Too new to know where to ask

[Doug Smith]

I don't even own a chameleon but my daughter does. After honorable service her old one died (It was a B. fisheri when she got it but I now read someone decided to change the name). Latin names seem to change more often than originally advertised. My hobby is taking pictures. I would appreciate it if someone could recommend a site that would ID the new (to us) species. She is about 5" plus tail.

While sunning, she (a livebearer) shows no fear or inclination to run. She does, however, like to supplement her diet with whatever flies in. We don't spray but there is always the chance that a fly-in came from neighbors. I was unprepared for the tongue being quite so long so I missed the fly. Perhaps, next time I visit?

I see where some of you feed larger Chameleons hissing cockroaches. I have some in my community reptile tank (no cameleons) but there are never any babies that survive the first day (they tend to eat anything that moves in that tank). I found this image interesting but what does it show?

As an outsider, I have been led to believe that Chameleons as a group are a nervous lot and would never accept being kept with even same size reptiles (anoles, long tail grass lizards, green snakes) in a planted terrarium. Is this a fair statement?

Thanks in advance.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Hello Doug
Nice pictures. That's a female hisser with her egg case not yet retracted.
And you are correct that most types of commonly available chameleons are solitary and need to be housed individually, not with others of it own kind or with other lizards.

 

[philanddeb818]

As an outsider, I have been led to believe that Chameleons as a group are a nervous lot and would never accept being kept with even same size reptiles (anoles, long tail grass lizards, green snakes) in a planted terrarium. Is this a fair statement?

Thanks in advance.

Fair statement indeed. Chams enjoy being isolated from others this includes other Chams until breeding and even that is for a short period of time. Once the female has mated, she will begin to show behaviors and coloration that rejects wanting to be around the male.

You can explore other forums on this site for much more information about their nature and how to care for them. The Lizard Lounge is more of a place to talk about anything cham or other related.

Welcome and enjoy the site. Take the opportunity to PM senior members with questions. We're glad you're here.

Your photos are amazing.

 

[jojackson]

Love that tongue shot, fantastic! What a long tongue indeed, you might need a wide angle lense?
Great pics and welcome.

 

[philanddeb818]

Love that tongue shot, fantastic! What a long tongue indeed, you might need a wide angle lense?
Great pics and welcome.

Can you believe those photos Jo? Amazing!

 

[jojackson]

Yes absolutely! Amazing tongue even for a chameleon I thought! Incredible. Must be great timing to capture a shot like that too, I tried a few times with homer, but my cameras shutter speed is just way too slow, or I am, or both!
Surely the fly was only just out of the frame, how long can a tongue be!
Gene Simmons eat your heart out!

 

[philanddeb818]

Yes absolutely! Amazing tongue even for a chameleon I thought! Incredible. Must be great timing to capture a shot like that too, I tried a few times with homer, but my cameras shutter speed is just way too slow, or I am, or both!
Surely the fly was only just out of the frame, how long can a tongue be!
Gene Simmons eat your heart out!

Jene Simons has a lesson to learn, Jo! You crack me up!
TY!
Deb

 

[ciafardo 4]

The chameleon you have pictured there is(chamaeleo triceros sternfeldi) or rudis chameleon if i,m wrong please correct me

 

[Doug Smith]

Thanks, ciafardo 4, sternfeldi was what I had been considering but there must be a million choices. Thanks also to those who commented on the photos. I am a photo hobbyist not a lizard collector. I'd be happy to discuss photo techniques with anyone off list.

I apologize to philanddeb818 and anyone else offended by my posting in the 'Get Acquainted' section. This forum lacks a beginner help section and and the ID section is labeled quite clearly as a place for experts to avoid questions like mine.

 

[philanddeb818]

Thanks, ciafardo 4, sternfeldi was what I had been considering but there must be a million choices. Thanks also to those who commented on the photos. I am a photo hobbyist not a lizard collector. I'd be happy to discuss photo techniques with anyone off list.

I apologize to philanddeb818 and anyone else offended by my posting in the 'Get Acquainted' section. This forum lacks a beginner help section and and the ID section is labeled quite clearly as a place for experts to avoid questions like mine.

Oh my GOSH Doug! We're not offended in the least! So glad you're here. My appologies for sounding so offensive!

 

[jojackson]

Maybe you post some info about that amazing tongue shot for us in the photographic forum Doug? Camera type, lense type, shutter speed, lighting teckniques and so on?

 

[laurie]

Welcome Doug, as long as you take and post pictures like that tounge shot everyone here will be your buddy!! We all love pictures and yours are excellent. Don't take it to heart on which section you post in, just keep posting and reading and you will get the hang of it.

 

[Doug Smith]

Maybe you post some info about that amazing tongue shot for us in the photographic forum Doug? Camera type, lense type, shutter speed, lighting teckniques and so on?

The tongue shot was a Canon 30D with 24-105mm lens set to 105mm. Exposure was using Av or aperture priority mode at f/13 which gave a shutter speed of 1/1000 in bright sun at ISO400. I always shoot RAW and process images using Canon Digital Photo Professional (software that comes free with the camera). the main processing option was curve adjustment using the tools to lighten shadows and darken highlights. This saved some detail in the background and tail area which would have been lost with standard settings. The chameleon walked at will up and down the branch of the bush stopping three times to eat a fly but only once did I see the fly before it was on the tongue. These things are fast.

The shot with the hibiscus bloom in the back was done at 47mm at 1/160 and much closer since she was in a thicker area. It used flash fill to lighten up the subject but that burned out the leaf at top center so I had to burn it in to make it look natural. Your contest rules specificly forbids this sort of thing but I'm not entering contests here just trying for an ID.

Compared to most reptiles I have shot, chameleons are easier because they are slower and pose nicely.

Below is my daughter's recently deceased fischeri who seemed to enoy being hand fed.

Thanks for the ID help and kind words.

 

[jojackson]

Id love to see some of your other Reptile shots sometime Doug, and thanks for the info mate. cheers