The chameleon is one of the brightest representatives of the reptile class. As a pet, a pet chameleon will decorate any terrarium and help surprise your guests. On average, this reptile can grow up to 30 cm.However, the smallest representatives may not even reach 5 cm, but with the largest representatives it is quite possible to grow to a size of 0.5 - 0.6 m.
Features of chameleons
A feature of these lizards is that during the hunt, they may not move for several hours. The only thing that can give out a chameleon from an ambush is his eyes, which can rotate in different directions, while providing him with an overview of the territory in all planes. The tree lizard carries out the extraction of food with its tongue, which instantly covers the prey, and with the help of a suction cup draws it into its mouth.
One of the most addicting abilities of a chameleon is body color change. This is possible due to the presence of unique cells in the lizard's skin. Their name is chromatophores, precisely because they have pigmentation of brown, black, red and yellow, under the influence of hunger, fear or other factors, the skin changes color.
Also, according to the shade acquired by the chameleon, you can determine which particular external factor has an effect on the lizard. For example:
- the reptile takes on a dark shade in case of fear, or when it poses a threat to an opponent;
- the chameleon produces bright colors of different colors during the mating season, in order to attract the attention of the female;
- the reptile develops an almost black color if it is necessary to attract heat;
- but the light tones of the skin serve to reflect the sun's rays in the hot season.
However, when keeping a chameleon at home, its color will not change often.
The reptile changes its shade mainly in the tone of what it is sitting on at the moment, respectively, if the pet is on a branch, it will become the same brown color, and not acquire any other bright tone. If you provide your pet with good living conditions, and the animal will not feel frightened, then, accordingly, the color of the skin is unlikely to change.
Types of chameleons for home keeping, their cost and life expectancy
The best representative of arboreal lizards that can live at home is the Yemeni house chameleon. Such reptiles are able to easily endure a change of habitat, and also adapt to temperature and humidity conditions. The average cost of such representatives varies from 700 to 1000 UAH. on the territory of Ukraine, as well as within 1500 - 3000 rubles in Russia.
It is also possible to purchase leopard and common chameleons, since there are no special requirements for their maintenance.
With proper grooming, a chameleon at home can live for 4 years, and is also quite capable of producing offspring. To do this, you need to buy a female and a male. But it should be borne in mind that several males cannot be kept in one place, since they can harm each other in the fight for a female.
If you nevertheless put several chameleons in one terrarium, you need to properly fill it with greens, to create the necessary conditions, in the form of a separate territory for each inhabitant.
The most common inhabitants of domestic terrariums are representatives of the common, leopard and Yemeni chameleons. There is no need to create any specific conditions for them. A home chameleon will be quite happy in a small aquarium if the owner follows a few simple rules.
Only a male and a female can be placed together, since the males will spend all the time in fights for the division of the territory.
A 0.5x0.5x1.2 m terrarium with a volume of 150 liters is quite suitable, depending on the size of its inhabitant. The best temperature during the day will be from 30 to 32 C, and at night from 22 to 24 C.
Place your pets' dwelling in a ventilated area, away from heating equipment. It is best to use two fluorescent and ultraviolet lamps, which must be located at a distance of 0.35 - 0.4 m so that the pet does not have the opportunity to burn itself.
To create a familiar habitat, you need to plant some kind of plant in the terrarium, as well as supply it with the necessary number of snags and branches so that your pet can move around them. Suitable material for flooring is:
- artificial turf,
- sand,
- sphagnum,
- vermiculite.
To maintain the required humidity regime, you need to spray the terrarium and plants at least once a day with water at room temperature. In the warm season, a dwelling with a pet can be taken out into the street.
A prerequisite for a home chameleon will be the presence of ventilation, since solid containers made of plastic or glass will not work for it. It is also not recommended to use a mesh made of metal, as the animal may be injured. It is best to punch holes in the walls of the terrarium, or cover it with a grate. You need to clean your pet twice a month, while the tenant can be left in place, you should wash the drinking bowl, the feeder, and also change the flooring.
