Veiled Chameleon
Origin
Veiled chameleon, also known as Yemen chameleon originates – like its name suggests – from Yemen but it can be also found throughout the southern Arabian Peninsula including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Characteristics
Veiled chameleon is one of the most popular chameleon species because it is easy to care for and breed in compare to other chameleons. Their physical appearance depends on gender. The males are significantly larger than females and can be easily recognized by a crest on their head which can reach up to 3 inches in height. They are normally green and have three yellow strips on their sides.
Females lack the distinctive crest and generally have a uniform color with some white markings. However, the color of both males and females primarily depends on their emotional state. The more upset they are the brighter the color which can be blue, red, orange, dark green,…
Female and male veiled chameleons can be distinguished already when babies and juvenile because the crest is there already at birth. Another thing that gives away the chameleon’s sex are the spurs at the heel of the feet. If there is a spur, it is most likely a male otherwise it is probably a female.
Veiled chameleon is one of the largest chameleon species. Males can reach up to 2 feet from head to tail, while females are about ½ feet shorter and less massive.
Diet
Insects such as crickets are the basic food of veiled chameleons but they also eat vertebrates such as mice when adult. Veiled chameleons should be fed with live food such as crickets, moths and mealworms. They should be offered as diversified diet as possible. Some adult chameleons will also eat vegetables but if they ignore it, do not worry because it is not vital for their optimal health. Supplementation with calcium and vitamins, however, is because lack of calcium can cause metabolic bone disease.
Since they typically do not drink standing water, they should be provided the necessary water by spraying the terrarium and foliage once to twice per day or installing a sprinkler system.
Housing
Veiled chameleon may be one of the easiest chameleon species to care for but it has special requirements as well. Since it originates from the southern Arabian Peninsula, it should be kept warm. Optimal temperature is 95 to 105 F during the day and 10 to 15 F lower during the night. Just as important is proper humidity which should be kept at 50 to 60% as well as UV lightning. It is recommendable to expose the veiled chameleon to 5.0 % UV bulb 12 to 14 hours per day during the summer and 8 to 10 hours during the winter months.
Veiled chameleons are climbers which means that they will appreciate height and plenty of branches and vegetation to climb on. Substrate is not that important because they spend virtually no time on the ground. Please keep in mind that veiled chameleons are solitary and will fight another chameleon, especially males. In fact, they get very upset even if seeing their own reflection in the glass, for instance.
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