The Amazing Chameleon!
Nutrition
Jackson's chameleons live primarily on a diet of small insects.
Facts
Habitat
Jackson's chameleons are native to the humid, cooler regions of Kenya andTanzania, East Africa, and found in great numbers at altitudes over 3,000 m. The subspecies T. j. xantholophus was introduced to Hawaii in the 1970s and has since established populations on all main islands. This population was the primary source of Jackson's chameleons for the exotic pet trade. These chameleons do make good pets, but only if taken care of correctly. They require high humidity, and are in general very needy of colder temperatures during the night.
Jackson's Chameleon scientific name is Trioceros jacksonii. They are sometimes called three-horned chameleons because males possess three brown horns: one on the nose (the rostral horn) and one above each superior orbital ridge above the eyes (preocular horns), somewhat reminiscent of theceratopsid dinosaur genus Triceratops. The females generally have no horns, or traces of the rostral horn. The coloring is usually bright green, with some individual animals having traces of blue and yellow, but like all chameleons, they change color quickly depending on mood, health, and temperature. These are small to medium-sized chameleons. Their adult size is 12 inches in total length. They have a saw-tooth shaped dorsal ridge and no gullar crest. They attain sexual maturity after five months. Most chameleons are oviparous, but Jackson's chameleon gives birth to live offspring; eight to 30 live young are born after a five- to six-month gestation. The subspecies T. j. merumontanus gives birth to five to ten live young. They are less territorial than most species of chameleons. Males will generally assert dominance over each other through color displays and posturing in an attempt to secure mating rights, but usually not to the point of physical fights.