All my life, I have loved the bufo boreas toad. I loved the push ups the fence lizards did. So when I got old enough, I had an assortment of desert lizard species. Iguanas too. I moved to England after my cat died for a few years and had huge birds. Back to California, I had nothing. Everything I owned was in England. My best friend brought me his female veiled chameleon, (pictured on my avatar} I knew nothing about arboreals and she died suddenly on my birthday. I cried my eyes out but still managed to go to my birthday party that my Pastor threw for me. But my eyes looked like I'd gone rounds in the ring with Rocky Balboa. My friend's kids kept staring at me. My Pastor said softly, "Guess you probably don't want us to sing Happy Birthday, do you?" I nodded that was correct. It was not a happy birthday. In fact, I call it my Black Birthday, and I think you know what I mean.
Anyway... after that, I studied and studied almost every day. I sat silent a lot just absorbing. Finally a year passed and it came around to my birthday again. My best friend told me, "I got you a veiled chameleon for your birthday. Here's the tracking number and you will be able to track his flight to you. I saw him leave Florida and set down in Nashville Tenn. He took off again and landed in Oakland and then I saw him loaded into the Fed Ex truck and his journey lasted 6 plus hours. When the guy came to the door with a 6" by 6" box, and a big smile on his face, he flipped it at me with a hard jerk. I freaked saying, "Hey.. it's alive in there!" I grabbed in gingerly and thanked him quickly. When I got it open, ever so carefully of course, the inner plastic cup was open, and I saw a tiny tail retreating back into the cup, like he'd been carousing the crumpled newspaper between the cup and the box. It was so tiny like a thread. I got him out and put him in his new cage with tiny pin head crickets. He immediately dropped down on them and scarfed up 3 of them quick. I droppered him water and he sucked it up. Next time he went after a cricket he turned all bright and patterned and his name immediately came to my mind and out my mouth. "FRACTAL." That was 2006 and Fractal has my heart completely today as he pokes his nose through the large mesh and blows air through pursed lips, calling me over to kiss his nose. And I do.
I also have two Jacksons I raised from neonates, which I am completely enthralled with. For now I only have 3 chameleons. But how lucky am I to have a panther guest in my home tonight. I am so addicted to chameleons that I am organizing a support team for them. I hope to be able to rescue Jackson neonates in the future and maybe even add to my chameleon population. They are amazing creatures.