Carpet chameleon (Furcifer lateralis) Care

Hello! My name is Frank Payne and I am a science teacher, former herpetology zookeeper, and breeder of rare and beautiful lizards. I have been keeping and breeding reptiles and amphibians personally and professionally for over twenty years. I am currently focusing on breeding several species of rare, hardy, and beautiful lizards.
I have been keeping and breeding carpet chameleons for over five years and have produced multiple generations and hundreds of individuals.
They are my favorite chameleon and they deserve a lot more attention and dedicated hobbyists.
In this video I share everything I can think of in half an hour to help you be as successful as me caring for them.
Please check out my Facebook page and website:
/ livingartbyfrankpayne
www.livingartbyfrankpayne.com
The Chameleon Academy, the best online source for general chameleon keeping information:
chameleonacademy.com
PMHerps, where I get my enclosures from:
pmherps.com
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
3:20 Description
3:48 Sex Determination
7:01 Enclosure Type and Size
10:19 Enclosure Furnishings
15:28 Lighting, Heat, and Water
21:27 Diet and Supplementation
27:14 Some Final Thoughts

[@ClintsReptiles]

Thank you for making this, Frank!

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

I hope it's helpful!

[@WickensWickedReptiles]

Great video man! Very helpful!

[@MrBostonSean]

Our family has decided upon taking on the responsibility of one of these beautiful creatures. We have been watching care guide videos all week. This is BY FAR the best care video we have seen!! Thanks so much for posting this, it helped us a ton!

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

Thank you, that means a lot! I'm glad it was helpful.

[@ps7365]

What great information. Thanks for doing this.

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

I’m glad it’s helpful. Thank you for your support!

[@wifeandcat]

Enjoyed every minute of this video!! Especially the enclosure details which is something I have been stuck on with old school mentality using screen cages! Very useful, thank you!!

[@kennynyc1555]

nice setup and video subscribed

[@R11176]

Great content! Perhaps a deep dive series on this species would be great!

[@aliciaconnolly1227]

Awesome Video!

[@MrPeter924]

Nice video Reptiles Chameleon good pet.

[@arazlam4754]

Super informative on every aspect of care for this species and good general advice for chameleons, thanks!

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

Thanks!

[@davidbrown-55]

Great video Frank! Would love to see this same type of video pertaining to leaf tail geckos. Keep up the amazing work.

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

Thank you! I will be making a Uroplatus ebenaui video eventually. That is the only species I've worked with recently so that's probably the only species I will cover. Eventually I will go to my buddy Tim's place to record a phantasticus video as he is an exceptional breeder of that species.

[@marcgould8922]

You are just an awesome guy your knowledge is amazing ,from watching your videos ,i ve already got 2 baby williamsi. I already keep panther chameleons and now will look for carpet chameleons. But here in the uk 🇬🇧 its impossible to find Great stuff ,great video

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

Thank you for the kind words and support!

[@philmorris7419]

Could you give me a brief rundown of the ideal panther chameleon setup please? Been wanting one for a while now…but I wanna do it right. (Enclosure size & material, substrate, etc.) Thank you!

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

Check out the chameleonacademy.com. TONS of good info on panther chameleon care.

[@susanpantoja1503]

My veiled chamleon is over 7 years old. Love this video i am looking at getting a male and female panther for mating soon 😀 god bless

[@LanceKirkman]

Thank you!

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

Glad you enjoyed it Lance!

[@marierollins8804]

Thank u so much for this. I would love a care sheet as I plan to get some carpet chameleons!

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

Happy to hear you like the video! I do have a caresheet on them posted on my website and in Reptiles magazine. www.livingartbyfrankpayne.com

[@victoriawu9782]

😍😍😍

[@briannelson3830]

Great content

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

Thank you!

[@EinRanunkulus]

That is great Content 😁

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

Thank you!

[@makeajazznoiseYTstoleit]

This guy is legit!

[@davidbernal2768]

Yo mate, amazing video, I really enjoyed it. U should do one for panthers, cuz its so much contradictory information out there, people will really appreciate it. Mee too :)

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

Thank you! I am not currently keeping panthers but have in the past. If I start again I will make a video. :)

[@daytonpegley7111]

Great video, very simple and informative not overwhelming whatsoever. I’ve heard for years wild caughts don’t do very well at all but what would your advice be for someone who was getting wild caught to introduce new lines ?

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

Thank you! Honestly unless you have experience breeding captive bred lateralis I wouldn’t recommend it at all. Once you have experience with the species then wild caught won’t be nearly as hard.

[@JMCichlids]

Great video Frank! Do you just use ferns for them or do you have any other plants that you like to use with them?

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

Thanks! I use ferns, pothos, ficus, and scheffelera mostly.

[@alsfishbarn1589]

I’m so excited for this channel! So it’s air flow and ventilation not as important as everyone makes it seem?

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

Thank you! Basically yes, ventilation was something that was used for years to explain away poor husbandry. Air flow is important but this is easily achieved in solid sided terrariums by having some ventilation on one side as well as the top being screen. All the major glass terrarium brands have this.

