Description:
Scientific name: Chamaeleo senegalensis
Life span: 5 years
Normally lime or leaf green, these chameleons can occasionally seem olive green with blotches that look dark gray or brown, depending on how they’re feeling or whether they’re basking.
Native Region/Habitat
A chameleon species that is indigenous to West Africa is the Senegal chameleon (Chamaeleo senegalensis). It inhabits damp savanna, and its range includes Nigeria, Senegal, Mali, and Cameroon.
Behavior:
Senegal Chameleons make interesting pets and are quite the characters. They are typically placid, quiet animals that are interesting to observe.
They are not particularly playful and dislike being handled. Although they usually don’t act aggressively towards people, they are fiercely protective of their fellow chameleons. It is not advised to keep adult Senegalese together because doing so could result in violence. They feel anxious when around other chameleons, which leads to stress, territorial behavior, and fighting.
Juveniles who already trust and know one another occasionally display their friendship by sitting in a row and holding tails. Juveniles who have had the opportunity to get to know one another since a young age are the only ones who exhibit this unusual behavior.
Care As a pet/In captivity:
Enclosure:
A mesh or screen enclosure is the finest choice for this chameleon. An enclosure for a single adult chameleon should be at least 18 inches wide and 24 inches tall. As they love to climb, they need enclosures that are higher. An enclosure of 29 gallons is advised.
Temperature:
On one side of their habitat, your chameleon should have a warmer basking area, and on the other, a chilly location. Your chameleon will be able to switch between the gradients in this way, choosing the one that best suits its needs in terms of temperature regulation.
Their enclosure should be kept between 74 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and their basking area should be between 85 and 90 degrees. To replicate their environment in the wild, temperatures at night might dip to about 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
Humidity:
You should keep the humidity level for a Senegal Chameleon between 60 and 90 percent. The amount of moisture in the air of their enclosure will also rise if there are lots of plants and foliage.
Feeding:
Mealworms, crickets, and other gut-filled lizard-friendly invertebrates are available at pet stores that you can give to your Senegal in captivity. Another essential component of their health is calcium powder, so be sure to sprinkle it on their insects.
Smaller Senegal Chameleons can eat every day, and you can give your adult chameleon 5 to 10 large bugs every other day. They place their bug prey in a raised dish or on top of their foliage.
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