That Reptile Blog That Pet Place Reptile Blog
Today we’ll take another look at those oddest of lizards, the chameleons (Family Chamaeleonidae), followed by some tips on the care of the Senegal Chameleon (Chamaeleo senegalensis).
Eyes
The cone shaped torrents that enclose the chameleon’s eyes are actually made up of fused, overlapping sets of eye lids. By covering all but the eye’s pupil, they offer excellent protection to this most important organ.
Chameleon eyes contain far more visual cells than do our own, and can be rotated 180 degrees. Uniquely among all animals, the eyes can focus either independently (on different objects) or together.
Vision, Learning and Hunting Accuracy
When a chameleon focuses both eyes on an insect, it hits its target 9 out of 10 times. In laboratory situations, accuracy falls to 0 when 1 eye is covered. However, by the second day hunting accuracy rises to 20%. On day 4, the one-eyed hunters successfully capture insects on 50% of their attempts.
Senses of Hearing and Smell
Chameleons do not hear well …like snakes, they detect air vibrations and low-pitched sounds only.
The Jacobsen’s organ, which allows many other reptiles to “smell” chemical particles in the air, is vestigial (much reduced) in chameleons. It is therefore assumed that they do not detect most odors.
Distribution
Madagascar is the center of chameleon diversity, with over 75 species, many endemic, living there. Neighboring Africa, despite being vastly larger, boasts only 100 or so species. Only 2 species make their homes in the Middle East, 2 in Europe and 2 in India and Sri Lanka.
At least 2 species of chameleon have established feral populations in foreign habitats. The veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) thrives in Florida, Hawaii and Mexico, while the Jackson’s chameleon (C. jacksonii) has been breeding on Hawaii since the 1970’s and has recently been discovered in California.
The Senegal Chameleon, Chamaeleo senegalensis
Hailing from tropical West Africa (Senegal to Cameroon), this dark-spotted, tan to olive chameleon inhabits brushy savannas and forest edges. Often abundant and easy to collect, it has long been a pet trade staple.
Some Cautions
Despite its long history in captivity, the Senegal does not breed regularly, and presents some problems as a pet. Wild caught specimens should be avoided, as they are usually heavily parasitized and afflicted with stress related ailments.
Captive Environment
Senegal Chameleons need quite, heavily planted screen cages or an outdoor aviary , abundant UVB radiation and should be kept well-hydrated via frequent spraying or the use of a mister. An ambient temperature of 76F with a basking site of 85F and a nighttime dip to 69-70F suits them well.
Breeding
If you are lucky enough to obtain a breeding pair, you’ll have your hands full…healthy females may lay 20-70 eggs at a time, twice each year! Incubation time averages 6 months at 77 F, and sexual maturity may be reached by 5 months of age.
The Smooth Chameleon
The range of East Africa’s Smooth Chameleon overlaps that of the Senegal in Cameroon. Formerly classified as a subspecies, the smooth chameleon has now been given full species status as Chamaeleo laevigata.
Further Reading
Captive care follows that of the veiled chameleon; however, the Senegal requires higher humidity than the veiled, and does not consume plants. Please see my article Care of the Veiled Chameleon, for further details.
Please write in with your questions and comments.
Thanks, until next time,
Frank Indiviglio
Male Chameleon in Madagascar image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Mbz1
Veiled Chameleon in Madagascar image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Billybizkit
I HAVE A JACKSON’S CHAMELEON.I NAMED IT LIL’ MIKE
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest in our blog. I look forward to hearing from you in the future,
Good luck and please let me know if you have any questions,
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Are the Snegal chameleons easier to take care of then the jackson and veiled
Hello Konnor, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest in our blog. Senagals can be fairly hardy, but only if captive bred. Unfortunately, most offered in the US trade are wild caught, and carry heavy parasite loads. Jackson’s are more often, but by no means always, captive bred but need a great deal of space. I would suggest a Veiled…hardiest of the chameleons, usually captive bred, and not as prone to stress related diseases. Please see this article for more info and feel free to write back.
Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Happy Holidays, Frank Indiviglio.
Hello, my boyfriend and I are proud owners of a pair of Senegal Chameleons. When we first got them, one insisted on being close to the other (no names, we’ll just call them one and other) even though it was obvious other was uncomfortable to the point that other would stress out and turn completely black in color. One however did not care, it persisted. Especially at lights out. One immediately would go to other and proceed to hold others tail and sleep. Other apparently is now accustomed and together is how they sleep at night. Every night.
Just thought Id share.