Features of the diet of a tree lizard
Small individuals need food twice a day, but adult lizards can be fed every other day. Most of the food is insects, such as:
- locusts,
- worms,
- zoo buses
- other.
The rest of the diet will be apples, grapes, citrus fruits, as well as food of plant origin. Feeding is done with tweezers, but this should be done very carefully so that the pet does not swallow the tip of the device and harm itself. You can also put a plastic container in and put food in it, having previously greased it with oil, to prevent insects from escaping.
Wood lizards do not have the ability to drink from tanks, so you should teach your pet to use water from a pipette or syringe, or you will have to organize a special drinker. You can also try to pour water into your pet's mouth when he opens it, but you should do this in a small amount.
Fulfilling all of the above conditions and nuances, a home chameleon will live for at least four years, while bringing only positive emotions to its owner.
And if you are still undecided on the choice of a pet, perhaps you should pay attention to or.
And a video on how to keep a chameleon at home, see below.
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Terrarium device
There are several things to keep in mind when making or purchasing a terrarium.
The terrarium should be large enough and equipped so that temperature and humidity are not the same at different levels. This will allow the animal to always find the most comfortable conditions for itself.
The inside of the terrarium is best decorated with live plants in pots. An artificial reservoir is also required.
The terrarium should have a door or a removable front wall, then it is convenient to clean and spray the plants in it. In addition, there are no problems with feeding the animal and irradiating it with an ultraviolet lamp.
The area of maximum heating should not be on the ground, as is done when keeping terrestrial reptiles, but on one of the decorative branches.
Since in their natural habitats, most chameleons practically do not descend to the ground, they are accustomed to drinking water only in the form of drops flowing down from the leaves of plants when morning dew falls. To simulate such a situation, it is necessary to install a small pump in the chameleon's dwelling, which would create a falling stream of water.
For many species of chameleons, a fairly large difference between day and night temperatures is required. In winter, in apartments with central heating, it is better to place the terrarium on a cold windowsill (where there is almost no sun), and turn on the electric heating during the day.
Chameleons are territorial and aggressive towards each other, regardless of age. When they meet, they change color, flatten the body, open their mouths and hiss at each other. If young chameleons are kept alone, they grow faster. In group content, in order to avoid conflicts between individuals, conditions should be created that prevent frequent contact. For this, very dense thickets are arranged inside the terrarium.
Feeding and care
Young chameleons are fed twice a day with flies, newborn or weekly crickets, sprinkled with a mixture of 50% reptile vitamin powder and 50% calcium carbonate or phosphate. There should be plenty of feed, the animals themselves will adjust how much they eat. Spray the terrarium with warm water two or three times a day, as young chameleons become dehydrated very quickly. Also, strictly dosed irradiation with an ultraviolet lamp is required.
Adult animals do not require any special care. They are fed from tweezers or from a feeder with large tropical cockroaches and crickets, many individuals willingly eat pieces of sweet fruits and fleshy leaves of some types of indoor plants. The feeder is made from any plastic or glass jar with low sides. To prevent insects from scattering, the inner edges of the jar are greased with oil.
As mentioned, most chameleons cannot drink from bodies of water. Therefore, in captivity, they can be taught to drink from a pipette or syringe with a blunt needle. Aggressive and untamed animals are injected with water into the open mouth when they show a threat. Tame individuals themselves run to the pipette, seeing a drop hanging on it.
In addition to water, chameleons willingly drink a variety of juices, as well as honey solution - in the amount of 2 to 20 drops, depending on the size of the animal.
In summer, during the daytime, adult chameleons can be kept outdoors in cages or aviaries. Flying insects easily penetrate there, which serve as additional food for animals. To attract insects to the cage, rotten fruits or other food baits are spread on a saucer.
LITERATUREAristotle. Animal history. M., 1996. Kudryavtsev S., Frolov V., Korolev A. Terrarium and its inhabitants. M., 1991. Kudryavtsev S., Mamed S., Frolov V. Reptiles in the terrarium. M., 1995. Magazine "Das Tier" (Germany), No. 8, 1985. Magazine "Das Tier" (Germany), No. 5, 1997.
