Chameleon Academy Podcast with Bill Strand

Learn about taking care of chameleons! Hosted by long time chameleon breeder, Bill Strand, this show explores the latest in chameleon husbandry. Interviews with keepers, breeders, veterinarians, and scientists from around the world continuously push our knowledge forward!

Pitfalls of Copying Nature 06/09/2025

Pitfalls of Copying Nature The natural world holds the answers as to how we should care for our chameleons. But those answers are mixed in with dead ends and wrong turns. So we need to be smart as to how we recreate natural conditions. This is a thoughtful conversation about building environments that are nurturing for our chameleons. /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/36911625

Chameleons as Pets - what's it like? 06/02/2025

Chameleons as Pets - what's it like? This episode shares what having a pet chameleon is really like and gives you important things to think about before bringing one home. But it also talks about the unexpected ways you are changed after being a keeper for a while! /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/36803000

Your Chameleon North Star 05/23/2025

Your Chameleon North Star Your North Star is your personal guiding principle. It isn’t a place you end up, it’s a direction you go in. In chameleon husbandry, this means identifying what you care about most. Is it replicating nature? Ensuring efficiency? Prioritizing survival rates for breeding? When you know your North Star, it becomes much easier to filter through the noise of online forums and social media. You stop chasing every new trend or feeling like you have to defend your decisions in every debate. Instead, you build a husbandry strategy that aligns with your values and stick to it. /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/36685210

Five Commandments of Raising Chameleon Hatchlings 02/22/2025

Five Commandments of Raising Chameleon Hatchlings There is a lot to take in when you are planning to care for hatchling chameleons! I give you the five commandments that will get you started on a solid foundation! /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/35386990

Cage Size For Hatchling Chameleons 02/14/2025

Cage Size For Hatchling Chameleons What size cage should we use for chameleon hatchlings? As we evaluate our husbandry to provide an enriching life for our chameleons we need to start at how we care for them from day 1. I talk about how we should be starting off our chameleons from the moment they leave the egg. /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/35279895

Where to see wild chameleons 02/06/2025

Where to see wild chameleons Do you think it would be cool to see chameleons in the wild? In this podcast episode I talk about my top picks to see wild chameleons! /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/35178600

How to use wild data in reptile husbandry 01/31/2025

How to use wild data in reptile husbandry We need to go back to the wild source if we want to move our captive husbandry forward. But there are cautions and dangers in doing so that we need to avoid. Freshly back from Madagascar, I discuss how important wild environmental data is, the dangers in misusing it, and how to change our captive husbandry properly. /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/35091725

Beginner's Guide to Fighting Reptile Parasites 09/25/2024

Beginner's Guide to Fighting Reptile Parasites We all know parasites are an issue with our captive reptiles, but not all of us have a microscope or would know what to do with one if we did. Today I am going to give you the bare bones, high level introduction to parasites that requires no previous knowledge, but will make you highly effective in fighting the parasites that want to move in on your reptile. /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/33163622

Why Chameleon Keepers Should Embrace Naturalistic Enclosures 09/20/2024

Why Chameleon Keepers Should Embrace Naturalistic Enclosures We have always been amazed when we see an enclosure set up naturalistically with thriving plant life. There is a magic in getting lost in the details of one of these environments. It is even more powerful when the chameleon is the last thing you notice because it had so well hidden itself in plain sight (as chameleons are able to do). /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/33132742

Choosing the best chameleon cage 09/06/2024

Choosing the best chameleon cage Getting ready to buy a chameleon cage? Listen here first! We often don’t think about how we are going to set things up once we get our chameleon cage. After years of doing this, I’d like to share five things that can make the difference between annoyance and smooth sailing! /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/32937592

Level up your Chameleon Husbandry! 08/29/2024

Level up your Chameleon Husbandry! Here are my picks for the next steps for chameleon keepers to level up after they get comfortable with the basics of chameleon husbandry. /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/32736557