Hello Sandra, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for the most interesting post. Chameleons have very complicated social behaviors, and we have much to learn. One of the main impediments to captive breeding, in zoos and the private sector, is the difficulty in establishing pairs and groups. Please keep notes and continue to write in with observations…I can’t recall reading anything like you’ve described; it could be very significant.
Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Hi, i have been thinking about buying a Senegal chameleon and i was wondering about the health risks.. what exactly are they and how common are they in this species?
Hello Zach,
Thanks for your interest. One difficulty is that they are relatively easy to collect, but not to breed; therefore, many in the trade are wild caught. Wild caught chameleons are always heavily parasitized and usually suffer stress related ailments (depressed immune system) related to collection and shipment. Even with veterinary assistance, many do not do well. I suggest you search out a private breeder as opposed to a pet store, unless the store can guarantee that their stock is captive bred.
Other than that, the main considerations are providing a large enough cage, high levels of UVB and a varied diet…2-3 different food items will not suffice.
Veiled chameleons are usually a better choice; please see here for further information.
Please let me know if you need any further information. Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Hi i just got a sengal i notticed in your blog that you said something about them and live plant but just before that you were talking about veiled and was wondering if which one didnt eat plants? Also above you said something about 2-3 food items not being enough what would be some good things to feed it? Thank you.
Hello John,
Thanks for your interest. Senegals do not eat plants, as far as we know. Live plants are useful, however, to provide sight barriers and a sense of security; chameleons rarely do well in open, bare terrariums. Please let me know if you need more info on setting up the enclosure.
Variety is very important; supplements are necessary as well, but always try to provide as many food species as possible. This article on Chameleon Diets lists many options; I hope it is helpful; please write back if you have further questions, and let me know how all goes.
Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Can you put a Senegal Chameleon in with Anoles? We were thinking about getting my son one, because of there size we were wondering.
Hello Roy,
Thanks for your interest. Unfortunately, they should not be housed together. When related animals from different parts of the world are kept together, parasites/micro-organisms that are relatively harmless to one sometimes prove fatal to another (similar to tourists becoming ill after drinking tap water in foreign countries).
A Senegal Chameleon may also eat a suitably sized anole. Other problems include differences in feeding styles, which make it difficult to ensure each receives a proper diet, distribution of basking sites, stress generated by a potential predator, even in absence of aggression, etc. Chameleons are best housed alone. Groups of anoles can work, given enough space. Please see this article for details, and feel free to write back.
Please let me know if you need any further information. Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Thank you for your knowledge. All together we have six lizards and take pride in careing for them all and having knowledge to do it properly. We have a four and a half foot female Iguana(our big baby),two Leopard Gecko’s one is elbino,two Anole’s,and one Long Tail Lizard. We love them all.
Hello Roy,
Thanks for the kind words and happy to hear that the information was helpful. Nice collection you have there; would be happy to have your observations from time to time. Here’s an article on Green Iguana/Raccoon interactions in Fla that may be of interest, and another on some observations I made in Venezuela.
Please let me know if you need any further information. Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Hi, My name is Heidi. I just got a Graceful Chameleon. I have no idea if it is a male or female. However I named it Dio. Dio is a very vibrant lime green and so beautiful! I haven’t been able to find much information on the species itself other than just basic care facts. I’m more interested in learning about the Graceful Chameleon, like how did it get its name? and if they will eat any plants or greens? Any info at all would be great.
Thanks!
Hello Heidi,
Thanks for your interest. They do not take greens as far as I know. Several species have surprised us recently by eating some greens, but in general they are carnivorous. Dietary variety is extremely important. Please see this article for suggested foods and supplements, and general care info. Do not handle the lizard unless necessary, as this is very stressful to them.
Graceful Chameleons experience a dry season in the wild, but captives do best when kept under high humidity. They will not drink from a bowl, need to be sprayed often.
I’m not sure about the common name…I’ve not noticed that they are more (or less!) graceful than others. This article will provide natural history info.
Chameleons are rather difficult pets for those without a good deal of experience; please write back with details as to temperature, UVB light, diet etc, and I’ll be happy to review with you if you’d like.
Please let me know if you need any further information. Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Should I be alarmed? I took Syklone out to get some sun he started to…it looked like dancing then next thing I know he snatches up a spider. I don’t know what kind it was but he ate it and now he has his mouth is a tiny crack open and he sits under his heat light and closes his eyes. He is also a green color with brown spots. :/
Hello,
Chameleons eat a variety of spiders in their natural habitats, but they likely have evolved the ability to avoid dangerous species. There is a chance that the spider yours ate delivered a bite. Unfortunately, without an ID, and often even with an ID there’s no way to know what to expect.