Journal "Science and Life" (http://nauka.relis.ru/)
Now you will not surprise anyone with rare breeds of dogs or cats, as well as exotic birds, fish or reptiles. But home chameleon can surprise even sophisticated breeders of exotic animals.
And in this article I want to talk about the content chameleons at home.
Domestic chameleons and their maintenance
Like all representatives of lizards, chameleons have similar norms for their maintenance, however, they have some additional requirements for their maintenance. Unlike representatives of iguanas, agaves and other lizards, for which humans are only a source of food, chameleons have the ability to be attached to humans.
Home chameleon eagerly goes to the man in his arms and due to the fact that he has well-developed eyesight, he recognizes his master.
Choosing a chameleon
In order to make acquaintance with this type of lizard, it is best to start Yemeni chameleon that feel good at home and are therefore familiar and predictable.
To do this, it is worth taking a chameleon that was bred in captivity. It is easier to educate him than to tame an already adult individual.
In addition to this, chameleons do not differ in life expectancy - their age rarely exceeds 5 years. Therefore, the younger this lizard is, the more time you will have to communicate with her.
It is better to acquire individuals of a larger size, for this, males are suitable, the length of which reaches 60–70 centimeters, and the size of females barely exceeds 36 centimeters. But it's not only that. Unpaired females often die during the formation of their eggs.
Don't worry about being alone. home chameleon , since they are solitary creatures and even in natural conditions, their habitats are separated.
Luminaires emitting in different regions of the spectrum, including ultraviolet and daylight, will also be needed. Lamps should be positioned diagonally across the terrarium so that chameleons do not burn on them. Along with the illumination, these luminaires can heat the terrarium.
During the day, the ambient temperature should be about 27-30 degrees, and at night there is no need to heat the terrarium. Chameleons can easily tolerate large changes in temperature. They do not destroy the green spaces that adorn the terrarium, so the terrarium can be decorated with live plants. At the same time, it is better to leave the bottom clean, without placing a substrate on it.
As an additional equipment of the terrarium, you will need a drip-type drinker, dripping onto a saucer, standing on the surface of the terrarium floor. You should immediately accustom the chameleons to feeders.
Chameleon is a lizard that can change the color of its body. Belongs to the class reptiles, the scaly order, the chameleon family (lat. Chamaeleonidae).
The animal got its Russian name thanks to the German word Chamaleon, borrowed from the ancient Greek language, where chameleons were literally called “earth lion”.
In addition to insects, their larvae and other protein foods, the chameleon will not refuse to feast on and, with pleasure, eats cherries, kiwi and persimmons, eats any vegetables with an unsteady consistency, eats green dandelion and salad leaves.
- (lat. Trioceros jacksonii)
A bright green chameleon that turns blue or yellow very quickly. Males are distinguished by 3 brown horns: one grows on the nose, two between the eyes. The body length of adults is 30 cm.
Prefers moist, cool woodlands of the eastern part of the African continent.
- (lat. Chamaeleo namaquensis)
Lives exclusively in the desert in Namibia and Angola on the African continent. Adapted to live in arid conditions, members of the species change color to a greater extent to regulate body temperature.
The body length of adult females reaches 16 cm, males are slightly smaller. The diet of the desert chameleon is made up of insects, medium-sized, lizards, etc.
- (lat. Chamaeleo chamaeleon)
One of the most common species inhabiting the forests and deserts of northern Africa, Syria, India, Arabia and Sri Lanka. The body length of a chameleon reaches 30 cm, and the skin color can be solid or spotted: dark green, bright red or yellow.
The food of this chameleon species is all kinds of insects and invertebrates that live in abundance on the grassy dunes.
- Calumma tarzan
A rare green chameleon found in northeastern Madagascar near the village of Tarzanville. The scientists who discovered the lizard deliberately named the species after Tarzan, hoping to evoke understanding among the local population regarding the preservation of the habitual habitats of the rare species. The body length of adults, including the tail, is 11.9-15 cm.
- Furcifer labordi
A unique of its kind species of Madagascar chameleons, newborn cubs of which are able to increase in size by 4-5 times in 2 months, thus being the record holders for the growth rate among animals walking on 4 legs.
