Help please: Bradypodion transvaalense found by noob in garden

Dear Chameleon-Lovers,

Yesterday I didn't know much about chameleons. Tonight I have one sleeping in a coffee tree in the lounge. He was found on the grass at my workplace, not far from a tree where I spotted a chameleon a few months ago.

I'm calling him Babe. For now at least.

Anyway, I live in Swaziland. After doing a bit of googling, I think Babe is a male Bradypodion transvaalense (Transvaal Dwarf Chameleon). I think he is about 3 months old.

Initially I took him home to with the intention of saving him from the multitudes of little children around. If I had left him there he would have been harassed no end. I thought I would sneak him back to what I assume is his tree-home tomorrow.

But now I'm not sure what the best option for him is anymore, hence I seek your advice.

I have two options.
1. Keep him.
2. Return him to where he was found.

In favour of option....:

1. I am willing to build an enclosure for him. I am willing to set up a "drip drinking" system for him. I will get him the necessary lights for basking. I will make sure his enclosure has space for cooling himself and space for warming himself. I will feed him suitable critters from the variety of critters that abound in my environment (I live several meters from a river). I will not be dipping the critters in calcium nor any kind of "gut-loading". I doubt I could purchase any of those kind of products locally anyway. I will handle him, but not too much. I will make arrangements for him to be looked after should I go away for the weekend. I don't have a cat. I plan on getting a small dog soon though.

2. Perhaps I should just let him be. Will he be a happier chameleon if I put him back where he came from? He is small, maybe he is competing with siblings and parents for the tree habitat where I found him. If chameleons are so solitary, I don't imagine there is much space for many of them in the place I found him. But do I have the necessary skill to look after him? Maybe I should just let nature take its course. The premises has a cat and a few loose chickens roaming around..... although the cat hasn't been seen for several weeks.

Sometimes the electricity around here goes out for hours at a time, sometimes as long as an entire day. Though this is his natural habitat.

I don't know what to do. Any advice will be appreciated.

Oh that is such a pretty species!! My suggestion would be to return him to an area near where you found him, but further away from the people of the area. He is a healthy adult male who could really contribute to the breeding population and make sure there are future generations of little chameleons. If he was there I'm sure there are more, and even though they are fairly solitary creatures, they don't really chase each other out of trees or anything. So he was probably just exploring more territory and happened to wander into the wrong area. This is not a very large species to begin with and if he has that coloration he is an adult. Another aspect is that these animals are protected and technically you could get in trouble for removing him without a license.

I would put him back so he can father lots of babies and help his species population.

I know you want him to survive. Sounds like finding him a suitable place and releasing him would be the best course of action. If you found him in an unsafe area go to a diff park or nat preserve and release him. Heck I bet he'd be ok if you released him ina tree in your back yard. Then you could possibly watch as he matures.

Would like to see some pics of him first though. Ive never seen a 3 mo old transval. Def one of the cooler "finds".

Here are some pics I snapped this afternoon. He is a little shorter than my baby finger (excluding tail):

https://www.chameleonforums.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=10742&c=3

https://www.chameleonforums.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=10743&c=3

https://www.chameleonforums.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=10744&c=3

(Sorry, I don't know how to make the pics show up automatically in the thread).

Btw: I highly doubt anyone is going to fine me or arrest me or that I will face any kind of sanctions, ever, for keeping the little guy because TIA: This Is Africa! There are more pressing issues to worry about in this country than people who are holding chameleons captive without a permit... in fact if I were to ask the enviro authorities for a permit, they would in all likelihood look at me skeef and think, 'wth is this crazy white chick on about...'

i like the idea of realesing him in your yard where he may stay and you could enjoy him.
other than that, ill go against the grain and say keep him.
that is if you can give him a good home. maybe a large outdoor cage.
i only say this because at least he will be cared for, safe, and whats the big deal, we here in north america recive wc chams, at least this guy wont have to go through all the stree of be captured ( possiby by undesired methodes of capture and handling ) and the shipping.

Thank you for the replies.

My garden is a bit of a wild environment. To give you an idea, two days ago there was a 1m long adult spitting cobra that got into the house (it was a Rinkhals if you know what that is). There are lots of possible predator birds too (oh goodness, tons of kingfishers who like to catch frogs and lizards and then slap them against a tree before swallowing them). Three weeks ago I spotted a HUGE Nile Monitor lizard in the garden. There are also lots of poisonous plants in the garden, many avocado trees, hydrangeas, marijuana, azaleas, impatiens, yesterday today and tomorrow trees... this applies to my own garden and the garden where I found him. The latter is next to several preschools and primary schools, it's a heavily-trafficked suburban area. I really don't know what to do.

