For lovers of the exotic, the Yemeni chameleon is a great option for a terrarium animal. It is interesting to watch him through the glass. Some instances may show friendliness towards a person, but they are too fragile for games and "squeezes". All lizards require competent care and patient attitude.
Material Content:
Wildlife habitat
Yemeni chameleon is a lizard that lives in the state of Yemen. The chameleon is insectivorous, at home it eats crickets or locusts, 10% of its diet is plant food. In nature, it settles in the valleys of small rivers, as it needs drinking water. Its habitat is mountain slopes and wet plains.
Description, size, life span
This is a rather large lizard, its size can reach 60 cm. On the head of males there is a high 8-centimeter crest. On the tail, alternating brown-yellow and green stripes are visible.
The chameleon is not suitable for games and contact communication; it is an animal more intended for contemplation; it does not need close interaction with humans.
Often picking up chameleons is not recommended, they are quite fragile and impressionable. Most often, these animals have a nasty character, when a person approaches, they begin to hiss and swell, driving him away from their territory. There are pleasant exceptions to the rules, lizards with a peace-loving character who calmly go hand in hand and have nothing against communication.
At home, the maximum life span of a chameleon is 7 years. In nature, lizards usually live 4 to 5 years.
Does the Yemeni Chameleon Change Color
Young chameleons are green; stripes and patterns appear as they grow older. This species, like its other relatives, can also change color depending on well-being, mood and situation.
If the animal is in danger, it changes the color of the skin to a brighter one to scare away the opponent.
Trying to hide, to be isolated from noise or while hunting, the lizard, on the contrary, merges with the surrounding objects, its color becomes monotonous and inexpressive.
Maintenance, care, drinking and feeding
Interestingly, the reptile does not see water, can find it only after hearing the characteristic murmur of jets. It is believed that chameleons in nature do not drink, but lick dew from leaves.
- In the terrarium, you can arrange an artificial waterfall for the lizard. Humidity, optimal for the animal, should be about 60%, so you have to purchase, if not a waterfall, then at least a special sprayer.
- The terrarium should be vertical. Since this lizard is arboreal, she likes to climb the dry snags that she laid. It is desirable that one wall was in the form of a grid or with ventilation holes - reptiles need good ventilation. For one male, the recommended height of the terrarium is at least 80 cm and 1 meter in length. Lizard housing should be cleaned regularly.
- Yemeni chameleons are quite nervous, to calm them they sometimes need to hide. Therefore, it is advisable to create a miniature imitation of a topical forest using branches, plants and snags inside a terrarium.
Be sure to install an ultraviolet lamp and a heating lamp in the lizard's house. Without such technical equipment, chameleons die quickly. Together, these two lamps provide an alternative to sunlight.
- Thanks to ultraviolet light, calcium is absorbed in the body of reptiles, and a warm-up lamp helps digest food that the chameleon ate. The temperature at the warming point should be about 30 degrees.
- You can put living plants in the terrarium, for example, Benjamin's ficus or Chinese rose. Chameleons will eat buds and young rose leaves with pleasure.
You can feed the chameleons every other day, preferably at the same time. For 1 time, one animal is required to give 10 crickets. The chameleon catches insects with the help of the tongue, this is its main weapon. The length of the tongue is from 30 to 40 cm, depending on the age of the lizard.
Home breeding
The chameleon belongs to the egg-laying reptiles. At the age of 6 months, puberty begins. One female lays from 20 to 70 eggs, laying a hole at the bottom of the terrarium.
Small lizards are usually brought out in a special incubator.
It is strictly forbidden to keep two males together; they can injure and even kill each other. The males, seeing the opponent, swell, begin to play with colors.
You can hold together 2 or 3 females and one male. It is advisable to lodge them together only for the time of mating.
How long does a Yemeni chameleon live
Unfortunately, chameleons live a little. Their average life expectancy is 5 years.
With good care and favorable conditions in the apartment, the chameleon can live up to 7 years.
Maintenance and care are of great importance. You must also take into account the nature of the pet, and not try to “tame” it if it does not show a desire for close communication.
