Adult Veiled Chameleon

Species: Veiled Chameleon
Scientific Name: Chamaeleo calyptratus
Origin: Veiled chameleons are native to the Arabian Peninsula, specifically the mountain regions of Yemen and southwestern Saudi Arabia. 
Lifespan: 6-8 years
Size: Up to 22 Inches
Enclosure Type: Veiled chameleons need an enclosure that is large enough to give them adequate opportunity to thermoregulate, explore, hunt, and generally exercise natural behaviors. Their enclosure should also be made primarily of screen to allow for plenty of ventilation. They are also arboreal, which means that they are a tree-dwelling species, and generally prefer to live in tall terrariums. In the wild, veiled chameleons are fairly solitary. They may cross paths with other chameleons in the trees every once in a while, but they don’t actively seek each other out unless they’re looking for a mate. For this reason, it’s best to house only one chameleon per enclosure.
Enclosure Size: The minimum recommended enclosure size for a single veiled chameleon is 24”L x 24”W x 48”H. Larger is strongly recommended. In fact, it may be required for particularly large males.
Substrate: For veiled chameleons, a substrate made of organic soil or coconut fiber is recommended. It is also recommended to have some kind of draining system as there will be a high humidity with lots of water so you will need somewhere for the excess water to go.
•    Organic soil or coco fiber: These are good options for creating a natural substrate that can be easily maintained. 
•    Zilla Jungle Mix, Coconut Husk Brick, or Terrarium Moss: These are also suitable options for a substrate. 
•    Soil substrate, reptile terrarium carpet, and coconut fiber substrate: These are all recommended for use as chameleon bedding
Décor: Decorations play a vital role in your chameleon’s enclosure as environmental enrichment.  Branches, vines, and live or artificial plants work well as décor in a veiled chameleon terrarium. You can secure vines and branches with the help of zip ties looped through the mesh. Many chameleon keepers prefer to use live potted or hanging plants to maximize available foliage. (Live plants also help maintain humidity!) Arrange these items in a way that encourages your chameleon to climb and explore, provides an unobstructed place to bask, and provides a variety of options for places to hide as needed.
Veiled chameleons are known to occasionally munch on the plants in their enclosure. This is thought to be more to assist digestion than to reflect an actual nutritional need. Here are plants known to be nontoxic to veiled chameleons: Coleus (Plectranthus spp.), Croton (Codiaeum variegatum), Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), Lipstick Plant (Aeschynanthus sp.), Money Tree (Pachira aquatica), Philodendron ‘Pink Princess’ (Philodendron erubescens), Pothos (Epipremnum aureum), Umbrella Plant (Schefflera arboricola), Wandering Jew (Tradescantia zebrina), Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina), ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia). 
Water: Veiled chameleons, which naturally drink water droplets from leaves, should be hydrated by misting their enclosure multiple times a day and/or using a dripper system, rather than offering water in a bowl. 
Temperature: Veiled chameleons are cold-blooded, which means that they have to move between areas of different temperatures to regulate their body temperature. In the wild, veiled chameleons warm up by basking in a warm patch of sunlight. In captivity, sunlight can be replicated with a heat lamp. The heat lamp should only be on for about 3 hours each morning.
•    Day temperatures: 72-78°F (22-25°C) Because your veiled chameleon is arboreal and will be living in a tall enclosure, the warmest temperatures will be at the top (near the heat lamp), and the coolest temperatures will be toward the bottom.
•    Basking area temperature: 85°F (29°C) The basking area should be a vine or branch placed directly under the heat lamp, placing your chameleon’s back about 6” below the mesh.
•    Nighttime temperature: 55-65°F (13-18°C)
Humidity: Veiled chameleons do best in an environment with fairly low humidity during the day and high humidity at night. Humidity levels that are consistently too high or low can cause health problems for your chameleon. However, it is natural for humidity to be lower in the warm area and higher in the cool area.
•    40-50% during the day
•    80-100% at night
To raise the humidity in your chameleon’s enclosure (and provide an extra source of drinking water), use a pump-style pressure sprayer to wet down the enclosure every morning and evening, preferably when it’s dark. You should also mist lightly throughout the day or purchase and automatic mister. When your chameleon is actively shedding, resist the temptation to mist more frequently to “help” them with the process — this may actually make shedding their old skin more difficult!
Lighting: Veiled chameleons are diurnal, which means that they are most active during the day. This also means that they need exposure to bright light and UVB during the day. UVB and daylight lighting should both be on for 12 hours each day.
UVB lighting can be tricky, because in order to get the right strength of UVB (measured by UV Index, or UVI), distance must be considered. As a rough estimate, to provide appropriate UVB to a veiled chameleon in a 24” x 24” x 48” enclosure with a basking branch that places the chameleon’s back 6” below the top mesh. 
•    Daylight Lighting: A UVB bulb isn’t bright enough to meet a veiled chameleon’s light needs, as bright light is important to their mental health. So you will need to supplement with a bright, 6500K T5 HO fluorescent or LED lamp, long enough to span at least most of the top of the enclosure.
Type Of Diet: Veiled chameleons are insectivores, which means that they need to eat a variety of insects in order to get the nutrition that they need. 
Types Of Food: Banana roaches, Black soldier flies and larvae, Blue bottle flies and larvae, Crickets, Dubia roaches, Hornworms and sphinx moths, Locusts, Mantis hatchlings, Red runner roaches, Silkworms, Snails (captive bred only), Stick insects.
Feeding Schedule: How often veiled chameleons need to eat depends on age. Juveniles should be feed as much as they can eat, daily while Adults should only be feed 4-5 bugs, every other day to avoid obesity. Part of providing excellent veiled chameleon care is providing VARIETY in their diet! A highly varied diet is likely to create a healthier pet that always looks forward to mealtime.
Supplements: Chameleons tend to be extra sensitive to the vitamins and minerals present in their diet. However, supplementation is still needed. Feeder insects should be lightly dusted with an appropriate supplement prior to each feeding. All feeder insects should also be gutloaded with nutritious, species-appropriate food and water for 24-48 hours prior to offering.