To review a detailed checklist, please click on the following link:
Checklist: Everything You Need For Your Chameleon .

Chameleons do not require annual shots, and since they cannot be housed together, you do not need to neuter your males.

You should however, consider spaying your female chameleon, so she will not develop eggs. Your female will lay eggs (infertile) regardless of whether she has mated or not. If conditions are not "perfect", she will retain the eggs and can become "egg-bound" and die. Therefore, it is always a good idea to consider the procedure.

Signs of a female ready to lay eggs are as follows: stops eating, scratches at bottom of cage, generally wants out!. At this point, place her in a deep, wide bucket/tupperware container. You should have about 1.5 feet of moist "sandbox sand" in it. Ensure it is moist, as they like to dig deep burrows and it the substrate is to dry it will collapse. Do not disturb her and do not feed her while in the bucket! Move her back into her enclosure at night and back in the bucket until she deposits her eggs.

Many chameleons will continue to eat and drink even if they are seriously ill. Blood tests can be done to ensure the calcium/phosphorous levels are balanced, but are stressful for the animal, and are no a preventative measure. I suggest photographing your chameleon monthly so you can detect a change more readily in physical appearance.

Your chameleon's shedding cycle can indicate of health and internal functions, but more than often reflect environmental variables such as humidity & heat. Chameleons often go on hunger strikes, triggered by seasonal change or if they are bored with their food. This is not necessarily a sign that something is seriously wrong. Try offering your chameleon some new varieties of insects, and keep the blinds closed during the winter so your chameleon will not detect the shortened daylight cycle. Keep the room lights on during the winter months when its dull & dark. *Tip, put all the lights on timers! That way your chameleon is on a normal diurnal cycle! And they won't care if you sleep in and forget to turn their light on!

Chameleons often walk on the bottom of their environments scratching at the walls if they see a tree or if the temperature is not right (usually too hot) in their enclosures. Make sure these elements are O.K (i.e, temperature, humidity), before you investigate further into a possible illness.

Don't try "quick fixes" or so called remedies you can purchase at your local store. Take your chameleon to a veterinarian and have him/her properly diagnosed and treated. Remember, treating symptoms is not the same as treating the cause of the problem!

Note: A sure sign that your chameleon is ill is if it sits with its eyes closed during the day, or starts to breath through its mouth.

Many other types of chameleons are difficult to sex at young ages, as the esthetic variances between male and female are not visible until they are mature. Male panther chameleons for example have more defined rostra crests, and have their tails are thicker at the base.

This type of body language could mean several things; for example….

• There is something in his environment that is not right like the temperature,
  
• Your chameleon is able to see its reflection and thinks there is another chameleon in its enclosure. (this is common with glass enclosures),
  
• Other house hold pets are bothering your chameleon, it does not have enough privacy,

It is very important to attempt to isolate the variable that is causing your chameleon distress, as stress significantly shortens a chameleon's lifespan.
I suggest isolating one variable at a time and then observing your chameleon to see how it reacts, so you are aware of the element that was troubling it, as opposed to randomly changing everything.