Chamaeleo the "Junk" Chameleons

[italian chameleon]

(probably I should move to a warmer country first )

I think I found the right country , this is a little chameleon friend I met in Spain!

I am about to write an article about chameleons in southern Spain, I hope I can post it on the forums to give more visibility to the amazing work of the people involved in the common chameleon conservation project in Andalusia!

 

[Carlton]

100% agree!great post!

People, especially those who are not "experts" in a hobby gravitate to the most dramatic, slap across the face stunners, and the superlatives: Largest casque, longest length, tiniest, biggest, heaviest, rarest, most expensive, most bizarre coloration (Nosy Be blues: one of the first chams coveted for captive production). Doesn't matter to them that all chams are beautiful and unique individuals and no 2 are alike.

Once they get into the more subtle aspects of the animals themselves they appreciate the whole creature not just the list above.

For me its rostrals and horns and I don't care whether they are as commonly bred as hamsters or not. I also gravitate towards real montane species as their adaptations to cold and wet cloud forests interests me. One favorite is T. deremensis. In addition to horns they show the most amazing fleeting color changes of any cham I've seen. Their skin is so reactive that if you put a finger or leaf between a portion of their skin and the light and then remove it, a shadow in that shape shows on the skin for a few moments afterward. And, as they react to something there are what almost look like pale clouds floating along their bodies. Just amazing!

 

[Carlton]

but no one ever wants to try their own hand at breeding the imported wild caught adults -

but no one ever wants to work with something seen as being so cheap.

A couple of theories about these points that customers balk at...

the first one may be because they've heard the horror stories, listened to propaganda about how cruel it is to capture wild things just for human pets, and think they will feel guilty about their part of it. One of the first questions houseguests always ask about my aviary birds, frogs, or herps is "was it taken from the wild?". I'm sure every one of us has felt that little tug of conscience when we say yes.

the second could be because they have some illusion that they will support their hobby by selling the offspring for profit someday. And, if no one will pay as much for such species it won't be worth doing. The more you pay the more its worth type thinking.

 

[DanSB]

but no one ever wants to try their own hand at breeding the imported wild caught adults -

but no one ever wants to work with something seen as being so cheap.

A couple of theories about these points that customers balk at...

the first one may be because they've heard the horror stories, listened to propaganda about how cruel it is to capture wild things just for human pets, and think they will feel guilty about their part of it. One of the first questions houseguests always ask about my aviary birds, frogs, or herps is "was it taken from the wild?". I'm sure every one of us has felt that little tug of conscience when we say yes.

the second could be because they have some illusion that they will support their hobby by selling the offspring for profit someday. And, if no one will pay as much for such species it won't be worth doing. The more you pay the more its worth type thinking.

There is the aspect of wild caught that it just doesn't seem right in the modern western mind. Maybe it isn't right? I read about all these mining projects, developments, factories and general human encroachment in the habitats and just don't feel bad. The same places that have export quotas are selling dried chameleons for novelties, big cat pelts etc. I think collectors should be allowed to spend time in an area before the bulldozers show up and get cites ex eptions for whatever they saved from certain death. But no, it is better to kill them rather than risk a possible black market outlet.

Yes, I buy wild caught animals, they will likely live as long as they would have in nature and planning for captive breeding and promotion as pets will raise awareness and care for the wild population so there might be at least some hope of preserving them.

 

[Olimpia]

For me, it's not the WC aspect that scares me. I'm willing to work with a WC species (and do, I certainly give WCs a chance) but you can't help the species people are drawn to. I would never own a labrador retriever or a Maltese, but I can understand why so many others do. I have never personally liked the look of male veileds, but I get why others do.

My case is similar to Laurie's in that I've tried pretty much all the species I've had a strong interest in (and were accessible, one way or another) and have settled on my love for melleri. I've kept all the smaller species that caught my eye and decided that I want nothing to do with small chameleons ever again. Where as I know another forum member that went in the opposite direction, he rehomed all his larger chameleons to settle on small dwarf chameleon projects. Everyone is going to have different tastes and discover them differently, whether they're new keepers or seasoned ones.

I have people ask me what I see in Meller's, and what can I say, I can't force someone to see what I find appealing in something! Even Trace isn't seasoned enough to see the appeal So it's not a matter of gaining a kinder eye with experience.

That said, I do recommend the "other" Chamaeleo species on my blog to beginners if they're willing to try them, so I do put them out there, even if I'm not personally interested (like with veileds.)

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. I'm mostly known for keeping Parsonii which is one of the most expensive chameleon out there . However one of my all time favorites is Furcifer oustaleti. Which is a great species that everyone overlooks.

I too as Olimpia stated just normally prefer the grandeur of the larger species.

 

[DanSB]

I'm wasn't trying to knock anyone who keeps bigger or more colorful species. Watching a happy healthy Senegal floating through a well planted area then stretching in full sun is to me one of the most beautiful things. Yet I haven't seen a single photograph of this.

There is a subtle beauty that just isn't represented well and would attract more keepers...