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Old 20-11-2014, 21:15   #1
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Anyone ever liveaboard with a terrarium?

My daughter and I are working towards living aboard in the next 2+ years, and well...she has a chameleon.

I've seen cats, dogs, even birds... but how insane are we to want to try to make a chameleon seaworthy? She's family, as is the cat, Lola - who I have no real concerns about (Lola is ready to fish). We can make the space, but as you can imagine, there isn't a whole lot online about lizards getting seasick. We haven't had the opportunity to take her sailing; it's a little cumbersome bringing a habitat aboard - typing this out brings to light how crazy we must sound....

Thoughts?

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Old 20-11-2014, 21:20   #2
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Re: Anyone ever liveaboard with a terrarium?

As kids, my brother and I caught a water snake and kept it on our boat. Not until many years later I found out my father was terrified of snakes. The snake didn't care where it was as long as we fed it.
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Old 20-11-2014, 21:46   #3
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Re: Anyone ever liveaboard with a terrarium?

This is just a guess, but I'm guessing a WATER snake wouldn't need much time adjusting to life on the water.

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Old 20-11-2014, 22:25   #4
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Re: Anyone ever liveaboard with a terrarium?

I often find small lizards on my boat. I once saw a big iguana on it. The iguana jumped into the water when I walked up.


I've never seen the lizards that have gone for rides with me throw up.
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Old 20-11-2014, 23:08   #5
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Re: Anyone ever liveaboard with a terrarium?

Talk to someone at a pet store.

My daughter had a gecko, and at first we thought it would be perfect to bring Gecky sailing.

Then we talked to someone who used to work at a pet store. He said that the kind of gecko she has can't eat just any random bug. It needs ones with a soft carapice. Not just random cockroaches or bugs off the street, which will have hard shells and will poke into it's mouth and kill it.

Anyways, we were surprised, but, apparently, our specific gecko needs to eat soft shelled bugs that are not available on random beaches. Anything else will kill it. So Gecky stayed home, and instead we brought that cat.

Which was an absolute disaster.
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Old 21-11-2014, 03:34   #6
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Re: Anyone ever liveaboard with a terrarium?

I'd be concerned about it getting lost on board--too many hidy-holes on a boat for a hard-to-see critter.
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Old 21-11-2014, 03:50   #7
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Re: Anyone ever liveaboard with a terrarium?

What is the life span of a Chameleon? May not be an issue.
BTW, large exotic lizard? or just one of the billions we have down South here?
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Old 21-11-2014, 04:51   #8
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Re: Anyone ever liveaboard with a terrarium?

I doubt many water snakes would be found in an open seaway with 10' waves.

Certainly food would be an issue but I didn't think the OP would just assume the critter would forage. Don't most folks purchase pet food for their pets?

This is a curious stream.
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Old 21-11-2014, 05:03   #9
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Re: Anyone ever liveaboard with a terrarium?

Quote:
Originally Posted by msponer View Post
Talk to someone at a pet store.
Sadly, most pet stores aren't very educated about panther chameleons; but as far as food is concerned, what we can't buy regularly (crickets, fruit/veg), we can stock for longer trips (meal worms). I'm more concerned about her not being able to deal with the constant movement - since they 'freeze' when they think anything is arise. Her stress level may go through the roof.

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I'd be concerned about it getting lost on board--too many hidy-holes on a boat for a hard-to-see critter.
Pascal (the chameleon) is limited to her habitat, being held, or being visible on her 'room' vine. They are, fortunately, one of the slower lizards.

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What is the life span of a Chameleon? May not be an issue.
She has at least another 5 years to go... unless the cat, Lola, finds a way to play with her
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Old 21-11-2014, 05:10   #10
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Re: Anyone ever liveaboard with a terrarium?

As a kid I had a pine tree lizard that ate meal worms, it's exceedingly easy to grow your own meal worms, if fact I believe most struggle with not growing meal worms.
You'll have no problem with a food supply for it. I bet movement won't bother it at all.

How does it act if you take it for a ride in a car?
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Old 21-11-2014, 05:25   #11
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Re: Anyone ever liveaboard with a terrarium?

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How does it act if you take it for a ride in a car?
She freaks out; chameleon style.... she puffs out and tries to hide. They aren't a pet you can socialize into acceptance, like a dog for instance. Unfortunately, they can stress themselves into the grave.




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This is a curious stream.
Just when you thought you'd read it all on this forum...

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Old 21-11-2014, 05:50   #12
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Re: Anyone ever liveaboard with a terrarium?

I thought they would accept movement just like they do in nature. I assume when the wind blows the limb they are on, they don't freak out, but if it freaks in an automobile, I bet it'll do the same on a boat.
I'm going to have to find homes for two large dogs, looks like you may be for one lizard.
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Old 21-11-2014, 06:07   #13
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Re: Anyone ever liveaboard with a terrarium?

If you are just living aboard in the USA it would be fine. But start going to other countries where the Quarantine officials want to see the vaccination certificates....
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Old 21-11-2014, 06:14   #14
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Re: Anyone ever liveaboard with a terrarium?

Hmm...as you wrote earlier, an unusual topic.

I would trust nature.

My suggestion:

Build a small clear capsule home (with small opening for Pascal) for your lizard, then attach this to the boat and let the lizard roam the decks and rigging as a salty lizard should.
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Old 21-11-2014, 14:19   #15
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Re: Anyone ever liveaboard with a terrarium?

Quote:
Originally Posted by a64pilot View Post
I'm going to have to find homes for two large dogs, looks like you may be for one lizard.
Nope; we have a steadfast rule; pets are family, pets are for life- even the scaly ones. I am hoping she takes it to be a consistently windy environment that won't leave her branches alone

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If you are just living aboard in the USA it would be fine. But start going to other countries where the Quarantine officials want to see the vaccination certificates....
I was looking at this too - true! I won't be going too far until my daughter is out of school... in 5 years = hopefully a non-issue.

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Build a small clear capsule home (with small opening for Pascal) for your lizard, then attach this to the boat and let the lizard roam the decks and rigging as a salty lizard should.
Aye, I like it!

Until Lola the cat sees this cool capsule thing; bats and launches her into the deep blue sea...

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