chamelhappy

media type="custom" key="12076309"media type="youtube" key="-OAfBSSxGBo" width="425" height="350"Michael's chameleon media type="youtube" key="7FLNXg01Oys" width="425" height="350"media type="youtube" key="w9ecX8PRPSw" width="425" height="350" __General Info:__ Chameleons are considered to be a lizard in the reptile family. Chameleon also can mean Earth Lion. They are referred to earth lion because of their stalking on prey and personality. Chameleons are most known for their amazing abilities like changing colors, long sticky tongues, and independent eyes. Chameleons are mostly in Madagascar, Africa, tropic regions, and families homes. Chameleons can also be a pet. Chameleons spend 99.99% of their life in the trees, only to go to the ground if they have to give birth/lay eggs or catch a prey when in starvation. There are around 160 different species of chameleons. Chameleons can grow up to 2 feet in length. Chameleons are one of the most fascinating animals in the whole world.

__Features/Abilities part 1:__ Chameleons have the most and most fascinating features of all lizards. First off the most known, the ability to change colors. Chameleons do not really change colors to match or blend in with nature. They really change based on mood, temperature, and what they are doing. Chameleons have four layers of skin, the outer layer called the epidermis, protects its body and skin; the chromatophore layer, contains yellow and red pigments; the melanophore layer, dark pigment melanin and can create brown and black colors or reflect blue; and the nether layer, which only reflects white. Nerve impulses and hormone changes cause the color cells in these layers to expand and shrink, thus making patterns and amazing colors. When angry, hunting, or warm most chameleons tend to turn darker. When content and chill chameleons are mostly green with a blend of warmer colors. Most chameleons develop at the age of 1 month but some can be as late as 6 months of age. When Threatened chameleons puff out their chin and bottom to look fierce and intimidating. Another amazing ability is their long tongue which can grow to be almost twice the size of their body. It's shriveled and rolled up inside it's mouth but when hunting the go on their hind legs and extend fully catching prey with it's end which is filled with mucas. (making it sticky). That tongue is the most unique factor that other lizards don't have. But that's not all they can do.

__Features/Abilities part 2:__ As we stated, chameleons are the most fascinating lizards so that can not possibly be all. Chameleons have independent eyes meaning they can look at two different things at once. The eyes look like bug eyes but act like two wheels. It makes it easier to stay away from predators, catch prey, and blend in. The upper and lower eyelids are joined, with just a little hole that is large enough for the pupil to see. They can rotate and focus their eyes separately to observe two different objects simultaneously. It in effect gives them a full 360-degree view around their body. Chameleons look like they don't have teeth and that they don't really need it but they do. By having the small but sharp teeth it makes devouring larger prey easier to swallow. Their tongue is not the only part to eating. Chameleons can't hear, only some species can detect vibrations in the air and help protect them. The ears are not visible to the human eye, you need a magnifying scope but they have them. All chameleons have ears but some don't know how to use it.

__Features/Abilities part 3:__ Most chameleons lay eggs while others give birth to live young, like the jacksons chameleon. About 90% of the chameleons that give birth lay eggs no matter if mated or not. They lay infertile eggs but only in the right conditions. They dig deep into the earth and that is pretty much the only time in their lives where they are on the ground. Some species lay 2 to 4 eggs while other species can lay 80 to 100 eggs! All chameleons have zygodactyl feet with 5 toes. Their feet have two different groups of feet on each foot to help them grab. One end of the one foot has 3 toes while the other end has 2 toes. They have very sharp, delicate, and useful nails. It helps them in hang on to almost anything. Chameleons probably have the most and most fascinating abilities in the animal kingdom. It's hard to believe they are even real!

__Prey and Predators:__ media type="youtube" key="kDEaxWC1tRc" width="425" height="350"media type="youtube" key="omMzPwrp7SA" width="425" height="350" Chameleons are not very dangerous reptiles but some of them are higher in the food chain based on size and aggresion. Now in the video above it is sad to see this animal go but it is the circle of life. A snakes got to eat also. Now most of chameleons predators are snakes such as the zebra snake, boomslang,and the vine snake; birds such as shrikes, coucals and hornbills; also man is a big threat as our gardens and pesticides contaminate the insects that chameleons eat causing some to die of starvation or poison. Also us taking them in captivity (Such as Michael:) ) and destruction to habitats by deforestation and fires. Chameleons mostly snack on insects while larger chameleons can eat mice, birds, and even other lizards! Their main diet is are crickets, mealworms, waxworms, butterworms, fruit flies, grasshoppers, praying mantis, spiders, ladybugs, caterpillars, and pretty much any other insect you can think of. Chameleons like to eat a lot at a time and eat whenever possible.

