El Chameleon It is a small, unique and very skilled creature, derived from the great family of vertebrate reptiles and is living proof that size does not matter to be such an incredible and captivating living being on planet earth. Find out all about this amazing creature right here.
What is the Chameleon?
They can be easily found in Asia, Europe, India and Africa, since these small reptiles live in deserts, jungles or savannahs, of them there are approximately 161 kinds that mostly inhabit Africa, where they are also known as lizards that They come from the anoles family, although the reality is that they have no ties to the lizard family.
The scientific name of the Chameleon It is Chamaeleonidae, which comes from small sauropsids, that is, scaly reptiles. According to scientific research, chameleons are very old since there are fossils from the Paleocene.
They have large and reckless eyes that move independently of each other, they have a long and very fast tongue, they have an amazing ability to change color depending on the situation and they are animals that camouflage in different environmental media, this is one of the characteristics that makes them so famous.
General Characteristics of the Chameleon
Chameleons are small reptiles with scaly skin, their size can vary drastically depending on their origin, although the smallest are those that come from the Brookesia Micra family, whose size can reach from 2,9 centimeters in length, while the largest chameleons they can be up to 80 centimeters, they are called Calumna Parsonii.
The chameleons of the smallest species, that is, the Brookesia Micra, live on the island of Madagascar and these, even as adults, can reach one and a half centimeters, they can hardly grow more than that.
One of the most striking and significant qualities of these creatures is that they can change the color of their skin depending on the situation in which they find themselves, on this side it is believed that camouflage is something instinctive.
However, what happens with this situation is that the color can change based on certain aspects and circumstances, such as the time of day, the temperature of the environment, even the state of mind in which the animal is when having approaches with a partner or opponent. The temper of his body is generally low, it is estimated that it is approximately 28 to 30 degrees Celsius.
How is the Chameleon?
Chameleons have large eyes, which can move the direction of their gaze without affecting the other, allowing them to have a visual space of up to 360 degrees. These have a very long and sticky tongue, which is very useful when capturing their prey, which is something they do at an extremely fast speed.
creeping animals, its legs only have two claw-like fingers and they use them when perching on trees, in the same way as its tail that allows it to hang from branches. Chameleons are very slow moving animals, they can even be parked anywhere for many hours.
There are many chameleons that have some kind of ornaments on their heads or faces, such as some that have a kind of bulge on their nose and others that can have a kind of horns, as is the case of the Trioceros family. Jacksonii, others have long crests on their heads, such as Chamaeleo Calyptratus.
In the case of the sexuality of these animals, there are many that show sexual duality, but in males the fact that they are used to being more groomed than females predominates. the skin of the chameleon It has a lot of keratin, which allows it to be especially resistant and from time to time they shed it like many reptiles, it is the way they have to restore it.
Chameleons have very large, globe-shaped eyes, with a fairly long ocular motor nerve quality, which is approximately 180° horizontally and 90° vertically, they have their eyes on the side of their head and this condition facilitates visualization complete of its environment.
Their retina only has cones, this is what allows them to have excellent daytime vision and optimal color capture, however at night their vision is defective, for this reason they only go out to feed during the day.
The essential qualities of this species are shared by all the chameleon family in the features of their legs, eyes, tongue and lack of hatred, however, even if they have no hearing, this does not prevent them from being able to find sounds and low vibrations. regularity.
Food
These species of reptiles feed primarily on small insects, such as cockroaches, butterflies, snails, crickets, worms and flies, these can be eaten in one bite, however, chameleons can also feed on vegetables and plants, that is that they are omnivores.
A very common quality in these reptiles is that they hunt their small prey by stretching out their long and sticky tongue, which can sometimes be up to three times longer than their body.
Reproduction
Chameleons are mainly oviparous, but there are also a few species that are ovoviviparous, which means that the mother fertilizes her eggs inside her body, then drops to the ground and digs holes in the ground about 5 to 30 centimeters. , this depending on the class, then deposits them in those holes and leaves them there.
The amount of eggs deposited by the females will also depend on the species of the chameleon, for example; in the case of the Brookesia, they lay from 2 to 4 eggs, while the Chamaeleo Calyptratus can lay from 30 to 60 eggs and these can take 6 to 8 months to incubate, although in the case of the Calumma Parsonii, their eggs take in incubation 18 months.
