Okay so it isn't a triceratops but it is a three-horned lizard and it lives in my yard.
He is a Jackson's Chameleon.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamaeleo_jacksonii http://www.hear.org/species/chamaeleo_jacksonii/
Although there are wild populations around Hawaii, there aren't any known populations around where I live so it is a bit of a mystery how this one came to be in my yard. Probably some neighbor kid dropped him off in our yard after his mom refused to allow him to keep it. Anyway, it appears he's alone so no need to worry about being overrun by chameleons any time soon. Hopefully he'll stay around and help control the pest bug population. That would be nice.
He is a Jackson's Chameleon.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamaeleo_jacksonii http://www.hear.org/species/chamaeleo_jacksonii/
Although there are wild populations around Hawaii, there aren't any known populations around where I live so it is a bit of a mystery how this one came to be in my yard. Probably some neighbor kid dropped him off in our yard after his mom refused to allow him to keep it. Anyway, it appears he's alone so no need to worry about being overrun by chameleons any time soon. Hopefully he'll stay around and help control the pest bug population. That would be nice.
Comments
 | 5:27pm October 2 2007Snappa2 said: He's a lovely colour. How big would he be?? |
 | 7:31pm October 2 2007SGKrebs said: I'd love to have these in my back yard. I need a yard first.... |
 | 12:41am October 3 2007pueo said: (reply to comment #43647) Snappa, I would guess he's about 18cm in the body. A full 30cm if you include the prehensile tail. Jackson's Chameleons can change their skin color depending on their mood, temperature etc. Generally their colors can range from a dark bark-like gray-brown to a leaf-like green. For some reason this guy wasn't interested in blending in at the time. |
| 12:46am October 3 2007pueo said: (reply to comment #43650) they would be fun to see roaming around. It appears I have only one of these big guys. We have other lizards though, like the Green Anole and various geckos that roam our yards and sometimes wander inside too. |
| 8:47pm October 3 2007Snappa2 said: peu. Thanks for info. Interesting. Where I live we have no lizards at all, well only legless ones called Slowworms but nothing as exotic as your Chameleon |
| 9:30am October 5 2007pueo said: (reply to comment #43686) Chameleons and geckos are interesting back yard creatures. Believe it or not, all lizards that are here were brought by humans. Hawaii didn't have any lizards before the humans either accidentally or intentionally introduced them. http://tinyurl.com/28dl8d |
 | 6:14pm October 18 2007Raynekyst said: I used to have these as pets...they are very interesting creatures |
| 3:20am October 19 2007pueo said: (reply to comment #44524) they are pretty interesting. I can't say that I'd really want to keep one inside though. I'd feel rather sad for the thing seeing as we've got such wonderful trees for chameleons to livet in. Besides, that would probably mean I'd have to keep crickets or meal worms to feed it. |
