{"id":2794,"date":"2020-06-18T05:48:53","date_gmt":"2020-06-18T05:48:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reptilesguide.com\/?p=2794"},"modified":"2022-11-07T17:16:10","modified_gmt":"2022-11-07T17:16:10","slug":"best-substrates-for-chameleons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reptilesguide.com\/best-substrates-for-chameleons\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Best Substrates For Chameleons – Reviews & Guide 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chameleons spend most of their time up in the trees and plants. Therefore, you may wonder what’s the importance of a substrate then? Well, since chameleons are kept in cages, a substrate has many benefits. Here we discuss the 7 best substrates for chameleons.<\/p>\n

In a cage, you’ll be dealing with chameleon’s waste, uneaten food, and debris from plants and trees. All of this will eventually fall to the bottom of the cage.<\/p>\n

When all of these are left too long in the cage, along with a high humidity setting, bacteria and mold will start growing on it. That’s something you don’t want to have. Chameleons can get sick and even die from it.<\/p>\n

Another reason for a substrate is that it makes the enclosure more appealing. A chameleon is a beautiful exotic creature and it makes sense to create an environment to complement its beauty.<\/p>\n

How to Choose Substrate for Chameleons<\/span><\/h2>\n

There are many different substrates available on the market. They come in all different sizes and shapes. Some substrates will keep the cage clean, while others are used just for decorations purposes.<\/p>\n

Therefore, choosing substrates will depend on your preferences.<\/p>\n

The main purpose of having a substrate is to keep the cage clean. Waste from the chameleons, uneaten food, dead leaves and branches, and debris will fall to the bottom of the cage. Without a substrate, all these elements will start to accumulate and bacteria growth will occur.<\/p>\n

Things to Consider Before Buying Substrate for Chameleon<\/span><\/h2>\n

Below are the elements you should look for when shopping for a substrate. It’s very important that the substrate should have the elements below. Chameleons are very fragile creatures and a small change in their environment could affect their health.<\/p>\n

Moisture Control<\/span><\/h3>\n

The substrates you buy should be able to control the moisture in the cage. Moisture can be from uneaten food, chameleon’s waste, and water from misting. All of these will eventually drop to the bottom of the cage. A substrate should be able to absorb all of this moisture.<\/p>\n

If not, it will start to build up and bacteria will start to inhabit it. Over time, the bacteria will start to spread and could cause your chameleon to become ill.<\/p>\n

Toxic-free<\/h3>\n

A good quality substrate should be toxic-free. This means no chemicals should be used when manufacturing the substrate.<\/p>\n

Chemicals are usually used in the manufacturing process to make the substrate. The chemical could be used to produce colors, texture, and to remove foreign particles.<\/p>\n

However, even after a thorough cleaning, some traces of the chemicals will stick to the substrate.<\/p>\n

The problem arises when the temperature in the cage becomes wet or humid. The chemicals may start to evaporate into the air and come in contact with your pet chameleon.<\/p>\n

Chemicals could cause your chameleon to become ill, have deformities, and have a possibility of death.<\/p>\n

You may be tempted to buy a substrate that is cheap, but it may have toxic chemicals in them.<\/p>\n

Therefore, it’s important to buy only a quality substrate that is made for reptilians or specifically for chameleons.<\/p>\n

Material<\/h3>\n

Materials used in substrates is not that important to the chameleons. Other reptiles such as iguanas and geckos will be since they spend most of their time at the bottom of the cage.<\/p>\n

Chameleons spend most of their time in the trees, whether they are sleeping or eating. Therefore, a substrate will not affect their sleeping or food.<\/p>\n

However, it’s still important to choose a substrate with the right materials. There are several materials used and they are split into two groups, which are soil-based and wood-based materials.<\/p>\n

For a chameleon cage, the most common ones to use are made from cedar and coconut shavings. Besides chameleons, these two materials are commonly used for other reptile cages as well.<\/p>\n

Self-purifying<\/h3>\n

There are some substrates that will actually prevent and even kill bacteria before it starts to spread.<\/p>\n

This is one element that’s important for people who don’t have a lot of time to clean the cage. Chameleons eat and poop every day. Therefore, daily cleaning<\/a> is a must to keep their enclosure free of bacteria and other pathogens.<\/p>\n

A substrate that has these purifying properties are usually made of coconut. Coconut husks are great at killing and preventing bacteria from spreading.<\/p>\n

In the reviews below, we’ll mention which manufacturers have this element in their substrates.<\/p>\n

Resistance to Mold<\/h3>\n

Most species of chameleons come from tropical rainforests where it’s usually high humidity.<\/p>\n

High humidity environments mean the cage must remain wet throughout the day. This along with the waste that chameleons produce every day is a great breeding ground for mold to form. Mold tends to grow quickly in a high humidity environment.<\/p>\n

Some substrates are resistant to mold while others are not. Therefore, it’s important to choose the correct one for your chameleon.<\/p>\n

Proper Chameleon Substrate Setup<\/h2>\n

Chameleons are one of those reptiles where the substrate isn’t all that important. They can live without it since chameleons spend most of their time above ground.<\/p>\n

However, most people don’t like to have the bottom of the cage bare. Others want to make the cage as beautiful as possible. After all, you have spent a lot of money on buying a chameleon and it only makes sense to add a substrate to complement it.<\/p>\n

Most substrates will work well in a chameleon’s cage, but you’ll want to choose the right one. If you have trees and plants placed at the bottom of the cage, you’ll want to choose a substrate that can easily be cleaned around it.<\/p>\n

Other decorations such as vines and tree branches that are on the bottom of the cage should be carefully placed.<\/p>\n

Otherwise, you’ll have to spend a lot of time moving objects around the cage just to clean the substrates.<\/p>\n

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7 best substrates for chameleons<\/span><\/h2>\n

There are hundreds of substrates you can choose from, but after hours of researching, we’ve only chosen a few that we recommend.<\/p>\n

We’ve decided to not list the pricing of the items as they tend to change often. Therefore, you can click on the link to check the current price.<\/p>\n

Here is our list of the 7 substrates for your pet chameleons that we recommend. Pick the right substrate that you think is suitable for your pet\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0Exo Terra Coco Husk<\/h3>\n

<\/a>This is a substrate from Exo Terra, one of the well-known manufacturers in the reptilian world. Completely safe for all species of chameleons and contains no chemicals.<\/p>\n

Key Features<\/strong><\/p>\n