Sorry I could not be of more help, but we know very little about the venom of most species, and nothing of the effects on lizards.
I hope all goes well. Please keep me posted, Best, Frank
Thank you so much and I think it was a jumping spider he ate I took a picture of what he looks like right now
Hi Susana,
Thanks for the update…you would have noticed serious symptoms by now had he been bitten, so I believe all is fine. Wild invertebrates, other than spiders, can be part of your pets diet and will provide important nutrients; please see this article for some ideas and let me know if you have any questions.
Hi Im Jayden. My little brother got a Senegal chameleon 2-3 days ago for his birthday. He named it Franklyn, but I don’t know if Franklyn is a girl or a boy. Everything says that males have a bulge at the base of their tale, but I dont know what the bulge looks like to decide the sex. I looked at Frank, and all I saw was a horizontal slit. Is it a girl or a boy?
Hello Jayden,
Thanks for your interest.
The slit (opening of the cloaca) looks the same in both sexes. The bulges will appear just behind this slit in males. If the area is flat, you likely have a female or a young male (bulges appear at age 5 months to 1 year).
Chameleons are fascinating but are quite demanding in their needs; a diet of 2-3 types of insects will not do. They also need high levels of UVB radiation, proper vitamin/mineral supplementation and plenty of room with lots of foliage to hide behind. They should not be handled at all, as it is very stressful and will lead to health problems. Please see this article on Chameleon Care and this one on Senegal Chameleon Health Concerns (please pay special attention to the section on dehydration).
Please let me know if you need any further information. Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Im concerned for his health. He hasnt been moving, let alone eating. We have 6 crickets in his cage right now, and theyve been the same since we’ve gotten him. I mist his tank regularly. I didnt know that he wasn’t supposed to be handled. We have a red and 2 white lights, and a plant and some fake branches. My dad bought him off craigslist, and he said the guy had about 21 other baby senegals in there too. My dad says that if Franklyn doesn’t make it, he’ll buy a veiled chameleon. The senegals are very fragile- I learned from experience- and are the veiled any less fragile? Are they almost the same health wise to the senegal? He seems to sleep A LOT!! We keep the 2 white lights off in the night and only keep the red one on. I dont know why he sleeps, that’s all he’s doing when I look at him.
Hello Jayden,
Sorry for the bad news. Please send some info on day/night temperatures and tank size, so that I can get a better idea of the set-up. You did not mention UVB light – this is critical to their health. The plants need to provide complete security – if forced to remain in the open, on view, the animal will be stressed. Unfortuneatly, Craig’s List is not the best way to go about purchasing a lizard of any type, especially if you are new to the field. Chameleons do not ship well, and you need to see the animal and speak with a competent expert before making a choice. Your lizard may be afflicted with parasites, dehydrated or suffering from any number of ailments…a vet visit is your best option. Please let me know if you need help in finding a local vet with reptile experience.
Veiled Chameleons are somewhat more hardy, but far from ideal. They and other chameleons are best suited to advanced hobbyists who have a great deal of experience with a wide variety of other lizards; even in zoos, most give us trouble. Please bear in mind the notes concerning feeding, in the last article I sent – without a highly varied diet, they will not thrive. Crickets and mealworms alone are not suitable.
You would be much better off with a Leopard Gecko or perhaps a bearded dragon (assuming you have space and are willing to provide high levels of UVB and very warm temperatures. I would not suggest getting a Veiled Chameleon; please let me know if you need further information.
Best, Frank
Can a male senegal breed with a female Jackson chameleon? Oh and the female is a bit bigger than him?
