Chameleons Care and Breeding

The Chameleon, Chamaeleonidae, is a colorful reptile with a tail and tongue the length of their body. The chameleons extend their tongue roughly one and a half times, the length of their body providing them the skill to catch prey without having to move. Half the world’s population of Chameleons exist in Madagascar. (Raxworthy) According to the San Diego Zoo, over 150 diverse species of chameleons live in Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Africa, India, Middle East, Sri Lanka, and Southern Spain. Chameleons are amazing creatures which have the ability to change their bodies' color when needed. There are various species of chameleons and their colors range from dull grey, brown, and green. Other chameleons have identifiable bright colors: blue green, lime green, turquoise, red, orange, some shades of blue and black. Once the chameleon reaches the age of 5 months, they will begin to change color, providing camouflage for protection, temperature regulation and the means of communication with other chameleons. Colors will change in response to stimuli and moods, excitement, stress, temperature, lighting conditions, and the presence of other chameleons. (Friel) Chameleons are shy animals, easily stressed and prefer not to be handled. They make terrific pets for a person experienced in handling various lizards and not wishing to play with them, consequently, the chameleon would not make a good pet for young children or a person beginning to adopt lizards as pets. The requirements for their care and breeding is very specific since they are time consuming to maintain.
The selection of a chameleon is not made without proper research on the species and their care. Wild caught species carry parasites, have health issues and difficulty acclimating to captivity and become easily stressed. Enthusiast, Jason Descamps mentions finding a reputable and honest breeder specializing in captive bred chameleons. In addition, Descamps reports, shipping and capture of these reptiles' results in many