Our youngest cat, twelve week old Joe Kitten shows signs of becoming a mighty hunter. This morning he brought in a juvenile Jackson Chameleon before it was even daylight. This is not a picture of his catch but it is still neat. Mother carries her baby on her back until he is ready to leave home.
Chameleons are fascinating prehistoric looking creatures. We found our first one in the garden about five years ago and they are obviously thriving in our cool humid upcountry climate because this one is not an adult. He is almost certainly a Mt. Kenya Yellow-crested Jackson's Chameleon (Chamaeleo jacksonii xantholophus) you can read about them on this commercial Florida breeders website (no affiliation) they have some incredible pictures.
Fortunately for this chameleon his sticky feeling toes and tail encouraged Joe Kitten to drop him on the floor. I was able to scoop him up and temporarily shelter him in an empty plastic container with a lid. He is ruffled but unhurt. Look at his marvelous opposed toes. Clicking should enlarge some of the pictures.
He is not thrilled to be in his slippery plastic container, see his three little horns? They tell me he is male. Females do not seem to have horns.
After the morning rush hour, while Joe the mighty hunter was having his after breakfast nap, I took the chameleon outside and gently tipped the container so he could grasp the bark of our avocado tree.
He was hesitant, just for a moment and then raced up the tree so fast I barely got another picture of him. He is there! Enlarge the picture to see.
I do like stories with happy endings!
Y'all come back!
Very prehistoric looking! How big was he--a small mouthful? Maybe 5 inches worth??
ReplyDeleteNot even, maybe 4" including his entire tail.
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