The Chameleon
By Grace-Ann
Now You See Me, Now You Don’t
Have you ever wondered how many species of chameleons there are? There are around 160 species of chameleons. Also, chameleons are reptiles. They have dry scaly skin, lay eggs on dry land, and are cold-blooded.
Their toes are divided in two groups and each group has two or three toes on each foot. Chameleons also have long tails. Even though their tails are long, their tongue can be 1.5 to 2 times longer than their body (excluding tail)! The smallest chameleon is the Brookesia micra, which reaches 0.6 inches in length and the biggest chameleon is the Furcifer oustleti, which reaches 30 inches in length.
You might believe that chameleons change their color to blend in with the environment (a place where an animal lives), which is called camouflage. Well not really. They actually change color because of how they feel. They might be green, yellow, or white one minute and brown or black the next. Another reason they might change color is if they are under stress of fear or anger, the color changes to a vivid green. It turns brown or yellowish-gray in response to hunger. Now you don’t have to wonder any more about why chameleons change color, so stop!
The Amazing Chameleon’s Behaviors
Did you know that chameleons have very good eyesight? For instance, they can see small insects 5 to 10 meters away. To do this they have to rotate their eyes 360 degrees. This means that they rotate their eyes around until it is back to where it was.
Chameleons are really slow to catch their dinner. So they have to creep very quietly until its tongue can reach its dinner. Then it launches its long sticky tongue out. When the insect is on the sticky tip of the tongue the chameleon pulls it back. Chomp!
Who Lives Here
What is your favorite animal? Is it a chameleon? Well if it is not, it should be. Chameleons live in the forest. They are found in Madagascar, Africa, Southern Europe, South Asia and Sri Lanka. Sadly a few species of chameleons are endangered (to be in danger to no longer exist) due to destruction or loss of their habitats (natural living places) and because they are sold as pets. So, if your favorite animal is a chameleon and you have it as a pet, please let him or her go.
Life is Amazing
Can you imagine seeing a newly born chameleon? Well they look like a miniature version of an adult chameleon. Sometimes female chameleons don’t really want to be around males. When they see a male and they don’t want to mate (make babies) she will hiss, change to bright colors, and chase him away.
Once they do mate, chameleon’s deposit (to carefully put down) eggs in nests in the ground. The number of eggs depends on the species and it ranges from 6 to 24!
Time for hatching also varies from 6 months to 2 years. Some species carry eggs in the womb until the hatching. Once hatched, it takes a year for a baby chameleon to become an adult. An interesting fact is they never meet their parents. When they are born they make their own life.
Now you know what newly born chameleons look like and do.
Yummy and Run
No! Yikes! Yuck!
Nothing to be scared about its just that a chameleon is being eaten. What eats a chameleon? Snakes, birds, monkeys, and big lizards. Why? Because chameleons are at the bottom of the food chain. I know this is terrible. These are the chameleons’ predators. (Predator means what eats them.)
Chameleons Eat Disgusting Things
Gross! Well what do chameleons eat? Chameleons eat locusts, grasshoppers, crickets, stick insects, praying mantises, large cockroaches, wasps, worms, flies, and slugs. These are the chameleons’ prey. (Prey means what they eat.) This may seem disgusting to us but yummy to them.
This is the end of chameleon facts. I hope you had fun!
By Grace-Ann
Now You See Me, Now You Don’t
Have you ever wondered how many species of chameleons there are? There are around 160 species of chameleons. Also, chameleons are reptiles. They have dry scaly skin, lay eggs on dry land, and are cold-blooded.
Their toes are divided in two groups and each group has two or three toes on each foot. Chameleons also have long tails. Even though their tails are long, their tongue can be 1.5 to 2 times longer than their body (excluding tail)! The smallest chameleon is the Brookesia micra, which reaches 0.6 inches in length and the biggest chameleon is the Furcifer oustleti, which reaches 30 inches in length.
You might believe that chameleons change their color to blend in with the environment (a place where an animal lives), which is called camouflage. Well not really. They actually change color because of how they feel. They might be green, yellow, or white one minute and brown or black the next. Another reason they might change color is if they are under stress of fear or anger, the color changes to a vivid green. It turns brown or yellowish-gray in response to hunger. Now you don’t have to wonder any more about why chameleons change color, so stop!
The Amazing Chameleon’s Behaviors
Did you know that chameleons have very good eyesight? For instance, they can see small insects 5 to 10 meters away. To do this they have to rotate their eyes 360 degrees. This means that they rotate their eyes around until it is back to where it was.
Chameleons are really slow to catch their dinner. So they have to creep very quietly until its tongue can reach its dinner. Then it launches its long sticky tongue out. When the insect is on the sticky tip of the tongue the chameleon pulls it back. Chomp!
Who Lives Here
What is your favorite animal? Is it a chameleon? Well if it is not, it should be. Chameleons live in the forest. They are found in Madagascar, Africa, Southern Europe, South Asia and Sri Lanka. Sadly a few species of chameleons are endangered (to be in danger to no longer exist) due to destruction or loss of their habitats (natural living places) and because they are sold as pets. So, if your favorite animal is a chameleon and you have it as a pet, please let him or her go.
Life is Amazing
Can you imagine seeing a newly born chameleon? Well they look like a miniature version of an adult chameleon. Sometimes female chameleons don’t really want to be around males. When they see a male and they don’t want to mate (make babies) she will hiss, change to bright colors, and chase him away.
Once they do mate, chameleon’s deposit (to carefully put down) eggs in nests in the ground. The number of eggs depends on the species and it ranges from 6 to 24!
Time for hatching also varies from 6 months to 2 years. Some species carry eggs in the womb until the hatching. Once hatched, it takes a year for a baby chameleon to become an adult. An interesting fact is they never meet their parents. When they are born they make their own life.
Now you know what newly born chameleons look like and do.
Yummy and Run
No! Yikes! Yuck!
Nothing to be scared about its just that a chameleon is being eaten. What eats a chameleon? Snakes, birds, monkeys, and big lizards. Why? Because chameleons are at the bottom of the food chain. I know this is terrible. These are the chameleons’ predators. (Predator means what eats them.)
Chameleons Eat Disgusting Things
Gross! Well what do chameleons eat? Chameleons eat locusts, grasshoppers, crickets, stick insects, praying mantises, large cockroaches, wasps, worms, flies, and slugs. These are the chameleons’ prey. (Prey means what they eat.) This may seem disgusting to us but yummy to them.
This is the end of chameleon facts. I hope you had fun!