Chameleons can reach their sexual maturity between approximately 4 and 10 months, this will depend on the family to which they belong. The Calumma Parsonii can reach sexual maturity between 2 and 3 years and they can live between 4 and 5 years, however the Trioceros melleri and Calumma parsonii could have up to 15 years of life.
Behavior
Chameleons are diurnal animals, which means that they are very active during the day, especially during twilight, although they are very solitary and like to live in the tree canopy. Sometimes they are very aggressive with members of their own kind, so they only approach females of their own kind and descend to the ground when they want to breed.
They are not very active in hunting, they prefer to be fixed in any place and wait to see if any prey passes that they can catch, when these creatures are in captivity they can also be fed with fruits, bananas and papayas, as long as these already are in adulthood.
These reptiles usually bite when provoked, but their bite is not painful and does not leave any marks, if something like this happens, the area should only be disinfected to avoid any type of infection.
Change of color or camouflage
Chameleons have the extraordinary ability to change color, and unlike what many people think, they do not change color only according to their environment, nor are they colorless, what really makes them change color is an aspect that is It is related to a physiological condition, which has to do with their body temperature, the time of day, and even their psychological situation influences the color change.
This change can be produced very easily by feeling the proximity of an animal of the same species or a female that is in the environment. It should be noted that the color change in the chameleon It also usually occurs at the time of the fight, when two or more face each other and the colors can indicate if the opponent is angry or scared, depending on that the colors can be reddish and greenish, although sometimes when they change color they can hide .
It is important to highlight that not all chameleons can change color, this will always depend on the class and the environment in which they are found, in the case of the chameleon Parson, they can change between gray and silver blue, others like the Jackson can have between 10 and 15 different colors, such as yellow, blue, green, red, black and white.
Change of Color according to the State of Mood
These Cute animals, just as people have moods, and their color can vary depending on this aspect, we can identify them as follows:
- female in state: When the female is fertilized, she changes her body to dark colors, like deep blue and with few spots of bright color.
- Aggressive: When there is a fight or the chameleons feel threatened by others of the same species, they show a variety of bright colors, where red and yellow predominate, with this they indicate to their opponent that they are ready to fight.
- Stress: When these reptiles are in situations of stress or nervousness, their body is painted in dark tones, such as black or a varied range of browns.
- Passivity: If the chameleons are calm and unwilling to fight, then the colors they display are dull, indicating to their opponent that they are not looking for trouble.
- Mating: When the female is ready for mating, then she shows bright colors, especially orange, while the males try to attract their attention by dressing in a rainbow range, showing their best clothes: red, green, purple, yellow and blue are presented at the same time, so it is the moment in which the chameleon more strongly demonstrates its ability to change color.
- Felicidad: These animals feel happy when they have been victorious in a fight or because they feel comfortable. It also happens that when chameleons are calm and happy, bright green tones are frequent.
- Sadness: When a chameleon is defeated in a fight, is sick or sad it will appear dull, ash gray and light brown.
Chameleons in Captivity
In general, the most commercialized chameleons and those that are usually seen in captivity, are the so-called Jackson and Yemen, thanks to their great strength and ease of care. These are the most common as they are easily found in captive breeders, as are panther chameleons, carpet chameleons, chameleon four-horned and Meller's chameleon.
For the most part, these chameleons are prohibited from being exported according to the regulations of the countries of origin, although the lack of control of this situation renders this prohibition null and void. The most common captive chameleons are:
Meller's chameleon
This is a kind of chameleon of African origin, which in its adult stage could measure about 60 centimeters long, its head is smaller than its body and it comes out as if it were a small horn, these reptiles could live for about 12 Up to 20 years approximately, this if they are well cared for.
Parson's chameleon
El chameleon Parson's is a type of reptile that has its origin in Madagascar, this is one of the largest and strongest there is, they can grow to 80 centimeters long and the males have very pronounced horns.
The color of its skin is turquoise, while its yellowish and orange eyes have a long and elastic tongue with a very sticky tip, which could lengthen up to 1.5 times more than the size of its body, this small creature could live approximately 15 years.
buy a chameleon
To have a chameleon As a pet we must first learn more about them and be able to understand them, the first thing is that these are extremely fascinating creatures that should not be adopted by a reptile beginner, this is the reason why we must first learn everything about them and what care they need.
