, is enough. Always provide shaded areas where the animal can escape it completely, and replace the bulb every 6 to 12 months.

What does Böhme's chameleon eat?▾

It's a strict insectivore, fed on small crickets, flies (fruit flies for juveniles, houseflies for adults) and small roaches, with occasional wax moths. Prey should never be wider than the space between the eyes; it is gut-loaded beforehand, then dusted with calcium without D3 at most meals, with an occasional dose of calcium+D3 and multivitamins.

How long does this chameleon live?▾

Its lifespan is modest, only 3 to 5 years, typical of small Kinyongia species, and often shortened in captivity by heat stress, dehydration or parasitism in imported specimens. Females, taxed by egg-laying, generally live a little less long than males.

Can it be handled regularly?▾

No, it's better to simply observe it: this is a shy animal that stresses very easily, particularly from heat, so handling should remain occasional and brief. It's also solitary and territorial, so housing a single individual per terrarium is recommended outside of supervised breeding.

Is this chameleon suitable for a beginner keeper?▾

No, its care level is classed as advanced: it's a delicate species, almost always available only as wild-caught specimens, so animals are often stressed, dehydrated and parasitised on arrival. A check-up with an exotics-specialist vet is strongly recommended as soon as it's acquired.

Is keeping this species regulated?▾

Yes: like all chameleons in the family Chamaeleonidae, this species is listed on CITES Appendix II and EU Annex B. Trade is therefore regulated, and mandatory documentation must accompany any individual that is legally kept or transferred.

How does it reproduce, and what are the main health risks?▾

The female is oviparous and buries 6 to 15 eggs in a loose, moist substrate, with a long, cool incubation, often lasting several months at around 20-22 °C. Gravid females are fragile and prone to egg retention (dystocia), while the main health risks otherwise remain heat stress, dehydration, internal parasites and metabolic bone disease.

Track your böhme's two-horned chameleon on ReptiNode

Create a free tracking log: weight, meals, sheds, health record, QR codes and breeding projects — with the built-in genetics calculator for over 200 species.

Create a free account