Meller’s Chameleon
Meller’s Chameleon is native to Africa. It is the largest chameleon with a length of 30 to 31 cm and a weight of 300 to 500 grams, but its maximum length is 20 inches and a weight of up to 600 grams. They have a strong body and a stiff tail that rarely breaks. They vary in shape and size. Their long tongues can catch prey up to 20 inches away and their body parts can be dark green while the rest of the animal is lighter.
Overview About Meller’s Chameleon:
- Common Name: Meller’s Chameleon
- Scientific Name: Trioceros mailandi
- Age: 8 years
- Size: 20 inches
Unique Horn:
They are considered to be strange-looking chameleons with a small horn protruding from the front of their snout, giving them the name one-horned chameleon.
Meller’s Chameleon Behaviour:
Mailer’s Chameleons exhibit interesting behaviors and are known to be aggressive with other geckos to defend their territory. They are often seen in small groups, especially during their breeding season. During the season, female geese may show more mating behavior. These geese feed on small insects and ambush their prey. They hide in crevices or in vegetation to avoid predators. It is very easy to understand their behavior.
Food and Diet of Meller’s Chameleon:
Their diet consists of insects and small birds. They always ambush their prey, and their fast tongue, which is 20 inches long, helps catch prey. They usually eat small insects such as crickets and flies. and can give them a balanced diet in captivity such as fruit flies can be offered and fruits etc. Calcium and vitamins must be provided to them especially when breeding is taking place. It improves their health.
Physical Appearance of Meller’s Chameleon:
They vary in color, but their bodies have dark markings or light brown markings that help them blend into their natural habitat. Their skin is smooth and slightly shiny. They have large eyes that help them find and avoid prey, they have thin limbs and special pads on their feet. There are those who help them climb up.
Color Changing:
They are also similar to other chameleons. They change their colors to communicate with chameleons. There are but they are not separated from men, they also have the same color.
The lifespan of Mailer’s Chameleon:
In Captivity:
If kept in captivity and properly cared for, they can live eight to ten years, in which case they will need good food and good care. They should be fed a balanced diet such as crickets insects and fruits can also be used.
In the wild:
If Meller’s Chameleons live in the wild, they have a maximum lifespan of five or seven years because they are at risk of predators and cannot focus on their food, which is why they live very little They can also get diseases. Due to diseases, they live for a short time because they cannot be treated regularly.
Mailer’s Chameleon As a pets:
These are very unique and interesting things. If they are well cared for, they can be very good pets. Their habitat should have a humidity level of 40-50 and they should eat insects in their diet. It is more sensitive than other reptiles. They can be useful pets if they are well cared for when they are growing up and provided with branches and plants that make them feel like natural habitats.
Housing For Meller’s Chameleon:
Enclosure:
Their living space should be at least a 30-gallon terrarium for one chameleon, but 50 gallons or more is often recommended because chameleons are rebellious and need to climb walls and adjust. Their living space must be well-ventilated because if they don’t get enough air, they can have respiratory problems.
Humidity:
Their habitat requires salt, so it should have a humidity level of 40 to 50 percent. It can use plants and twigs, and a hygrometer can also measure humidity. A shallow dish of water can help moisten it.
Heating and Lighting:
The temperature in their living space is also taken care of to a great extent by keeping the temperature at 80% above the line. Use UVB lights to maintain the temperature in it and match the temperature to the ventilated area while allowing it to thermo-regulate.
The use of lights in their living space is very important for their health and well-being. Provide them with UVB lights for 10 to 12 hours per day and change the lights between every six to 12 hours. Use a Fluorescent bulb in it which is very beneficial for them.
Substrates:
Good Substrates:
Use a good substrate in their habitat, such as reptile clean and paper towels, and add branches and plants for decoration and climbing, which help them mimic their natural habitat. Also, make sure that the chameleons feel that they can hide in it and provide a shallow water dish.
Avoid Substrate:
Avoid sand, gravel, or other materials in their habitat as they can harm them. Also, minimize the use of wood shavings as this can harbor bacteria and cause breathing problems. However, if moisture is not maintained, they cannot grow properly.
Habitat And Range:
Meller’s Chameleons are found extensively in the savannas of East Africa and also in northern Tanzania, where almost half of the world’s chameleons are found on the island. They are symbiotic, if provided with a good environment, they grow very well and can become very unique. Their diet includes insects and crickets. Also, they can climb trees and hide in crevices well in forests.
Breeding:
When male and female Mailer’s Chameleon mate, the female stores the sperm inside her for several months before breeding once. Breeding is rewarding but can be a complex process that requires a lot of attention to their needs. These chameleons are usually six to 12 months old. Females are able to call their male towards them by head tilting and other courtship. After 20-40 days after mating, they lay eggs. Eggs should be kept at 40-50% humidity. A lot of care is also taken.
Conclusion:
Meller’s Chameleon is an interesting pet, they consume insects in their diet, they can live for eight to ten years if they are well cared for and they need a very good indoor environment. It is so that they can feel like a natural habitat there. They go into the trees or cracks in the ground to avoid predators. It is also important to maintain 80% of it. It is also used lights. It is considered better to use plants and twigs in their habitat.