Adding Another Chameleon? Tips for Success 08/22/2024

Adding Another Chameleon? Tips for Success Do you love keeping chameleons so much that you are thinking of adding another one to your household? We talk a lot about what you should consider if you are getting your first chameleon, but a favorite topic of mine is what you should consider if you are getting your second, third, or fourth chameleon! /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/32624212

Chameleon Parasite checks as standard husbandry 06/28/2024

Chameleon Parasite checks as standard husbandry Doing your own parasite checks on your chameleon has long been for advanced keepers. But there is no reason why this cannot be a part of every day chameleon husbandry for anyone with multiple chameleons.Today I am making the argument for adding fecal checks to standard husbandry. /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/31925222

Coccidia Parasites and Chameleons 06/21/2024

Coccidia Parasites and Chameleons Coccidia is a parasite that can do great harm to your chameleon. By knowing the coccidia lifecycle we are able to device medications and strategies to eradicate it. by the end of this episode you will have a working knowledge of the coccidia parasite in the context of chameleons. /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/31819677

The Forest Edge 5+5 Chameleon Cage Checklist 04/01/2024

The Forest Edge 5+5 Chameleon Cage Checklist Evaluate your chameleons cage set-up to find what you could improve. This episode trains you on the Forest Edge 5+5 checklist which will allow you to methodically go through each item that is important to your chameleon. This is the exact system I use when I do my chameleon cage reviews on the Chameleon Academy YouTube channel. I am sharing it with you so you will be able to expertly analyze your own chameleon's cage. This video series is supported by Custom Reptile Habitats and the Dragon Strand Chameleon Caging Company. Purchases of chameleon enclosures from either of these two companies make this series possible. Custom Reptile Habitats offers high end enclosures. I personally designed the Chameleon Academy Arboreal line of enclosures. These wide format enclosures facilitate bioactive and naturalistic environments. You can explore the enclosures here: Dragon Strand offers mid-range cages that are fully featured designed specifically for the needs of chameleon keepers including Dragon Ledges for mounting pots/branches, a fitted drainage tray, two hydration mounts for misters, and solid and screen floor panels that can be switched out. Dragon strand cages come in both hybrid and screen versions at https://dragonstrand.com /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/30618618

Can We Change Pet Store Chameleon Care? 03/30/2024

Can We Change Pet Store Chameleon Care? What do I do to improve pet store standards for keeping chameleons? Not only are chameleons not being cared for correctly, the improper care gives the wrong message to the beginning chameleon keeper. Do we tell the pet store to up their chameleon care? Do we tell the corporation to improve their chameleon care standards? Today I discuss the the ways we can make a difference in creating a better world for captive chameleons. /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/30606478

Panther Chameleon Genetic Test Update with Dr. Ben Morrill 03/15/2024

Panther Chameleon Genetic Test Update with Dr. Ben Morrill Rare Genetics, Inc. is opening up a final round of test development for a genetic test for panther chameleon locale. This is a 35 minute conversation with Dr. Ben Morrill, who is actively working on a way to explore panther chameleon local forms using genetic material from their shed skin. We are very excited to see this go to market and future improvements as we put it out there for people to use in their projects. /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/30389748

Changes Ahead for the Reptile Community 03/02/2024

Changes Ahead for the Reptile Community If you keep chameleons (or any reptile) you might feel like there is change in the air. Yes, there are some major shifts happening and it is wise that we face them head on. /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/30198948

Origin and Future of Small Batch Breeding in the Chameleon Community 02/23/2024

Origin and Future of Small Batch Breeding in the Chameleon Community Quality over quantity. TC Houston started taking about small batch breeding on the Animals at Home podcast a few years ago and it started a chain reaction. I am convinced that we can make our community better by embracing these concepts. /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/30079208

Dart Frogs! with Troy Goldberg 02/16/2024

Dart Frogs! with Troy Goldberg Dart frogs are a most incredible creature! And Troy Goldberg of YouTube's Troy Goldberg's garage, joins me to share how to take care of these little guys! /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/30081273