[@alsfishbarn1589]

Living Art by Frank Payne that makes a lot more sense. I always thought it was crazy they they “had” to be keeper in screens but also stay warm and humid. That’s just impossible to do in a house. Im very excited to the breeding video on these. It looks like a really fun project! My wife has been asking me to get a chameleon for a while now but I’ve always held off due to size or that fact that most chameleon enclosures are those big ugly screens!

[@user-vq8ws7nb9p]

Hello Frank, thank you for informational video. I am very interested in adopting a chameleon and in the process of doing my research. This will be my first time adopting a reptile, lot of research is needed. I have few questions. 1) Do you need to make egg laying bin if you have a female even if you have bioactive substrate? 2) Some bioactive bugs do eat protein, is there a danger that they can eat the eggs? 3) Can you house more than one female in one enclosure? I’m asking specifically for females. 4) When you mate the pair, are they kept in the same enclosure?

[@tidocastillo6824]

I love glass enclosures they look nicer i have 2 but my chameleons tend to get more stressed in them not sure why guessing its the air since the glass cages stay hotter. I breed panther chameleons btw.

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

There must be something else causing the stress. Glass enclosures by themselves would not stress the animals out. You definitely don't want it to get too hot so that could be it. Reducing the wattage of lighting should help with that. I don't use heat lights on my solid sided enclosures for lateralis.

[@torIIgo]

I have a 36x18x36 tall exoterra, and am really considering a single carpet for the first time ever. My concern is air flow in said glass terrarium. How would one remedy such an obstacle as to prevent stale air? Thank you for this video, btw. Keep up the awesome work!!

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

exo terra glass terrariums are perfect for carpet chameleons. Due to the vent in the front lower portion and full screen top the chimney effect of air circulation occurs naturally. Thank you!

[@torIIgo]

@LivingArtbyFrankPayne Really? I always assumed that one would need a small fan in front of the vent to further help aid in air circulation, but this helps alot! And yes, when I'm good, ready and have done more homework, I'll be beyond ecstatic to finally own a true chameleon species that is just right for me. A year or two down the road in the future, breeding may cross my mind, and I will have plenty of time and opportunity to prep for a responsibility as that, especially with big influences and keepers such as you, Chameleon Academy and many others!

[@torIIgo]

​@LivingArtbyFrankPayne I just remembered a follow-up question (sorry if I haven't mentioned it with my previous one)- Since I live in South Texas, my room is, for the most part, dry. Hence, I kept my Cuban False Chameleons like true chameleons to get some perspective on humidity needs. For the most part, my current animals are doing very well, and even breed for me, and they really LOVE their snails after it rains! Anyway, being in the area that I live in, if you had to recommend anything, how often would misting be for future Carpets, and would I also need a fogger for nights? Also, what length of time for misters and/fogger would need to be set (again, as you put, depending on the seasons)? Also, sorry for the long questions, not really good at encapsulating words much.😅

[@bobkob]

Superb Care video, Very glad I found this Channel, - currently saving up for One of these , aside from Pygmy/ Leaf Chameleons, are there Other Chameleon Species that can be housed in glass/ pvc vivariums of the size ratio ( 18” x 18” x 18” ) in the Pet Chameleon Market ?

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

Thank you! Besides the carpets and the leaf chameleons I don’t think there are any other chams I would keep in an enclosure that small.

[@bobkob]

@@LivingArtbyFrankPayne You’re welcome!, thanks for info

[@fajarkawitan2306]

Hi frank, do you use repashy plus for the chameleon that you keep outdoor? and when do you start suplementing for hatchling? btw, I find that this type of persentation is enjoyable and very informative. thanks!

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

I mostly use pure calcium for chameleons kept outside. I start supplementing right away with babies. I do use the calcium plus less these days. Most feedings I use plain calcium.

[@gucci_kush4202]

Getting a pair soon

[@miltonlopez7370]

You get them yet?

[@gucci_kush4202]

@@miltonlopez7370 haven’t yet. My panther laid eggs so I’m holding off for now. They should hatch in a few more months. It’s going be lots to deal with

[@miltonlopez7370]

@@gucci_kush4202 oh wow, congrats, I’ve never owned a chameleon just some anoles and cresties, I really want a carpet chameleon for how tiny they are and beautiful

[@scottiesnipes]

where do you sell these guys?

[@jackottaway92]

Great video! My background is in mechanical engineering specifically in fluid dynamics and thermodynamics and the idea of an all screen enclosure indoors is something that has never really made sense to me unless your house is more or less perfect ambient conditions for them. Is the top of your enclosures entirely screen or is it just a section?

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

Depends on the enclosure. Some are all screen and some partial.

[@jackottaway92]

@@LivingArtbyFrankPayne thanks!

[@susanpantoja1503]

How do u rise bean beetles and where do u put them to keep them in 85 degrees temps. 🤔

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

I’ll have to make a video on that one day. I just put them up high in my reptile room where it is often around 80.

