Chameleons : A Versatile Pet

Chameleons : A Versatile Pet

Chameleons are very interesting animals. They make good pets for a couple of reasons. An obvious one is that they are small. That means you do not need a lot of room to keep them.Chameleons are also quiet, colorful, and easy to look after with some experience. There are a few things you need to know about these cute animals before getting a chameleon as a pet.Chameleons, unique for adapted climbing and visual hunting, are classified as “old world” lizards. The first chameleons evolved shortly after the extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago. They are known for their ability to change colour of their skin according to the environment. They belong to the class ‘Reptilia’ and family ‘Chamaeleonid’. There are around 200 species of chameleons found all over the world. In India, chameleons are generally brown or green or banded with these two shades. They are harmless creatures feeding on insects, snails, small lizards and birds around them.

Chameleons are a unique and bright species that have the ability to change in color to camouflage with their environment, regulate temperatures, and communicate with other chameleons. They can also change color when they’re stressed or happy. Caring for a chameleon requires proper natural habitats meaning big cages to accommodate their need to climb, privacy, and various temperatures throughout its home. Additionally, they need a gut-loaded and calcium supplemented diet. This beautiful creature may be the pet for you if you’re willing to make the commitment to properly care for it.Chameleons are delicate creatures that require specialised care, and they may not be the best pet for everyone. Before deciding to keep a chameleon as a pet, it’s important to research their specific needs and ensure that you are able to provide them with suitable habitat, diet and environment for living with them cordially.

Scientific details of an African chameleon:

Scientific names: Trioceros melleri

Type: Reptile

Diet: Carnivorous

Average life span: 12 years

Size: 5–20 inches

Weight: 0.2–1 kg

Reproduction type: Oviparous (laying eggs).

Some of the most striking features of chameleons are:

1. They change their skin colours

Chameleons are famous for their ability to change colours of their skin. They use colour change for a variety of reasons, including camouflage and social signalling, as well as response to temperature and other environmental factors. To other chameleons, a chameleon’s physiological condition and intentions are communicated through colour changes. Chameleons exhibit brighter colours while expressing aggression toward others.

Chameleons are ectothermic, they change colour to regulate their body temperatures, either by absorbing light and heat (to increase their temperature) or by reflecting light and heat (to stabilise or drop their temperature).

Chameleons have pigment-containing organelles inside their epidermis. The epidermis contains on its surface a lattice of Guanine nanocrystals, which absorb the wavelengths of light. As the lattice gets excited, the skin reflects the larger wavelength, i.e. green and blue, in their relaxed mood. But when they are in an excited mood, the skin reflects the shorter wavelengths (red, orange or yellow).

2. They have a long, prehensile tail and sticky feet

Most chameleons are arboreal, spending most of their time in trees. They have specialised sticky feet that allow them to grip the branch strongly. They use their tail to grip branches and stabilise themselves while they move.

3. They have a distinctive vision
   They move their both eyes independently, giving them a wide field of vision and allowing them to focus on two different objects at the same time. The animal has stereoscopic vision, this means while catching prey their eyes have a binocular vision for perceiving distance and depth. The most mysterious thing about chameleons is their ability to see light in the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum. Presumably, their UV sense allows chameleons to better target their prey.
   4.They are carnivores in feeding habits
   In their natural habitat, chameleons have a varied diet that may include crickets, grasshoppers, flies, moths, beetles, spiders and other small insects. Some larger species of chameleons may also eat small lizards or birds. Some chameleons have long and sticky tongues—that is two or three times their body’s length. They shoot out their sticky tongues to capture prey from a distance of three times their body length. Their hunting style is usually to sit and wait for their prey to reach within their range to capture it by shooting out their sticky tongues.
   Chameleons have unique dietary requirements and may refuse to eat if their food is not provided in the correct way. In captivity, it’s important to provide a varied diet that includes gut-loaded insects (insects that have been fed a nutritious diet), as well as supplements to ensure that the chameleon is getting all the necessary nutrients. It’s also important to note that chameleons should not be fed insects caught in the wild. Instead, it’s best to purchase insects from a reputable source or to breed them yourself to ensure that they are safe and nutritious for your chameleon.
4. The length, height and weight

The size and weight of chameleons vary greatly depending on the species. On average, chameleons range in length from 5 to 20 inches (12–50 cm) and weigh between 0.5 and 2.2 pounds (0.2–1 kg). The male chameleons are typically larger than the females, and their size also varies based on their habitat and diet. Gaining the tiniest creature title in chameleons is the Brookesia micra, which grows only about half an inch in length, i.e. half the size of your thumbnail. The largest-size species is the ‘Parsons’ (Calumma parsonii), which grows up to two-feet in length.

6. They have horns

Genus ‘Trioceros’ of chameleon found in parts of Africa have horns on their head. Trioceros melleri is a giant one-horned that is the largest species on the African mainland.

Behavior and Temperament

Young chameleons are usually a dull gray/brown color and can change shades a bit. At around five months of age, the adult color and the ability to change colors develop, and a range of colors—including green, blue-green, turquoise, and black—can be seen.

Changing colors provide camouflage, temperature regulation, and a means of communicating with other chameleons. Similar to anoles, chameleons change colors in response to excitement, stress, temperature, lighting conditions, the presence of another chameleon, and other influences.

Generally, a dark brown to black chameleon is stressed, with the brighter colors reflecting a happier mood.

Chameleons use their tongues to catch prey. A chameleon’s tongue can be up to 1.5 times the length of its body, allowing chameleons to catch insects from a distance. They primarily eat insects, but some will eat vegetation and small invertebrates.

