Chameleons, being lizards, are known for surprising feature – they are capable to change the color so that as much as possible to merge with the environment. This ability allows them not only to hunt successfully, but also to disappear from enemies. Usually the reptile needs no more than 30 seconds for change of a color.
In recent years it became very popular to get houses as pets of various exotic animals. The chameleon did not become an exception. However owners of this reptile should consider that chameleons are extremely sluggish, slow. Therefore watch their life in a terrarium it can be not really fascinating. Besides, at these lizards by nature bad hearing, sometimes even develops an impression, as if the chameleon hears nothing at all. Very acute eyesight compensates such feature.
When the chameleon catches language production, he always blinks. It is not a whim, but a protective reflex not to injure an eye. Some more surprising facts about sight and eyes of this reptile:
- the chameleon is capable to see the world in an ultra-violet range;
- eyes of a reptile are arranged so that they can rotate in different directions;
- these unusual animals have no century in habitual understanding; eyelids at them accrete, are present at them small openings through which the chameleon also looks at the world;
- the lizard is capable to look at the same time in two different directions, at the same time without feeling any discomfort.
Fractions of a second for capture of the victim are required for a chameleon literally. It is considered that within 5 seconds the young reptile is capable to catch and eat to 4 insects. When the chameleon hunts, it is completely concentrated and is not mobile. The acute eyesight helps a lizard to consider even the smallest victim at distance to 10 meters.
When the chameleon feels danger, it fades and begins to be inflated. At such moments visually it seems more. Today more than 160 species of these lizards which maximum length of a body in quiet situation is capable to reach 60 centimeters are known. And here language at a reptile and that is longer, quite often it in a size surpasses a body twice. The size of the smallest chameleon is only 3 centimeters.
In spite of the fact that the chameleon is capable to adapt without special work to the environment, merging with it, in the sleeping state it cannot change the color. Besides, with arrival of darkness color of a reptile becomes less saturated because of what even the masked chameleon is noticeable. Therefore in the wild nature of a lizard prefer to choose the most secluded places for spending the night where predators will not get them.
Curiously the fact that not only the situation influences a chameleon shade around. When the reptile is frightened, is nervous, is hungry or thirsts, its color is capable to change. If the animal was suddenly wounded, got sick or tests severe exhaustion, his skin gets a brownish shade or at all becomes black.
Interesting fact: the word "chameleon" has Ancient Greek origin. Its literal translation – "an earth lion".
There is an incorrect idea that chameleons have horns. Small horns, of course, are available for reptiles of some types, however they are present only at males.
Chameleons are not among long-livers. Only representatives of separate species of these reptiles live 10-20 years. Generally life expectancy of a lizard – 1.5-2 years. During this time the female can lay eggs several times. At one laying usually there are from 30 to 45 testicles.
These unusual reptiles prefer to live in the wild nature groups. They can gather in small packs on 5-7 individuals. In house conditions the chameleon is quite capable to exist and alone.