Chameleon Academy Podcast

Chameleon Caresheets

26 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Care sheets are a high level summary and should be treated as such! Today I talk about how beginners should view care sheets and then speak from the p...

Analyzing vitamin D3 levels in supplements

25 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is for people who are trying to understand vitamin D3 safe levels. I review the data we have and go over an exercise to translate that in...

A Mountain Dragons Reading

24 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Sit back, relax, and enjoy an excerpt from the forward of Jan Stipala's Mountain Dragons. Here we get a behind the scenes look at searching for chamel...

Figuring out UVB for Chameleons

23 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We in the chameleon community are working to uncover the needs of chameleons with respect to UVB. We are exploring the minimum levels necessary and th...

Dr. Sean McNeeley talks chameleons

22 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Sean McNeeley is on the front lines as a doctor in charge of a medical center dealing with the medical preparations. He is level headed and a voic...

Briana O'Brien Joins me!

21 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Briana O'Brien of Kammerflage Kreations joins me and we just talk the current events and how it is affecting us. This isn't an interview, just a discu...

Productivity when home with Luis Wiedemann

19 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today we consider how to deal with our time now that many of us are spending this time at home. If we are working from home, how do we stay productive...

An Eerie Silence

18 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We are now officially staying home where all non-essential businesses are closed and there are no gatherings of people. The world I used to know is st...

Things Get More Serious

17 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We are all spending more time indoors and there is a new perspective on whether we will continue to get feeders shipped. And I discuss the two things ...

The Cracks Start Showing!

16 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It wasn't long before the cracks start showing! Yes, the Strand household encountered its first crisis being all home! Once I was able to get over thi...

Shopping

15 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Well, we survived into day 2! The home office is beautiful with my chameleons around, but, boy , is it a mad house out in the stores! We are going to ...

Working From Home

14 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The world is going through a tough time so maybe we just need more chameleon touch points during the week! This is just an unofficial, informal, unscr...

Strengthening the Reptile Community with Allen Repashy

13 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In today's day and age we are very familiar with community. In fact, there has been no time in history when there has been more community! We are able...

135: Season Five Kick-off

06 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We set the groundwork for season five and introduce a more interactive podcast where we will work on keeping our plants alive and understanding UVB. J...

134: Season 4 finale - Looking at 2019 & forward to 2020

29 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

2019 has been a year of growth for us in the chameleon community in a number of ways. Today I review what progress we have made in 2019 and lay out wh...

133: Starting A Reptile Business

22 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Wouldn't it be great making money doing what you love? Have you ever wondered how to start a business in reptiles or chameleons? Today we talk about s...

132: Making the Chameleon Kit Work

15 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I am talking to the people who have purchased the Chameleon Kit from ZooMed. This is the set-up which is the most commonly brought home. It is ...

131: Making UVB Work For Chameleons with Pete Hawkins

08 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

There is a lot of information about using UVB with chameleons bouncing around the internet. But how is it in execution? Today I bring you a discussion...

130: Orientation to the Chameleon Community

01 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

If you are new to the chameleon world this podcast episode is for you. Here I will give you an orientation to the community and give you an overview o...

129: Lighting & Supplementation with John Courteney-Smith MRSB

25 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most dynamic companies in our industry is Arcadia lighting with their dedication to moving reptile technologies and research forward. And t...

128: Chameleons & Children

18 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Chameleons are fascinating creatures and easily catch the eye of both kid and adult. The question often comes up from parents – should I get a chame...

127: UVB For Montane Chameleons

11 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

If we are going to consider giving our chameleons vitamins as they would naturally get them in the wild we will have to dive into Ultraviolet light. T...

126: Chameleon Supplementation at Kammerflage Kreations

04 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

 If we want to explore supplementation schedules the first stop needs to be Kammerflage Kreations. Since the late 90s, Ed and Liddy Kammer have been ...

125: Chameleon Supplementation Basics

27 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Supplementation is a complicated subject. We still don't even understand what humans need for nutrition, much less what a chameleon needs. Most of wha...

124: Searching For Chameleons with Marc Vaillant

19 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It is a big world out there and in some of those far off corners there chameleons roam free. One of the great experiences in a chameleon enthusiast's ...

123: The Cristifer Parson's Chameleon with Aaron Allred

13 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In this third part of the Calumma parsonii series we focus on the smaller of the two subspecies, Calumma parsonii cristifer. It has parson's charm, bu...

122: Breeding Parson's Chameleons with Craig Durbin

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Parson's Chameleon has been a tricky species to breed. But we have entered into a stage in our community's growth where we are now able to reliabl...