[@whatshisface1390]

How much are those cages? Why can’t I find them on their page? 😅

[@egonegon6116]

Hi, in summer my room can turn quite warm. Over 32°c, is this bad for the animals? At the night i will have the air condition on and on really hot days, also during the day. But there can be days, when I am not home and the aircondition will be turned off. Is this a problem? Because I have read that they like temperatures of around 25°C. Thanks a lot and I am looking forward to receive an answer :)

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

That is fine for short periods, especially if hydration is provided and a cool night time drop.

[@Airsoftinmaryland]

I have a WC female that seems to be doing well and I would like to get a male from you and breed them. Could they be kept in the same enclosure or would they need to be kept separate unless mating? Enclosure size is 24x18x36

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

They definitely should be kept individually except for breeding.

[@randalls9422]

Hey man, I keep and breed Furcifer Pardalis and was wanting to get into keeping and breeding F. Lateralis and F. Campani, the latter once I have a better way to control the environment. Do you know any reputable breeders beside yourself? I noticed that you were out of stock. Also, did you hear about the rediscovery of Voeltzkow’s Chameleon? It's the first documented sighting in 100years!

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

Hi Randall, the only other consistent breeders of lateralis that I know of in the states are Kevin Stanford and Tim Marks, I recommend them both! Campani have been bred by Kevin Stanford and Nick Henn in the past but they were not established and notoriously difficult to keep alive as babies. I don't believe there are any in the country at this point. I saw about that chameleon. Very cool!

[@randalls9422]

@@LivingArtbyFrankPayne thanks!

[@UndefinedBailiwick]

I hate to correct you, but anyone can order PVC cages online now; sites like apcages.com have some very reasonably priced cages too. Where do you get your PVC cages from though? Did you install that light fixture in the carpet chameleon's cage yourself or did you request it as an accessory when your ordered the cage? That flush light fixture looks really slick, so I'm dying to know. Also, can you do a video on how you stack, wire and set up automatic waterers for all your cages? What are those large ABS blocks spacing apart the cages? Do you only have cages that are the same dimensions stacked together or do you stack multiple smaller cages on top of larger cages? I want to get an 8'x4'x4' PVC cage for tegus, but I also want to conserve space by stacking smaller PVC cages on top of it (it's going in a small bedroom, so 32 sq ft takes up a lot of space). FYI, I'm going to build a reptile room from scratch, so I want to get all PVC cages to conserve space and time. Getting a bunch of different cages, aquariums and etc. from pet stores or Craiglist wouldn't look good at all...

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

Hello! I'll try to answer all your questions and comments. :) Of course anyone can order PVC cages online these days but the shipping costs often rival the cost of the enclosure itself, especially for larger enclosures. Fine I guess for one enclosure but I can't imagine what that would cost for many. The enclosures all have a screen insert on the top which I set a typical dual fixture fluorescent on top of myself. The light fixtures aren't flush just fairly low profile. For stacking the enclosures I only stack those that are the exact same type and dimension. The spacers are actually bed risers! A very cheap and easy solution to spacing out the enclosures for ventilation and lighting. I'm sure you could stack smaller enclosures on top of the larger one though. I'll see if I can make a video in the future that shows the logistics of wiring the lighting and misting but I'm afraid it's nothing special. Just plugging lights into power strips and connecting misting nozzles in series. I know Mist King has some good info out there on how to connect their mist systems. If you are starting from scratch I definitely recommend going with the same type and manufacturer of enclosures. It really makes a huge difference in impression and maintenance. I hope this has been helpful for you.

[@Randalljunk]

Do you recommend a small fan in the enclosure?

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

It's not necessary but may be beneficial in some cases. I would not recommend one inside the enclosure but one in the room is good.

[@larrylaird3576]

Frank what do you think of backwater reptiles and their carpet chameleons for sale???

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

I don't think anyone should buy wild caught carpet chameleons unless they already have experience breeding captive bred ones. Wild caught ones are extremely delicate and difficult to acclimate.

[@user-vq8ws7nb9p]

I have more questions… I really want a carpet chameleon and am in the midst of researching. I have never owned a reptile this is new to me. I in NJ, so I will contact you once I am ready to adopt! Gut loading insects… 1) do you gut load all insects or is it just for crickets? 2) if you have bioactive enclosure, do you need to feed the insects that live in the enclosure? 3) what is the reasoning for gut loading insects? Do they lack nutrients on it’s own? 4) what is the breakdown of the chameleon dietary needs? I don’t see too much info on the carpet chameleon online. Is there a reliable site that can shows this info?

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

1. All 2. No 3. To improve nutrition 4. There really isn’t a discrete breakdown as it isn’t really known. Chameleon academy and my own website have more care info.

[@user-vq8ws7nb9p]

@@LivingArtbyFrankPayne thank you for the reply. I have been watching chameleon academy KZbin channel, I will also check out your website!

[@tonyburns4873]

I would like to buy four pairs of your species of carpet comedians

[@LivingArtbyFrankPayne]

I am currently sold out. I don’t do wait lists but if you go to my availability page a pop up should appear: www.livingartbyfrankpayne.com/shop You can put in your email address there and you will receive notifications whenever I have availability updates. Thanks!