Males grow up to 9 cm, females up to 7 cm in length. Furcifer labordi chameleons live only 4-5 months, laying eggs and dying before their offspring are born.
- Brookesia micra
The smallest chameleon in the world. In addition, this chameleon is the smallest lizard and the smallest reptile on the planet.
The body length of adults varies from 2.3 to 2.9 cm, with females slightly larger than males. The species was discovered only in 2007 on the island of Nosu Khara. In a calm state, the chameleon is dark brown, in case of danger, its tail turns yellow, and its body is covered with gray-green spots.
- Giant chameleon(lat. Furcifer oustaleti)
One of the largest chameleons in the world. The total body length of adults is 50-68 cm. The brown body of the lizards is strewn with yellow, green and red spots.
Endemic view from the island of Madagascar. The chameleon lives in dense humid forests, where it willingly eats small mammals, medium-sized birds, lizards and insects.
Since reptiles have long become contenders for the role of favorite in the "pet" category, and it is they who can often be found as pets - we invite you to talk today about the peculiarities of keeping chameleons at home, find out how and what to feed these creatures, what comfortable living conditions need to be created for them so that they live happily ever after in our house ...
Should I have a chameleon in the house?
Today, in home exterariums, you can find various types of lizards - iguanas, agamas, geckos, real lizards (more about that). And, some fans of extreme sports even have large monitor lizards or snakes. It is quite obvious that, depending on what kind of pet lives in your terrarium, the peculiarities of its maintenance also depend, starting from the temperature regime and ending with the feeding ration. Therefore, just reading the general recommendations for keeping reptiles in the house, if you want to get exactly one of these lizards, will not be enough. It is necessary to study in detail the information about the species that interests you specifically. Since, all these snakes, iguanas and other creatures, despite their repulsive (subjective opinion) appearance, are in fact very fragile and vulnerable creatures. Especially chameleons. They are generally considered the strangest and most mysterious inhabitants of our planet.
For those who are not in the know,
chameleons are medium-sized insectivorous lizards that live mainly on tree branches. The unique ability of these creatures is their ability to disguise - yes, the chameleon's skin is indeed capable of changing its shade in the range from gray to light green. Therefore, it is sometimes very difficult to distinguish them against the background of a gray-green mass of leaves.
This feature of changing its color has become a fashionable "feature" for chameleons, which attracts the attention of fans of exotic and unusual things to them. It is thanks to her that chameleons are so often chosen for the role of pets, and kept in a house in a special terrarium. But, here there is one "but" - to have a chameleon in the house, and to provide him with a comfortable living environment - these are completely different things. And, given the fact that these creatures by nature have weak immunity and they are very vulnerable to various diseases - these animals need especially careful and painstaking care. Therefore, think again whether you can create conditions for this creation that replace the usual habitat, whether you can take care of it as well as other, less exotic, and less painful pets ...
What a chameleon looks like
Representatives of the chameleon family are very different in their appearance from other lizards, because, in fact, they have very little in common with them, this allows them to even be distinguished into a special suborder of worm-tongued creatures. Their fused fingers, as well as independent rotating eyes - all this makes an unforgettable impression on the potential owner of the chameleon. However, these are far from the only features of the appearance and structure of these lizards. They also, as we wrote above, are able to change their color and merge with their environment (this complicates the search for an escaped chameleon). By the way, the anatomical and morphological structure of these creatures suggests that once their ancestors were ancient lizards - their structure is very similar to the structure of ancient reptiles and even dinosaurs. They, like the huge extinct monsters, lack a bone marrow box - instead of it there is a cartilaginous "cap", and the presence of a large number of additional blind processes in the chameleon's lungs allows it to swell and make a frightening impression on its enemies and rivals during marriage. merrymaking.
By the way, the chameleon family itself unites about 80 species of these creatures and 2-3 genera, these animals live mainly in Africa, on the adjacent islands of Madagascar and on Madagascar itself, while the ordinary chameleon is less picky about such a hot climate, and can live even in mountain forests, semi-deserts and steppes.