121: Parson's Chameleon Husbandry with Craig Durbin

30 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Parson's Chameleon is one of the most sought after species and, for good reason. It is a wonderful chameleon to keep. The challenges in reproducin...

120: Shopping With A Conscience in the Reptile Community

23 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The reptile community of which we chameleon people are a part of is like any other community. It is made up of hobbyists and businesses catering to th...

119 Do Chameleons Make Good Pets?

16 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It is easy to be smitten by chameleons.  From their patterns, horns, impossibly long tongue, color change, and….just all of what they are, they are...

118: Reptile Shows & Chameleons

08 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Reptile shows are a blast to go to. You get to see your favorite local vendors and the national brands all in one space. Today we are going to talk ab...

117 Building Your Own Chameleon Cage

02 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Making your own chameleon cage can be a fulfilling project and a way to use all your available space for that larger than life chameleon cage. Today I...

116: Kinyongia carpenteri with Mario Jungmann

26 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Kinyongia carpenteri. Most of us have not heard of this name. This is a rarely seen chameleon from the highlands of Uganda. Today we have Mario Jungma...

115: Maintaining Your Chameleon Cage

19 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Once we set up a chameleon cage we need to maintain it and adjust if things are not correct. Today we will talk about tweaking your cage and keeping y...

114: Setting Up A Chameleon Cage

12 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most important things we will do as chameleon keepers is set up our chameleon's home. This is where our fantastical beast will need to find...

113: Chameleon Cage Size & Material

05 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It used to be so simple. We heard that chameleons needed a 48" tall screen cage and that was that. But then it comes out that all these experienced ke...

112: Furcifer minor with Frank Payne

28 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Furcifer minor, from Madagascar, has the distinction of having the most dramatic gravid coloration. If you saw a gravid female and a non-gravid female...

111: Trioceros montium, the mountain chameleon

21 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Trioceros montium. The two horned chameleon. The mountain chameleon. Is one of those incredibly decorated Cameroon chameleon species with crests and h...

110: Fogging & Airflow with Mario Jungmann

14 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

One of the basic environmental husbandry conditions is humidity. This is one of the more difficult of our conditions to dial in. In this episode we ta...

109: Meller's Chameleons Part 2 - Husbandry

06 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In the first part of this series we talked about the natural history of Trioceros melleri and the housing strategy. Today we will talk about husbandry...

108: Meller's Chameleons Pt 1 - Natural History and Housing

31 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most impressive of chameleons is the Meller's Chameleon. Trioceros melleri is the largest of the African chameleons. With recent captive ha...

107: Keeping Chameleons Together

23 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Today we explore the concept of co-habitation in chameleons. For the purposes of this podcast, co-habitation is more than one chameleon living togethe...

106: Chameleon Embryonic Development with Dr. Raul Diaz

17 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to a fascinating episode of the Chameleon Breeder Podcast where we will look into the development of a veiled chameleon in the egg. Dr. Raul D...

105: Prolapse and other Chameleon Backside Issues

09 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We spend a great deal of time focusing on what goes into the mouth of our chameleons, but there is just as much happening at the other end of the syst...

104: Cameroon Chameleon Field Study with Walter Tapondjou

02 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In west Africa there is a line of volcanic mountains that starts in the Gulf of Guinea and makes landfall in the country of Cameroon. Upon these ancie...

103: Black Soldier Flies with Lauren Goza

26 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A relatively new feeder to the reptile world is the Black Soldier Fly. There are many marketing names given to the larval stage of this insect. Today ...

102: Expedition to Madagascar, Pt 2 with Mark Scherz

18 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Scherz is a scientist who studies the chameleons, frogs, and other reptiles and amphibians of Madagascar. Today he brings us with him on his late...

101: Expedition to Madagascar pt 1 with Mark Scherz

12 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In 2017, scientist Mark Scherz led a research team to Montagne d'Ambre in the northern tip of the island to study the difference elevation makes on sp...

100: Challenging Ourselves and Growing in Chameleon Knowledge

05 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

At this episode 100 milestone it is time to reflect on where we have been and how we have grown over these last 99 episodes. I share my growth in the ...

99: What Chameleon Should I Get?

02 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Today we answer the question: What Chameleon Should I Get? This is for the keeper just starting out and finding themselves faced with a myriad of choi...

98: Light and Chameleon Keeping

05 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to an exploration of the world that both we and chameleons live within. We are honored to have John Courteney-Smith share with us a preview of...

97: Perspectives from Chameleon Anatomy

14 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Today I interview Helen Kairo from Anatomika about chameleon anatomy, MBD, and what goes on under a chameleon's skin. Helen is no stranger to the cham...

