Eating Chameleons?

[dinothechameleon]

Hey guys, so I just found out that one of my friends owns a chameleon which is super cool because we both love them, but apparently his family eats them. Yes, they cook the chameleons and eat them. I'm not sure if this is heard of but that makes me pretty sad considering how beautiful and amazing they are. I do not want to say anything because I am afraid that they may be perceiving it as me disrespecting them, but I feel the need to defend the chameleons from being on their dinner plates. Yes, I know it's not really any different from humans eating cows or chickens, but what can I say, chameleons have my heart! This is also pretty weird but he sent me a photo of the chameleons they're about to eat and they are insanely overweight. I think they do this so that they taste yummier. Honestly I can't even believe I am typing this it is truly breaking my heart. Apparently they also hold a belief that they taste yummier when they are in pain before you kill them, so they torture them in ways that I do not want to repeat. I am speechless and I do not know what to say. I want to save these chameleons, but judging on their appearance and especially weight, it appears they are done for in any situation. Is this common where people eat chameleons? I'm not sure if it is some sort of exotic cuisine but personally, before my friend told me about this, I never in a million years would have thought that some people eat chameleons. They eat at least 5 every month, and I think that they catch them in the wild because the ones breeders sell are so expensive. They live in Florida so they have an endless supply of chameleons. Is this illegal so steal chameleons from their natural habitat and eat them? Do I need to contact the authorities?

 

[Arpretty]

Whoa man. If you don’t mind me asking, where does this family live??? Or where are they from?? I have heard of people eating chameleons in...Madagascar, I think? But I mean, what you’re describing sounds extremely weird. Like, really strange. Torture is animal abuse.

I remember you are young so, have you talked to your parents about this? I know if I were you, I would need to report it to someone for moral reasons. Maybe someone on here who is in agreement can recommend appropriate contacts.

 

[DocZ]

If they’re in Florida, the chameleons are a non-native invasive species. I believe the fish and wildlife commission wants them to be captured, and it’s illegal to release the chameleons back into the wild since they are an invasive species. I don’t think there would be any limits of harvest, and “humanely destroying” them would be encouraged.

Not something I would do personally, or encourage, but probably not illegal and actually removing invasive species is good for the native species in Florida

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I'm curious what culture/part of the world these people are from as well.

If they are torturing animals in any way, that is illegal, and IMO worthy of reporting to appropriate authorities, but I would talk to your folks about this first.

Personally, I would also put the local media (TV) onto the story. That could bring more heat/pressure than an ineffectual bureaucracy.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/chameleons-as-food.127122/

I'm sure in some parts they are but actually in most cultures native to chameleon habitats they are seen as evil spirits or people are afraid of them. So some civilizations do kill them, but because they see them as embodiments of evil spirits rather than to eat them.

I didn't do a thorough search, but cursorily, I didn't find anything on google about chameleons as a food source.

 

[JacksJill]

I know of cultures that eat dogs and believe that skinning them while alive makes them taste better. Makes me sick. I wonder if these people come from that culture.
Catching and eating them is not illegal but treating them in any inhumane way is illegal and could be reported to animal control. I don't know what they would do in Florida.

 

[nightanole]

There are certain "Asian" cultures that believe that if you scare or "torture" an animal before butchering, it tenderizes the meat. As for just eating chameleons, sounds like the are just growing them themselves, and not just going into the bush and hunting them. Its basically like chickens.

And people eat iggies all day long...

But there can not be much meat on a chameleon...

 

[jamest0o0]

But we're supposed to respect all cultures and their practices... for real, I'd have no problem hunting/eating something(given it's not endangered), but torturing something before so is screwed up. I remember as a kid seeing a video of dogs and other animals being tortured before being killed for reasons mentioned above. Shocked me. More proof we're just chimps with fancy technology.

 

[Madmango]

Chameleons are an invasive species in Florida. They do eat the local insects population as well as the local lizard population. Florida fish and wildlife requires that WC chameleons be euthanized, Take to a rescue facility, or be sold to pet stores.

as much as I enjoy by chameleons at the end of the day they are an invasive species in Florida.

 

[jamest0o0]

Chameleons are an invasive species in Florida. They do eat the local insects population as well as the local lizard population. Florida fish and wildlife requires that WC chameleons be euthanized, Take to a rescue facility, or be sold to pet stores.

as much as I enjoy by chameleons at the end of the day they are an invasive species in Florida.

I think you missed the torturing part , which is illegal id assume, and ethically wrong . I have no problem with the eating part, as weird as it is lol.

 

[JacksJill]

Food animals should only ever have one bad day and it should be concluded as quickly and as painlessly as possible with minimal stress. Torture to enhance the texture is absurd, heartless and barbaric.

 

[Madmango]

I think you missed the torturing part , which is illegal id assume, and ethically wrong . I have no problem with the eating part, as weird as it is lol.