__Keeping them as pets/in captivity, Opinion on it by Michael Fricchione:__ THESE TWO VIDEOS ARE PROBABLY THE MOST INFORMATIVE CARE SHEETS OUT THERE AND IS HIGHLY ACCURATE :) media type="youtube" key="iV1lCwPGg6k" width="425" height="350"media type="youtube" key="LbxDoKXfdTI" width="425" height="350" This info is toward veiled chameleons mostly, while most of these statements are appropriate for other species in captivity. Keeping a chameleon as a pet is a very responsible thing to do. Chameleons are one of the most difficult reptiles to take care of and are very costly. You need to dedicate a lot of time towards him and need to do daily things. If you do not it will probably die of stress or dehydration in most cases. Chameleons need to live in a wired cage not glass. They need a lot of ventalation. Chameleons are very territorial so you should never keep more then one chameleon in one cage in most cases they will eat the other one or die of over stressed. Chameleons do not reconize standing water although there have been cases where the owner trains it to. In nature they collect moisture from dew drops on leaves and the humidity in the air. The humidity should be kept at about 60-90% measured with a hygrometer. To keep him healthy you should have an automatic dripping system or just a simple plastic cup filled with water with a pinhole in the bottom dripping onto leaves and a automatic mister such as a fogger to keep humidity up. Veiled's eat plants so you should put plants that chameleons can eat without diseases. plants also keep humidity up. They need high branches and vines submerged above the ground. They should have a basking spot with a lightbulb to keep heat up. It should be around 80-100 degrees farenheit during the day and 65-90 at night measured with a thermometer. Also they need a uvb bulb to help them develop the calcium in their body replicating natural sunlight. The lights should be kept on for 10-12 hours a day. Chameleons sleep for bout 12 hours daily. Chameleons like to eat depending on age. Babies should eat around 5-15 insects daily all lightly dusted in calcium powder while adults should be fed same but every other day. Their main diet consists of crickets so you should raise your own crickets in a cricket keeper fed with healthy foods so your chameleons prey will be nutritious. Make sure you also have a calcium supplement with d3 and a mineral supplement which should both be lightly dusted once a month on one feeding. All of these things can be found at a local reptile or pet store. Make sure before buying one you do lots of research and have the time to take care of a chameleons. They should not be handled often only when need to. They are not "pets" they are more like a decoration and hobby. They are amazing but you need a lot of dedication.

__Daily life:__ Chameleons daily life consists of waking up from a long 12 hour sleep rising to the morning sun and heat. Chameleons then go for their water by collecting dew drops and collecting humidity. Most of the day the chameleon will try and be sneaky hiding for predators while on the hunt. Once their tummies are full they will then relax and stay in the heat. Monthly they shed so possibly he is in the middle of a shed which can take 3 hours to 3 days. It is mildly painful but is a monthly thing for chameleons. Once the chameleons realizes the sun is going down it will get the last of the heat and then start to go to sleep in a hidden spot. While sleeping chameleons are very aware of predators by their smell and is perfectly camoflagued. It will awake in the morning with pretty much the same routinr.

__Species:__ There are around 160 different species of chameleons. The most popular chameleons and most "pet friendly" in order form most popular to least are...

1.The Veiled/Yemen (Chamaeleo calyptratus) Most popular in captivity, known for the easiest to take care of (yet not easy but easiest) and their large casques (horn). 2. Panther (Furcifer pardalis) Known for their outrageous colors and expensivity. 3. Jackson's/Three horned (Chamaeleo jacksonii) Known for their three amazing horns to help fight and giving birth to live young. Also live in cooler climates 4. Pygmy (Kenyan) smallest chameleons, average length is 4 inches. 5. Flap Necked Chameleon Most popular chameleon in wild, not in captivity. 6. Mellers Chameleon large chameleon known for spine like tail. 7. Four horned Chameleon Known for his four horns and cooler climates. 8. Fischers Chameleon Just like flap necked yet less popular in both categories

[] http://www.chameleonsonline.com/ http://www.wildwatch.com/living_library/other-2/chameleon

http://web.ebscohost.com/scirc/detail?vid=3&hid=12&sid=76a5c4dc-74d8-4ff1-894a-4964c347bacc%40sessionmgr4&bdata=JnNpdGU9c2NpcmMtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=sch&AN=131063 Title:Chameleons. Authors:[|Lambeth, Ellen]  Source:[|Ranger Rick] ; Feb98, Vol. 32 Issue 2, p4, 7p, 10 Color Photographs

http://web.ebscohost.com/scirc/detail?vid=3&hid=12&sid=76a5c4dc-74d8-4ff1-894a-4964c347bacc%40sessionmgr4&bdata=JnNpdGU9c2NpcmMtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=sch&AN=61022120

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Authors:[|Marks, Paul] =====

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 Source:[|New Scientist] ; 4/16/2011, Vol. 210 Issue 2808, p26-26, 3/5p =====

http://web.ebscohost.com/sas/detail?vid=3&hid=12&sid=32015d9c-0080-445e-8e1c-3d2f953be087%40sessionmgr11&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPSZzaXRlPXNhcy1saXZl#db=funk&AN=CH092900 Title: CHAMELEON ||
 * **Source:** Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia

Michael's own knowledge

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