96: Rescuing an MBD Chameleon with Cheryl Garcia

24 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Metabolic Bone Disease is a terminal condition. But, if caught in time, the chameleon's life can be saved.  Today we talk about living life with a sp...

95: Avoiding MBD Through Proper Environment

17 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Nutritional disorders in chameleons, like Metabolic Bone Disease, are a result of us not providing natural conditions. Today, John Courteney-Smith joi...

94: Intro to MBD - Metabolic Bone Disease

09 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Metabolic Bone Disease, or MBD, is one of the chameleon world's leading causes of death. And it is completely preventable. Join me in the "Scare Away ...

93: Pricing Baby Chameleons

03 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

More and more chameleon breeders join our ranks every day. And you may be one of those curious about starting a chameleon breeding business. There are...

92: Veiled Chameleon Feeding

27 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Food and water fuel living creatures. Understanding the right fuel for your chameleon is critical to their health. Today we explore the diet of the Ve...

91: Veiled Chameleon Lighting

20 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Chameleons are energized from the sun. To keep them in captivity we must replicate the sun's light, warmth, and UVB. Today we talk about what Veiled c...

90: Veiled Chameleon Husbandry - Environment & Caging

13 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Veiled Chameleon is one of the most popular chameleons to keep as a pet. Their hardiness makes them an ideal first chameleon. But they are still a...

89: Naturalistic Hydration for Chameleons

01 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It is time to revisit our understanding of hydration in chameleons. We are well aware of hydration during the day, but that is only half of the story....

88: Veiled Chameleons in Florida

13 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The veiled chameleon is one of our most hardy and adaptable chameleons. With its wide-spread representation in the hobby It is no surprise that this l...

Ep 87: History of the Veiled Chameleon in Captivity

16 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Veiled chameleons seem to be everywhere you would expect to find a pet chameleon and some places you wouldn't. but it wasn't always this way. Today I ...

Ep 86: Veiled Chameleon Taxonomy and Ecology

09 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Chamaeleo calyptratus, the veiled chameleon - this gorgeous and hardy chameleon is many people's introduction to the fascinating world of chameleons. ...

Ep 85: Taming Your Chameleon

23 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Today we are talking about taming your chameleon!

Ep 84: Carpet Chameleon Roundtable

16 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Today we are talking about Furcifer lateralis, the carpet chameleon, and its status in captivity. I'd like to give a big welcome to Kevin Stanford, F...

Ep 83: Kenyan Xantholophus Jackson's Chameleons

09 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In the United States, the Large Xantholophus Jackson's Chameleons we see are almost all from a feral population on Hawaii. But this magnificent chamel...

Ep 82: Holding Angry Chameleons

02 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Today we are going to talk about a special handling case and that is when the chameleon is scared – or angry- enough to bite you. The only time you ...

Ep 81: Chameleon Facebook Roundtable

26 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Today we have a roundtable discussion on Facebook and its effect on our community. I have asked Elise Stein, Dru Reeves and Nathalie Norris to join me...

Ep 80: Handling Your Chameleon

19 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Chameleons are tricky things to hold in that we don't actually hold, them, but allow them to sit on our hand. Today we talk about handling your chamel...

Season 3 Introduction

22 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Good morning Chameleon Wranglers! It is time for an update as to what is going on with the podcast! Good morning Chameleon Wranglers! It is time for a...

Ep 79: Mourning Your Chameleon

14 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about dealing with the loss of our chameleon. Chameleons have so much personality and character that they easily become considered part ...

Ep 78: Chameleon Fecal Exams with Alec O'Brien

07 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Good morning chameleon wranglers, Today we are going to talk about how to do your own fecal exam for your chameleon. Of course, there is much more to ...

Ep 77: Incubating Chameleon Eggs with Carl Cattau

30 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Today Carl Cattau and I discuss incubation of chameleon eggs. Incubation can be intimidating and I know I gravitated towards live bearers for the lo...

Ep 76: Chameleon Egg Laying Sites with Carl Cattau

23 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome, chameleon wranglers, to a two part series on egg laying and incubation. For these topics I have brought back Carl Cattau for a an interview t...

Ep 75: Cleaning Your Chameleon Cage with Dr. Rob Coke DVM

16 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Today we are going to dive into cleaning products. We chameleon keepers are acutely aware of the value of cleanliness. We maintain a constant vigilanc...

Ep 74: Working a Chameleon Rescue with Cheryl Garcia

09 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Today we are talking about chameleons that have fallen on bad times. Whether it is advanced MBD or a loving owner finding their life conditions have c...

Ep 73: Bio-Active Environments, Pt 2 with John Courteney-Smith, MRSB

26 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Bio-active environments have captured many people's imaginations. It is the most true approach to creating a "slice of nature" in our living rooms. Bu...