You do have quite the garden, Id say keep him or let him test the limits of your garden Im lucky if I can see a squirrel or a stray cat in my back yard. Let alone cobras,monitors and chameleons.

i still say keep it if you are going to care for it propore it will prob have a better life with you

I have to disagree with the recent suggestions on keeping it. Chameleons are generally not easy animals to keep and as chameleons go, I would definitely not call Bradypodion species among the easier species for first time keepers. This would be particularly true without access to a source to purchase feeders from. While going out and catching food sounds easy enough, how are you going to feel about going out to catch enough food items 3-4 times a week all year round a year from now (assuming you still have it)?

You should release this animal into your yard or back close to where you found it. While I'm sure you would have the best intentions and make the best effort, I'm highly skeptical of the suggestion that it will have a better life in captivity rather than in the wild where it is supposed to be. I definitely think the best thing for the animal would be to release it.

Chris

Thank you for the comments.

I think I am going to put him back today near where he was found. I hope the kids (2-6year olds) won't find him, and if they do I hope I have taught them well enough to respect all life.

Chris, I do want to emphasise to you though that this is a really rough environment. Aside from 60 preschoolers, there is a cat here and a stray cat that visits; loads of snakes; lizard-eating birds (especially the kingfishers I mentioned); mongooses; I've even seen an owl in the Jacaranda tree a couple of meters from where the little guy was found. Last winter we had an unusually severe frost (severe for these parts anyhow); and two weeks ago we narrowly missed the brunt of a small hurricane (but did see over 100mm of rain in less than 24hr). All sounds rather dramatic... and it can be. This is not a place of manicured lawns and environmental authorities that fine you for keeping exotic pets. We have potholed roads and eagles and local supermarkets which run competitions to win a cow. Not to mention that many people around here seem to fear chameleons, and I strongly suspect their body parts are used by traditional healers in traditional medicines.

Anyway, thanks for the input. Here's hoping the little guy makes it and fathers lots and lots and lots of babies!

Deb said:

Thank you for the replies.

My garden is a bit of a wild environment. To give you an idea, two days ago there was a 1m long adult spitting cobra that got into the house (it was a Rinkhals if you know what that is). There are lots of possible predator birds too (oh goodness, tons of kingfishers who like to catch frogs and lizards and then slap them against a tree before swallowing them). Three weeks ago I spotted a HUGE Nile Monitor lizard in the garden. There are also lots of poisonous plants in the garden, many avocado trees, hydrangeas, marijuana, azaleas, impatiens, yesterday today and tomorrow trees... this applies to my own garden and the garden where I found him. The latter is next to several preschools and primary schools, it's a heavily-trafficked suburban area. I really don't know what to do.

Click to expand...

Can I come over?

Seeco said:

Can I come over?

Click to expand...

Get me a ticket to.....

DANG!..... I cant afford to go rite now Guess I will just have to keep an eye out for the Wild Turkeys that stroll thru here now & again.

Deb said:

Thank you for the comments.

I think I am going to put him back today near where he was found. I hope the kids (2-6year olds) won't find him, and if they do I hope I have taught them well enough to respect all life.

Chris, I do want to emphasise to you though that this is a really rough environment. Aside from 60 preschoolers, there is a cat here and a stray cat that visits; loads of snakes; lizard-eating birds (especially the kingfishers I mentioned); mongooses; I've even seen an owl in the Jacaranda tree a couple of meters from where the little guy was found. Last winter we had an unusually severe frost (severe for these parts anyhow); and two weeks ago we narrowly missed the brunt of a small hurricane (but did see over 100mm of rain in less than 24hr). All sounds rather dramatic... and it can be. This is not a place of manicured lawns and environmental authorities that fine you for keeping exotic pets. We have potholed roads and eagles and local supermarkets which run competitions to win a cow. Not to mention that many people around here seem to fear chameleons, and I strongly suspect their body parts are used by traditional healers in traditional medicines.

Anyway, thanks for the input. Here's hoping the little guy makes it and fathers lots and lots and lots of babies!

Click to expand...

As rough as the environment may sound to us, it is the environment this species has survived in for countless generations. While the anthropogenic impact may be increasing with time, if it is taking a serious toll on the local chameleon populations, they need every potential breeder there is to continue to propagate the local population. Releasing him is definitely the best thing.

Best,

Chris