We must highlight a very important point about chameleons, and that is that they are very expensive pets to keep, even in the purchase a large capital must be invested, although this will depend more than anything on the place where it is purchased, but usually the chameleons that come with its certificate and all the corresponding materials for its care, are usually more expensive.
Chameleons can be purchased at pet stores or recognized breeders, however, we must be sure that these facilities are reliable and have the corresponding certifications, all with the intention of ensuring that they deliver healthy pets.
Another important point is that these animals must be bred in captivity, since the wild ones are more aggressive, they are very stressed and have many parasites, this gives them less chance of living longer, that is why before adopting we must observe if our candidate is healthy and does not present any symptoms of any disease, in the same way we could request the registration or medical history of the animal.
Health
The health of chameleons is the aspect that makes them more expensive to maintain, since they need veterinarians for exotic pets, and since they can present bone problems or various types of diseases during their lives, then it is essential to have continuous control See your vet for routine checkups.
Although we can prevent our reptile pet from getting very sick, by providing a good diet that is based on a balanced diet of live and healthy insects, we must also control their humidity areas and provide them with vitamins and calcium, all this according to their needs and recommendations. from your vet.
Symptoms of Discomfort
We must be very aware of any drastic change in attitude that the reptile may have, since being very sensitive animals, it is normal for them to show the following symptoms:
- Dark or dull color means the animal is sick, stressed or cold.
- Sunken eyes mean you are dehydrated, while closed eyes may indicate general malaise.
- If you have a greenish substance in your mouth, this means that you may have a bacterial infection.
- The animal should not be handled, if this happens then it means that it may be sick.
- Bone abnormalities in the areas of the curved back, swollen jaw or bowed legs could indicate a calcium deficiency disease.
Some of the symptoms that show us that our pet is sick or feels bad, could be spots on the skin, lack of appetite, change in his eyes, slowness when walking, diarrhea, vomiting, very salivary, swelling in the abdomen, among others. other symptoms that may occur.
Diseases
It is very common for chameleons to present some pathologies, either due to being poorly fed, living in an unsuitable place, or due to stress, these diseases could be the following:
- Dehydration: The reptile can become dehydrated if it does not have good access to water or due to lack of humidity in its terrarium, the symptoms that the animal is dehydrated are sunken eyes and not very elastic skin.
- gastroenteritis: They can get gastroenteritis due to poor nutrition or bacteria that are in the digestive tract, the symptoms of this disease can be diarrhea, vomiting, excess saliva and swollen abdomen. At the moment of having a slight suspicion that the reptile could be presenting this disease, we must go to your veterinarian immediately.
- Bone Metabolic Disease (MBD): This is one of the most common diseases seen in chameleons and is due to a lack of calcium or an excess of vitamin A. The symptoms of this disease are swollen or bowed legs, and bumps on them.
Symbolism and Myths
Chameleons in the West are a representation of an unstable person, who adapts to their situations, needs and moods, however, that does not always mean a feeling of negativity or something bad, but it could also be a moment of compromise.
It is also a very sacred symbol for some African beliefs, who believe them to be the creators of the human race, which never dies and if they come across any of these reptiles on the road, then they must move them away very carefully so as not to harm them. , this will avoid possible curses in which the natives fervently believe.
On the other hand, it is well known that in ancient times there was a lot of belief in myths and chameleons were commonly related to some of these:
- When the moist tongue of this animal was tied to a pregnant woman, then the birth would be more comfortable.
- They made thunder and rain if they burned his head and throat with oak firewood, or roasted his liver on a red roof.
- When the right eye of the animal, still alive, was plucked out and placed in a glass of goat's milk, it cleared up the sight.
- His jaw usually worn like an amulet warded off all fear.
- His tail stopped the course of the rivers and the torn tongue of the chameleon when he was alive served to win a fight to the one who had it in his power.
Habitat and distribution
In all of Africa, Asia and Europe, more specifically in the Iberian Peninsula, only the common chameleon Chamaeleo Chamaeleon lives, which is found in very specific parts of that region, such as Andalusia, although there are also some in towns in Crete and Italy. , in all these regions there are much more than 170.000 types of chameleons.
Contrary to what most people believe, not all chameleons change colors and their common characteristics among all species is the large tongue they have and the lack of an external ear, there is also the shape of their legs and eyes. . However, it is very important to note that all the different species of chameleons are unique.