On May 26th, 2025, I found myself wandering into a PetCo.
I had expected to purchase a blue lobster, but I quickly changed my mind due to the amount of space needed for such a small fish. Regardless, my father agreed to a lizard. I hadn’t known anything about what I would get, and so I had decided to let my heart guide me.
My gut led me to the chameleon enclosure. There were two— one male and one female— but only one caught my eye. He was brightly colored, shedding severely, and with very… odd looking elbows. I later found out this was called Metabolic Bone Disease.
I have a giant birthmark on my face, so I had always felt like a social outcast, but looking at this chameleon made me feel… normal. Such a brightly colored animal seemed friendly and incredibly welcoming. It was like looking at a warm hug.
At first, he didn’t eat. He simply laid on the floor of the tank, face half-buried in wood chips, and surrounded by the glass walls that made up his temporary snake tank home. Of course I grew concerned… which led to a Google search. That search led me to this very website, and I quickly began to indulge in the world of chameleon caretaking.
His diet changed. His home changed. His name even changed, too— from Stevie to Tango, and then (finally) to Rango.
There were times I wanted to give up… times I felt this life was too hard. But the thought of this poor little chameleon ending up in the wrong hands haunted me more than the idea of giving him up. After all— the very store meant to be keeping him had given him a bone disease.
Soon after, my mom passed, and it hit me: she would have wanted me to keep him. She loved rescuing animals… so I did it for her. She had only met him once, but I knew she would have loved him if only she could’ve spoken. And the fact he has met my mother made him special. No other chameleon would ever get that experience.
In the end, Rango’s bone disease was almost something I could empathize with, if that makes sense. Together, we are two weirdos, simply figuring out life as we live it. My advice? Don’t wing it. Do your research.
But, no matter what you do… don’t give up. Even the harshest sow is worth the beauty it blooms into.
Every attached image is from the first week I had Rango. He was stressed, low on energy, and grumpy… but he’s happy and healthy now!
I had expected to purchase a blue lobster, but I quickly changed my mind due to the amount of space needed for such a small fish. Regardless, my father agreed to a lizard. I hadn’t known anything about what I would get, and so I had decided to let my heart guide me.
My gut led me to the chameleon enclosure. There were two— one male and one female— but only one caught my eye. He was brightly colored, shedding severely, and with very… odd looking elbows. I later found out this was called Metabolic Bone Disease.
I have a giant birthmark on my face, so I had always felt like a social outcast, but looking at this chameleon made me feel… normal. Such a brightly colored animal seemed friendly and incredibly welcoming. It was like looking at a warm hug.
At first, he didn’t eat. He simply laid on the floor of the tank, face half-buried in wood chips, and surrounded by the glass walls that made up his temporary snake tank home. Of course I grew concerned… which led to a Google search. That search led me to this very website, and I quickly began to indulge in the world of chameleon caretaking.
His diet changed. His home changed. His name even changed, too— from Stevie to Tango, and then (finally) to Rango.
There were times I wanted to give up… times I felt this life was too hard. But the thought of this poor little chameleon ending up in the wrong hands haunted me more than the idea of giving him up. After all— the very store meant to be keeping him had given him a bone disease.
Soon after, my mom passed, and it hit me: she would have wanted me to keep him. She loved rescuing animals… so I did it for her. She had only met him once, but I knew she would have loved him if only she could’ve spoken. And the fact he has met my mother made him special. No other chameleon would ever get that experience.
In the end, Rango’s bone disease was almost something I could empathize with, if that makes sense. Together, we are two weirdos, simply figuring out life as we live it. My advice? Don’t wing it. Do your research.
But, no matter what you do… don’t give up. Even the harshest sow is worth the beauty it blooms into.
Every attached image is from the first week I had Rango. He was stressed, low on energy, and grumpy… but he’s happy and healthy now!
