Meller's chameleon — Care Sheet & Morphs

Husbandry requirements

Meller's chameleon — origin: East Africa: Tanzania, Malawi, northern Mozambique. Humid savanna woodlands and mid-altitude mountainous areas..

Terrarium temperature gradient

Night min16 °C

Cool side21–25 °C

Warm side26–29 °C

Basking spot29–32 °C

A heliophilic species requiring a genuine localised hot spot at the top of the setup, with a strong thermal gradient and numerous shaded areas. A marked night-time drop (around 16-18 °C) is beneficial. Avoid any overheating and the absence of a cool zone, which are poorly tolerated.

Enclosure (adult)

90 × 60 × 120 cm

A mesh/screen arboreal terrarium of very large volume, with height favoured. Placement in an aviary/planted room (free-range) is even better suited.

Minimum dimensions for an adult; larger is always preferable for this giant species. Provide an abundance of horizontal and diagonal branches of varied diameters and dense foliage (live non-toxic plants: Ficus, Pothos, Schefflera) for shade and retreat areas. Substantial ventilation; avoid stagnant air.

Humidity

50–80 %

Moderate humidity during the day, rising higher at night and during mistings. Alternate humid phases with complete drying of the terrarium between sprayings: permanent stagnant humidity promotes respiratory infections and mycoses.

Substrate

Paper towel / absorbent paper (easy cleaning, recommended for imports to be dewormed)Draining bioactive soil (coco fibre + soil)Bare floor with a drainage tray

In this arboreal species, the floor matters little: prioritise hygiene and good drainage of the misting water. Prohibit any ingestible particulate substrate (pellets, large chips) that could cause an obstruction when catching prey on the ground.

UVB

Recommended

Essential. T5 HO UVB tube of the 6% type (high-requirement zone) placed above the hot spot, with accessible shaded areas for self-regulation. Replace the lamp every 6 to 12 months depending on the model. Adequate UVB prevents metabolic bone disease in this large species.

Water source

Always available

Does not drink from a bowl of stagnant water. Provide a drip system (dripper) and/or prolonged mistings 1 to 2 times a day; the chameleon laps the drops on the leaves. Monitor hydration (sunken eyes, orange urates = dehydration), a major problem in imports.

Origin

Chamaeleonidae

East Africa: Tanzania, Malawi, northern Mozambique. Humid savanna woodlands and mid-altitude mountainous areas.

Feeding & health

Diet

Insectivore / opportunistic carnivore — Large prey: locusts, roaches, adult crickets, grasshoppers, caterpillars (hornworms). Occasionally small vertebrates (rarely, as a supplement).

A large appetite and a tongue that can be projected over 50 cm. Feed adults every 2-3 days, juveniles daily. Dusting of the prey: calcium without D3 at every meal, calcium + D3 and multivitamins at spaced intervals (1x/week to 1x/2 weeks) to avoid any overdose of vitamin A.

Breeding

Oviparous

Clutch 20–80 eggs/young. A very abundant clutch laid in a loose, moist substrate. Long and often capricious incubation (generally several months, ~5 to 9 months depending on the temperature, with possible diapause). Captive reproduction is infrequent and considered difficult; most animals in the trade remain wild captures.

Health watch points

Internal parasites (nematodes, protozoa): almost systematic in wild imports, faecal examination and veterinary deworming are essential
Dehydration and kidney damage (gout) linked to insufficient water intake
Metabolic bone disease (MBD) from calcium/UVB deficiency
Respiratory infections (stagnant humidity, insufficient ventilation, overly low temperatures)
Stomatitis (mouth rot) and conditions linked to chronic stress

Morphs & genetics

Registry of 0 documented gene for Meller's chameleon.

Frequently asked questions

Answers to the most common questions about keeping the meller's chameleon.

Is Meller's chameleon a reptile for beginners?▾

No, it is classed as an advanced species: this large chameleon, native to the humid woodlands and mountainous areas of East Africa (Tanzania, Malawi, northern Mozambique), is known to be sensitive, and most specimens available are still wild-caught, hence stressed, parasitised and dehydrated on arrival. It requires real expertise to acclimatise, as well as considerable space and equipment.

What adult size does it reach?▾

It is the largest chameleon of continental Africa outside Madagascar: between 45 and 61 cm in total length, including the prehensile tail, with a massive, stocky body. A few exceptional individuals even slightly exceed 60 cm.

What terrarium should you plan for such an arboreal species?▾

A very large mesh enclosure is essential, with height taking priority over everything else: allow at least 90 x 60 x 120 cm for an adult, though an aviary-style setup or a planted free-range room is even better. Add plenty of horizontal and diagonal branches of varied diameters, together with dense foliage (Ficus, Pothos, Schefflera), to give it perches, shade and refuges.

How should you set the heat in its terrarium?▾

You need a localised hotspot of 29 to 32°C at the top of the setup, a warm zone around 26-29°C and a cool side of 21-25°C, with numerous shaded areas so it can self-regulate. At night, a marked drop to around 16°C is beneficial to it, whereas overheating or the absence of a cool zone is poorly tolerated.

What humidity level should you aim for?▾

Allow 50 to 80%, higher at night and during misting than during the day. It is better to alternate humid phases with complete drying between two mistings: permanently stagnant humidity promotes respiratory infections and fungal infections in this species.

What substrate should you choose for the bottom of the terrarium?▾

The floor matters little for this strictly arboreal species: paper towel, draining bioactive soil or simply a bare floor with a collection tray all work, the key being hygiene and good drainage of the misting water. Avoid any particulate substrate (pellets, large chips) that it could swallow when catching prey on the ground.

Does it need UVB lighting?▾

Yes, a T5 HO UVB tube at 6% placed above the hotspot is essential, with accessible shaded areas so it can move away from it. Replace it every 6 to 12 months: appropriate UVB prevents metabolic bone disease in this large species.

What does Meller's chameleon eat and how often?▾

It is an opportunistic insectivore/carnivore with a hearty appetite, equipped with a tongue capable of projecting more than 50 cm: locusts, roaches, adult crickets, grasshoppers or caterpillars make up most of the menu, with the occasional small vertebrate as a supplement. Feed adults every 2 to 3 days and juveniles every day, dusting with calcium without D3 at each meal and with calcium+D3/multivitamins once or twice a month.

How do you get it to drink?▾

It never drinks from a bowl of standing water: install a drip system and/or mist abundantly once or twice a day so it can lap up droplets from the foliage. Watch for signs of dehydration (sunken eyes, orange-tinged urates), a common and serious problem in imported specimens.

Can it be handled or housed with a conspecific?▾

Handling must remain exceptional: it is a rather placid animal but very sensitive to stress, which it expresses through a livery of black and white polka-dot markings. Cohabitation is only conceivable in enormous volumes; otherwise, it must be housed strictly alone.

What is its lifespan and what commitment does it represent?▾

In captivity with optimal care, you can expect 8 to 12 years. This longevity nonetheless remains theoretical for many animals in the trade, caught in the wild and often weakened: a specimen acclimatised and dewormed on arrival will live noticeably better and longer.

What health problems should you watch for?▾

Internal parasites are almost systematic in wild imports and warrant a faecal examination and veterinary deworming as soon as they are acquired. Also to watch for: dehydration that can lead to gout, metabolic bone disease from a calcium/UVB deficiency, respiratory infections linked to stagnant humidity, and stomatitis associated with chronic stress.

Track your meller's 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