Hello Kay,
I do not believe they would be able to breed…different breeding biology, displays, etc., and not closely related (placed in different genera). Best regards, Frank
I got two senegeal chameleons at the expo a mouth ago, not knowing much and in a hurry didn’t ask as many questions as i should have. When i went back to where i got them the people that i got them from was very rude to my questions. (how old were they, how do i tell their sex, how big will they get, at what age do they become sexually active, etc. Can you answer some of these questions? Where can i find a good reference book on them for future references? I’ve had them for a little over a month now and they seam to be doing good i’d like to keep it that way , the people i got them from must be in it for the money not the quality or well being of the pet. Thanks for any info… Brenda
Hello Brenda,
Glad you wrote in; chameleons are very interesting but have very specific needs that differ from those of most other lizards. The most important points are providing a varied diet, exposure to high levels of UVB, a large , airy cage with lots of cover, enough drinking water and – very important for most owners – do not handle them. Even if they appear unfazed by this, handling is extremely stressful and impairs their health. You may wish to have fecal tests done by an expoerienced vet as well. Watch very carefully for aggression, which can develop suddenly. Please read the articles linked below…the info in the general chameleon article is largely applicable to senegals – and pick up the Chaneleon Care Book as well, and let me know if you have any questions. Enjoy, pl keep me posted, Frank
http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/2012/02/28/senegal-chameleons-and-related-species-common-health-problems/
http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/2011/09/02/chameleon-diets-the-best-foods-for-pet-chameleons/
http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/2012/05/07/senegal-chameleon-diet-study-nutrition-influences-prey-choice/
http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/2012/12/26/chameleons-as-pets-5-things-you-should-know-before-getting-a-chameleon/
http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/2012/01/10/chameleons-as-pets-an-overview-of-their-natural-history-and-captive-care/
This book is an excellent resource as well.
I.m hoping you or someone out there can help, my male (i think) Senegal chameleon is not looking very good. He used to move all over the cage, now he has a dark, almost black color around his mouth and his tail & back legs.,, what is it and can anything be done to help him? He used to eat from my fingers and now won’t even come to me like he used to. I think he looks very dehydrated as well ,any suggestions that may help would be greatly appreciated….. Thank You ! Brenda
Hello Brenda,
Unfortunately it’s not possible to diagnose the problem based on those symptoms, as they are common to so many ailments. You’ll need to have the animal seen by a vet. Please let me know if you need help in locating an experienced reptile vet,
Best, Frank
I started to mist them very heavy and that seems to be helping a lot. I wonder if the problem may be that my fogger quit and i was waiting for the company to send me another one they went with out it for about 3 maybe 4 weeks. Or if it is that i have the two of them in the same cage and it’s time to separate them and give them their own space what do you think? Will wait for your reply.. Sincerely Brenda
Hi Brenda,
Dehydration is a common problem, so that may be involved. Re the 2 together, a dominant individual can stress another just by its presence…actual aggression may not be apparent. In some cases, just the sight of a dominant animal in a different cage, but in the same room, can cause stress, immune system decline etc. In general, chameleons always fare better when kept alone. best, Frank
Thanks, I separated them this afternoon and can already see a difference, still skinny but we will see what happens. I also have two baby veiled boy/girl was told they were 3 weeks old when i got them on 4-10-2013. At the moment i have them in the same cage too.. The one i think is a girl is much smaller and seems to be a bit intimidated by the one i think is a boy, Whats your feedback???????????? Brenda
Hi Brenda,
I’m not sure how the seller could have sexed them, as this is generally not possible until they become sexually mature. In any case, they are rabidly antisocial, as much or more so than other chameleons, and are best raised alone. Here is an article on their care, pl let me know if you need more info.
enjoy, Frank
are you talking about the Senegal or the veiled As far as telling the sex ? I guess i am a little confused as far as your advice. Please let me know, Thanks, Brenda….
Sorry i forgot say that the senegal chams are about 6 mos. and the veiled are about 7 weeks now, when should i separate them and what size cage do you recomend?
Hello Frank, are you talking about the senegal chams or the vailed not being able to be sexed at an early age? The male senegal (i think) died a few days ago, the other (girl i think) is doing real goog! As far as the vailed- the boy is getting big fast, the girl is catching up though. The girl has been seen hissing at the boy They are about 7-8 weeks now. At what age should i separate them and what size of a cage would you recommend for both species ? I realy don’t want to spend alot of money on cages so I’m really looking for the size of cage they will need when they get to be adult size, Thank you so much for your advice …. Brenda
Hi Brenda,
Veiled chameleons are easier to sex than other species, as the male’s casque will be larger than the female’s even before adulthood. Senegals may be sexable by age 6 months,, but some take longer to mature.
Veiled chameleons are especially solitary and should be separated as soon as possible. Even absent actual fighting, the mere presence of another will cause constant stress, not apparent to us, that will weaken the immune system. This leaves them open to attack by the many parasites, bacteria etc. that are always present.
There’s no way around spending money when it comes to chameleons, although those handy with tools can save by building their own cages. Screen cages are superior to aquariums, This one would be the smallest you should consider for an adult male veiled. Females and senegals might get by in something a bit smaller, i.e this cage.
Glass aquariums of the same or larger size as above can be used, by they provide less air circulation, which is critical to the health of most species.
Please let me know if you need further info, enjoy, Frank