Food animals should only ever have one bad day and it should be concluded as quickly and as painlessly as possible with minimal stress. Torture to enhance the texture is absurd, heartless and barbaric.

100% agree

 

[dinothechameleon]

Whoa man. If you don’t mind me asking, where does this family live??? Or where are they from?? I have heard of people eating chameleons in...Madagascar, I think? But I mean, what you’re describing sounds extremely weird. Like, really strange. Torture is animal abuse.

I remember you are young so, have you talked to your parents about this? I know if I were you, I would need to report it to someone for moral reasons. Maybe someone on here who is in agreement can recommend appropriate contacts.

They live in Flordia, I'm not sure where they're from. I talked to my parents about this and we decided that we're going to have a chat with his family.

 

[dinothechameleon]

I know of cultures that eat dogs and believe that skinning them while alive makes them taste better. Makes me sick. I wonder if these people come from that culture.
Catching and eating them is not illegal but treating them in any inhumane way is illegal and could be reported to animal control. I don't know what they would do in Florida.

I don't think it's right to assume that his family comes from the same culture as those who eat dog and skin them alive, or associate them with that in any way. I don't think it's relative to this topic, and as an Asian/American who has faced racism, micro and macro aggressions, I find this to be a micro aggression and offensive. The way you worded this subtly implied that his family has some sort of connection to those who eat and torture dogs as part of their culture, and this is pretty stereotypical. Keep in mind that many micro aggressions are not intentional, like I'm sure yours wasn't, but it's important that people of color such as myself call people out on things such as this. There's no bad blood between us, I just want everyone to be kind and sensitive to minorities.

 

[NashansCamos]

I am agreeing with most of what i see the torturing is the part that makes it wrong. The eating, I dont have an issue with the eating because theyre invasive in florida. Even though i have no clue how they find chams tasty.

 

[jamest0o0]

I don't think it's right to assume that his family comes from the same culture as those who eat dog and skin them alive, or associate them with that in any way. I don't think it's relative to this topic, and as an Asian/American who has faced racism, micro and macro aggressions, I find this to be a micro aggression and offensive. The way you worded this subtly implied that his family has some sort of connection to those who eat and torture dogs as part of their culture, and this is pretty stereotypical. Keep in mind that many micro aggressions are not intentional, like I'm sure yours wasn't, but it's important that people of color such as myself call people out on things such as this. There's no bad blood between us, I just want everyone to be kind and sensitive to minorities.

Whoa lmao. I know you're being raised in a society that wants you to feel offended, but it's pretty dumb IMHO(not saying you are dumb, you seem intelligent, but the idea of microaggressions and offense over realities) . Anyone here that knows jacksjill knows shes not a rude person. And you're also making assumptions about her without knowing her background. You literally said they are torturing the animal before eating and SOME asian cultures DO this. It's very relative to this topic because as you said, they torture their food, so that makes us wonder if they're from a culture that does this. Sorry, it's just facts. -coming from a person with a mostly hispanic immigrant family.

 

[Fchamel]

This is absolutely sickening and so upsetting. Can't believe people would do this.

 

[Ruchris]

This is a very cruel world. All our Snake Leather (Worldwide) for Wallets, Shoes & Handbags etc. come from Pythons, either bred or caught in the wild from Indonesia. If I told you how they are killed to get a perfect Skin, you would have Nightmares, so I won't.

 

[PoseidonTheChameleon]

I don't think it's right to assume that his family comes from the same culture as those who eat dog and skin them alive, or associate them with that in any way. I don't think it's relative to this topic, and as an Asian/American who has faced racism, micro and macro aggressions, I find this to be a micro aggression and offensive. The way you worded this subtly implied that his family has some sort of connection to those who eat and torture dogs as part of their culture, and this is pretty stereotypical. Keep in mind that many micro aggressions are not intentional, like I'm sure yours wasn't, but it's important that people of color such as myself call people out on things such as this. There's no bad blood between us, I just want everyone to be kind and sensitive to minorities.

I don't think that's what they meant at all...

 

[PoseidonTheChameleon]

I don't think it's right to assume that his family comes from the same culture as those who eat dog and skin them alive, or associate them with that in any way. I don't think it's relative to this topic, and as an Asian/American who has faced racism, micro and macro aggressions, I find this to be a micro aggression and offensive. The way you worded this subtly implied that his family has some sort of connection to those who eat and torture dogs as part of their culture, and this is pretty stereotypical. Keep in mind that many micro aggressions are not intentional, like I'm sure yours wasn't, but it's important that people of color such as myself call people out on things such as this. There's no bad blood between us, I just want everyone to be kind and sensitive to minorities.

They did say "I wonder" dont put words in people's mouth please

 

[nightanole]

This is a very cruel world. All our Snake Leather (Worldwide) for Wallets, Shoes & Handbags etc. come from Pythons, either bred or caught in the wild from Indonesia. If I told you how they are killed to get a perfect Skin, you would have Nightmares, so I won't.

It involves a water hose and duct tape, there i said it...