Isopods! with Rus Wilson 02/09/2024

Isopods! with Rus Wilson Rus Wilson from Aquarimax (https://www.aquarimax.com/) and I talk about what Isopods I should use for my new Custom Reptile Habitats Arboreal XL Enclosure. It has a special "forest Floor Viewing Window" and I want to have some awesome isopod action down there!! /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/30081378

Changing the Future of Chameleon Breeding 02/05/2024

Changing the Future of Chameleon Breeding Breeding chameleons is a resource consuming task if done properly. Burnout amongst chameleon breeders is common. And with that our community experience is depleted. In this episode I look at how we can use Small Batch Breeding concepts to strengthen our community and increase satisfaction for the individual keeper turned breeder. /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/29792908

Starting a Panther Chameleon Breeding Project 01/01/2024

Starting a Panther Chameleon Breeding Project Michael DiBoneventura joins us today to represent the perspective of a new breeder. He has a ton of experience with various reptiles throughout his life, like most of us, but he got started with Panther Chameleons by raising them individually. We discuss some of the information he used and what he looks for when sourcing animals ethically. He also talks about female management and clutch sizes that he shoots for. Great discussion! /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/29297343

Evolution of Panther Chameleon Breeding with Brian Stewart 12/25/2023

Evolution of Panther Chameleon Breeding with Brian Stewart Brian Stewart is one of the long-tenure Panther Chameleon breeders I have worked with for many years. In this episode, he talks about what it was like to attempt to verify a local form in the mail before the internet, and how much easier we all have it today. He also talks about some of his breeding philosophy and preferences after having lived through and seen thousands of animals over the years. I remember when I got started in 2015 hearing about these Brian Stewart babies and how big/healthy they are. He has been a role model and a goal post for many years and it was an honor to sit down with him here. /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/29223098

Selective Breeding of Panther Chameleons 12/18/2023

Selective Breeding of Panther Chameleons Jonathan is joined by Robbie Anderson and Bryan Long to discuss the realities of being a panther chameleon breeder and the strategies to be a good one. /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/28759803

Panther Chameleons in the Wild 12/11/2023

Panther Chameleons in the Wild Madcham.de is an invaluable website compiled by Thorsten Negro and Dr. Alex Laube. Their efforts have given us insight into the wild conditions for the chameleons that live in Madagasar. Jonathan is joined by Lee and Amanda Ready to gain insight into the locales of Panther Chameleons. /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/28759733

Panther Chameleons as a Species with Dr. Chris Anderson 12/04/2023

Panther Chameleons as a Species with Dr. Chris Anderson Dr. Chris Anderson joins Jonathan to discuss Panther Chameleons from a scientific persceptive. /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/28759643

Can Small Batch Breeding Save Us All? 12/01/2023

Can Small Batch Breeding Save Us All? Maybe not save us all, but Small Batch Breeding could be an answer to avoiding breeder burn-out as well as possbily establishing new chameleon species in captivity. Will it work? To be determined. But you are in the right place to watch us try! /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/28890243

Discussions on Breeding Panther Chameleons 11/27/2023

Discussions on Breeding Panther Chameleons Panther Chameleons have become the foundation of the growth of our chameleon community. This is the inaugural episode of the new iPardalis Podcast produced by Jonathan Hill. He introduces us to the issues and discussions surrounding the panther chameleon community. /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/28759568

A New Podcast: The iPardalis Podcast by Jonathan Hill 11/24/2023

A New Podcast: The iPardalis Podcast by Jonathan Hill The Chameleon Academy is now a network . I have the pleasure of introducing to you iPardalis Podcast! The iPardalis Podcast looks at the various issues facing the panther chameleon community. Host, Jonathan Hill, of iPardalis, explores genetics, natural history, ethics, and the basics of breeding panther chameleons. Through this podcast you will meet a number of community members that further the important conversations we need to have. /episode/index/show/chameleonbreeder/id/28756988

Chameleon Academy Podcast with Bill Strand

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