Domestic fans of reptiles are most often offered chameleons from Yemen (Yemeni chameleon), panther chameleons and Jackson's chameleons. Outwardly, they are slightly different from each other, and since people are more likely to have Yemeni chameleons, we will focus on their appearance features.
These reptiles can reach a length of up to 50 centimeters, while females have a smaller body size - their length is a maximum of 40 centimeters. The body of lizards is compressed from the sides, the neck is short, the tail is long and tenacious, it can be folded many times, the paws are five-toed. The surface of the chameleon's body is rough, the eyes are round, mobile, surrounded by their skin with variegated colored scales, as on the rest of the body. At the same time, the central small hole for the pupil is never covered by the skin.
The chameleon's tongue is long, at the end there is a depression that makes it look like a suction cup. A chameleon is capable of rapidly throwing it out to a distance of up to 31 centimeters and sticking to its prey.
Features of the behavior of chameleons
Chameleons prefer to lead a sedentary lifestyle, sitting in one place most of the time. However, if necessary, they run quickly and deftly jump on branches. Periods of activity occur during daylight hours, while chameleons prefer to sleep at night. Despite the fact that they are easily and quickly tamed, it is not recommended to release them from the terrarium and abuse tactile contacts.
Keeping a chameleon at home
In order for the chameleon to be comfortable in your home, you will need to purchase a special exoterrarium, with a volume of 100-120 liters, of a vertical type of structure. In such a terrarium, there will definitely be 2 lamps - one for UFO radiation, and the second for incandescent air. It will be necessary to additionally take care of heating the bottom of the terrarium, which will turn on at night. In the terrarium itself, there must be a mini reservoir, which would occupy ¼ of the area. It should not be deep, as the chameleon can drown in it. As the necessary decorative elements, you will need a tree (a branch or a whole driftwood - it depends on the size of your chameleon and his home), take care of good ventilation inside the lizard house. There must be landscaping inside the terrarium - live or artificial, this is at your discretion, it is important that it be there, since without it the chameleon will experience discomfort.
Such a terrarium will need to be cleaned once every 2 days, at least as often, since otherwise pathogenic microflora can develop inside it, which is harmful to any species of reptiles.
The total temperature in the terrarium should be 22-24 degrees above zero Celsius, under the heating source - 30-32 degrees above zero Celsius. The UV lamp will need to be turned on for 6-8 hours a day. The humidity inside the terrarium should be 30-50%.
Regarding the possibility of keeping a pair of chameleons in one terrarium, experts do not recommend doing this, since these creatures behave very aggressively towards their relatives (the only exception is the mating period), therefore, the male may at first perceive his female as an enemy - and this means that bloodshed cannot be avoided, therefore, it is better to keep chameleons in separate exoterrariums.
How to feed a chameleon at home
The main diet of a chameleon is made up of cockroaches and crickets. Think in advance about where you will get them in the required quantities, since without them the normal existence of lizards is impossible. Do not overfeed the reptile, so
an adult chameleon should eat no more than 4-5 insects per day, and young animals should eat no more than 3.
Regarding drinking water, here you should know that in their natural habitat, chameleons drink water, licking it from branches and leaves, therefore, simply installing a drinking bowl with water will not be enough. Spray the inner surfaces of the exterrarium with a spray bottle regularly so that the reptile can lick off the water, otherwise it will die from lack of fluid and dehydration.
You can diversify the diet of a chameleon with crickets, locusts, zofobas, mealworms, and once a week you can treat them to naked mice (live food must be removed from the terrarium at night so that it does not injure the lizard). I would like to draw attention to the need for a varied diet for chameleons, since if the owner feeds the lizard with only one species of insects, the latter may develop diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and disturb the digestive system ...
With regard to plant foods, they should also be present in the chameleon's diet. For these purposes, you can give them bananas, the succulent leaves of non-poisonous plants.
As for vitamins, chameleons need vitamin and mineral supplements specially formulated for reptiles. They need to be added to their feed. A well-proven additive from Tetra fauna Rept-Kal + Repto Live, mixed in a ratio of 3 to 1 and added daily to the reptile's feed.
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