Chameleon feet have three toes pointing in one direction and two that point the opposite way, which gives them a good grip on the tree branches they spend most of their time on. Many species also have prehensile tails. They have globular eyes that rotate like turrets and move independently, allowing them to scan a wide radius to hunt for food and look out for predators.

Housing a Pet Chameleon

The natural habits of chameleons make them tricky to care for. Chameleons are arboreal, meaning they live exclusively in trees. They need cages with ample foliage for climbing and privacy, and the enclosure must be quite large.For the larger chameleons a cage measuring 3 feet by 3 feet by 4 feet tall should be provided, but the more space the better. Ample ventilation is required, and a cage screened on three sides is best with poly mesh or vinyl coated wire preferred to prevent toe injuries.

Branches of various diameters need to be provided for climbing and the bulk of the cage space should be filled with these branches or live foliage. Ensure that the plants are not toxic, as the chameleon may eat the foliage. Substrate made up of small particles (such as gravel, sand, bark, or moss) should be avoided to prevent the chameleon from accidentally eating it while catching prey.

Several basking areas of various temperatures must also be provided in a chameleon’s enclosure. Some chameleons are happier at higher temperatures, others at lower temperatures. Be sure to research the specifics for your breed.

Chameleons get their water from droplets on leaves so as a rule, they will not take water from a dish. Adequate water intake must be provided either through a drip system or by misting the enclosure at least twice daily.

Drip systems can be purchased or fashioned from a water container with a pinhole placed on top of the cage, or even by placing ice cubes on top of the cage to melt slowly and drip into the cage. If a drip system is used, keep the watering location consistent so the chameleon knows where to find water. Misting will also help keep the humidity levels up.With a drip system, excess water should be collected and removed to prevent the humidity from getting too high.

Light

Chameleons need exposure to UVA and UVB rays. In addition, allowing some exposure to natural sunlight through an open window (glass filters out nearly all of the necessary UV radiation) will help keep chameleons happy and healthy. The UVB lights should be on for 10 hours a day

Food and Water

Chameleons seem to do best on a variety of insects so you should try to feed as many types of insects as possible to your pet. Crickets, mealworms, super worms, wax worms, wax moths, and roaches are all good items to feed.

Prey food should be gut loaded with calcium prior to feeding and should be dusted with a calcium supplement.Some nutritious leafy greens (avoid spinach, lettuce, and cabbage) and other vegetables and fruits can be offered in small amounts as chameleons will occasionally eat these.

Common Health Problems

Many chameleons suffer from calcium and Vitamin A deficiencies, usually the results of a poor diet. They’re also prone to mouth rot, or stomatitis,³ an infection around the mouth that shows redness and excess saliva or drooling.

Another common ailment among chameleons is metabolic bone disease. This condition, which can be fatal if not treated appropriately, causes a chameleon’s bones to become spongy. They’ll look lethargic and may lose their appetite.As with any condition where your pet seems ill or stressed, it’s best to consult a veterinarian who specializes in reptiles. Try to avoid home remedies before you’ve consulted a vet.

Choosing Your Chameleon

When selecting a pet chameleon, it is best to find a captive-bred one. Wild-caught specimens are usually extremely stressed, carry a heavy parasite load, and have difficulty acclimating to captive conditions.

Chameleons are not the hardiest nor easiest reptiles to keep, and starting with a stressed pet will only make matters worse. In addition, the capture and shipping of chameleons (which fortunately is being more tightly regulated) results in the deaths of many animals. Many more die in transit than make it to the pet store.

Once you’ve found a captive bred chameleon, observe them. They should be bright and active, able to change colors, and have a well-fleshed body.

 The Different Types of Chameleons

Different Species of Chameleon

There are several species of chameleons that are popular as pets. Here are a few options to consider:

• Veiled chameleon
• Jackson’s chameleon
• Panther chameleon

Caring for a Pet Chameleon

Take good care of your chameleon to limit visits to the vet. The medical costs of a chameleon can be quite expensive.

Common illnesses. Chameleons can get sick. One of the most common conditions that affect chameleons is rachitis (a metabolic bone disease). This condition causes the demineralization of bones. Metabolic bone disease produces bent limbs and trembling. You may notice that your chameleon misses when attempting to grab branches. The condition also causes “rubber jaw,” where a chameleon’s jaw becomes so soft that it can bend as easily as rubber. Rachitis is caused by:

• Calcium deficiency
• Insufficient UV-B radiation
• Calcium-phosphorus ratio imbalance
• Vitamin D3 deficiency
• Congenital diseases

Spreading disease. Chameleons, like other reptile and amphibian pets, can cause some medical conditions in humans. Salmonella is the most common illness-causing germ associated with pet chameleons. These bacteria occur normally in the digestive tract of healthy chameleons, but they will cause infections in humans.

It is crucial that you know how to handle chameleons carefully to prevent the spread of diseases. You should take your pet chameleon for routine veterinary checks. This may reduce the chances of you getting infected when you touch or pet your chameleon.

Socialization in Chameleons

Almost all chameleon species function best when they are alone. Keeping more than one chameleon in the same space can lead to fighting or injuries. In some cases it can result in death, even without the chameleons physically hurting each other. One chameleon may simply die due to the stress caused by the presence of the other. Some African species can survive with other chameleons, but only in a large space.

Keep in mind that taking care of a chameleon can be difficult if you’re inexperienced in having reptiles as pets. If you’re a beginner, consider starting with a different reptile and then adopting a chameleon after gaining some experience.

Compiled  & Shared by- Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)

Image-Courtesy-Google

Reference-On Request.