Ep 72: Bio-Active Environments, Pt 1 with John Courteney-Smith, MRSB

19 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Bio-active environments have captured many people's imaginations. It is the most true approach to creating a "slice of nature" in our living rooms. Bu...

Ep 71: Chameleon Parasites with Sean McCormack MVB

12 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

This week we dive into parasites that infect chameleons and our tour leader is Sean McCormack. 

Ep 70: Chameleons in the Classroom with Jason Mintzer

05 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Can chameleons be successfully kept in the classroom environment? Bill talks to Jason Mintzer of Valley Vista High School in Southern California who u...

Ep 69: Field Science with Mark Scherz

28 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Scherz is back to give us some insight into what it is like being a scientist in the wilds of Madagascar!

Ep 68: Carnivorous Plants with Peter D' Amato

21 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Venus Fly Traps aren't the only carnivorous plants! There is a whole world of plants to get their nutrients from insects! Join me and Peter D'Amato fr...

Ep 67: Housing Baby Chameleons

14 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

An episode reviewing strategies and thoughts on housing baby chameleons. I will discuss breeders having hundreds of eggs and the keeper with one selec...

Ep 66: Eye Health in Chameleons with Dr. Rob Coke

06 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Chameleon's eyes are nothing short of fantastic! But they also have a maintenance plan that needs to be followed for optimal health. In today's episod...

Ep 65: Gutloading Chameleon Feeders with John Courteney-Smith

31 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Today we are going to be talking about gutloading the feeders for your chameleon. This conversation is loosely based on the end chapters of his book "...

Ep 64: Chameleon Tours in Madagascar with Thorsten Negro

24 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Today we hear from a Thorsten Negro who puts together tours of Madagascar specifically for Chameleon enthusiasts! Not only do you enjoy the sights and...

Ep 63: Bacterial Infections in Chameleons with Dr. Rob Coke DVM

17 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Bacteria are all around us and our chameleons. Some bacteria helps us in a symbiotic relationship and some bacteria can kill us if it takes hold. Cham...

Ep 62: Madagascar Environments with Mark Scherz

10 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Scherz is back to talk about what he saw first hand regarding the differences between Furcifer habitat and Calumma habitat. Mark is a scientist ...

Ep 61: Arboreal Tarantulas with Marita De La Pena

03 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Marita De La Pena, the Deadly Tarantula Girl, comes on to take us to the Outer Fringes with a talk on arboreal tarantulas! Tune in to learn about thes...

Ep 60: Minerals & Chameleons with John Courteney-Smith, MSRB

24 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Both vitamins and minerals are critical components to our chameleon's health. This is the second part of our nutrition series where we focus on minera...

Ep 59: Vitamins & Chameleons with John Courteney-Smith

17 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

John Courteney-Smith is the Reptile Products Manager at Arcadia-Reptile. It is his job to push captive husbandry as close to optimal health for our re...

Ep 58: Mountain Dragons with Jan Stipala

10 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most beautiful chameleon books available is Mountain Dragons by Jan Stipala. It is a photo journey across the wilds of Kenya and it has a r...

Ep 57: Chameleon Taxonomy wth Mark Scherz

03 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Join me as I talk with Mark Scherz and we learn about how chameleon species are determined and how they get their names! Mark studies the herpetofauna...

Ep 56: Dart Frogs with Josh Willard

27 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome back to the Outer Fringes! Today we explore Poison Dart Frogs with Joshua Willard of Josh's Frogs! In this episode Josh will give us a introdu...

Ep 55: MBD & UVB with John Courteney-Smith

20 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

John Courteney-Smith, the Reptile Products Manager at Arcadia Reptile joins us to talk about Metabolic Bone Disease and UVB. John has a mission to era...

Ep 54: Exporting Chameleons with Euan Edwards

13 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

For a wild caught chameleon purchased in a store or from an importer, their journey started with an exporter in their native country. And this is the ...

Ep 53: Keeping Chameleon in Glass Terrariums with Dr. Chris Anderson

06 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome back to season 2 of the Chameleon Breeder Podcast! We are going to kick off the new season with an episode about keeping chameleons in glass t...

Ep 52: Season Finale 2016!

02 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome, chameleon wranglers, to episode 52 of the Chameleon Breeder Podcast. Can you believe it has been a year already? This episode marks our first...

Ep 51: Acclimating Newly Imported Chameleons

18 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Today Steve McNary of Chameleons International shares with us the details of how he prepares for and incoming shipment of chameleons and then the step...

Ep 50 Day Geckos!

11 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever been fascinated by the flash of a day gecko? With your chameleon background you should have no problem taking care of one of these livin...