Found Veild Colony In Wild!

[drshaw6]

Not Sure if everybody has been following my other thread 'FOUND Chameleon in San Diego" but I Just got back from the area where I found a Cham and talked to another neighbor who confirmed the wild chams. She is a retired science teacher and a biologist who has seen the chams over the years. She said that two people withen a 1/4 mile used to raise Veileds and sell them to pet shops. Ironiclly both colonys escaped around the same time and have been wild ever since. She said that the colonies have been out in the wild for AT LEAST 10 YEARS! She herself has caught one and another neighbor has caught 2 in the past. She said that she hasnt seen any in a few years but she was still shocked to hear that they are still around even through the freezing winters they get. The Summer time there gets to be in the 100s at times but the winters get to the low 30s at times also. Pretty amazing that I could have a 4th or 5th generation Veiled that has been in the wild!

 

[carol5208]

wow that is amazing! I am so surprised it would be so friendly towards you though if it was completely wild. They are hard enough to tame captive bred!

 

[laurie]

So dash is a true wild guy?? Well he seems happy with you. But I would love to see the veileds in the wind. Honestly, I would love to see any cham in the wild. Jackson and now veileds in Ca would pretty much sum it up.

 

[lindseymeder16]

WHAT!! im going to san diego in december! guess that means chameleon hunting!!

 

[Meow Kitty]

WHAT!! im going to san diego in december! guess that means chameleon hunting!!

fosho~!~!~!

 

[Fearaffect]

Where abouts in Diego are these wild ones at? Im game for a group outing......just getting some pics of them will be worth the trip......

 

[lindseymeder16]

Where abouts in Diego are these wild ones at? Im game for a group outing......just getting some pics of them will be worth the trip......

I definitly agree!

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

That's really neat keep us posted.

 

[Pilotman800]

Thats AMAZING! It must feel CRAZY to have found a colony when most of the most experienced members on here haven't even done that themselves!

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

I would not mind hearing from other members who live near these non native colonies as well (Hawaii, Southern and Central California, Florida). As well from members who live in areas that have got chameleons as a native species. Definitely keep us posted if you do not mind.

These posts probable should go on the in the Field Observations thread section of these forums.

 

[drshaw6]

]

Thats AMAZING! It must feel CRAZY to have found a colony when most of the most experienced members on here haven't even done that themselves!

I just happened to find this by luck. I knew nothing about these animals before this, but I think Im hooked! The lady I spoke with today would absolutly let us venture on her property for photos but Im not so sure for collecting. She said if she came across another one she would just let it be since it has survived 10+ years on its own in the wild. I kinda see her point. Ill try and scope out some near by areas that arnt private and post a location. I dont want to send a bunch of people to a private road and make all these residents mad.

The fact that i have a Cham that has most likely spent its entire life so far in the wild without suplements concerns me now that im feeding him suplements. Should I be concerned?
View attachment 43459

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

]
The fact that i have a Cham that has most likely spent its entire life so far in the wild without suplements concerns me now that im feeding him suplements. Should I be concerned?
View attachment 43459

From the pictures you posted your C. calypatratus is a great looking specimen. However a check up from a vet would be a good idea.

 

[Banders675]

wild caught

wow that is amazing! I am so surprised it would be so friendly towards you though if it was completely wild. They are hard enough to tame captive bred!

I held a wild caught it was the biggest cam I have ever held he was huge amazing blue had him at a show and when she took his perch down he climbed right on to me and let me rub him he felt like I was holding nothing. Unlike my cham that was 1/2 the size and felt like you were holding a brick.

 

[drshaw6]

Here ya go. Dont say I didnt tell ya...

View attachment 43546

 

[drshaw6]

Ive accidently deleted all my attachments. ill post em up again.


Hers the map of the location for those of you who have been asking.

 

[Seeco]

I held a wild caught it was the biggest cam I have ever held he was huge amazing blue had him at a show and when she took his perch down he climbed right on to me and let me rub him he felt like I was holding nothing. Unlike my cham that was 1/2 the size and felt like you were holding a brick.

That's what natural sunlight does for the bones which are not all that heavy! Thanks for the location.

 

[eriksorg]

Ive accidently deleted all my attachments. ill post em up again.
View attachment 45902

Hers the map of the location for those of you who have been asking.

Correct me if I'm wrong...that would the Jamul area of San Diego!!??

 

[Davonat]

A little story.... When I was a kid in Palos Verdes Calif. I had some Anoles.Our yard with a pool was fenced with chain link & some sort of bamboo covering. After a while.. I got bored with them.. (Had 7 of em) I let them go in the back yard. A few years later... I ran up into the bushes we had planted to fetch a ball from messing in the pool. When I reached down, there was a huge Anole staring me in the face. The closer I looked there were more...ended up seeing about 8 or 9. They took to the S. California climate nicely. Made me feel good they were thriving.

 

[eriksorg]

A little story.... When I was a kid in Palos Verdes Calif. I had some Anoles.Our yard with a pool was fenced with chain link & some sort of bamboo covering. After a while.. I got bored with them.. (Had 7 of em) I let them go in the back yard. A few years later... I ran up into the bushes we had planted to fetch a ball from messing in the pool. When I reached down, there was a huge Anole staring me in the face. The closer I looked there were more...ended up seeing about 8 or 9. They took to the S. California climate nicely. Made me feel good they were thriving.

Yea..that is kinda cool...but in some circumstances introducing non-native animals can be disastrous....I.e.,Burmese pythons in Florida,frogs in Hawaii,......the brown snake in guam has wiped out most of the bird population there...not saying the anoles are harmful, but who knows what bug perhaps they may eat that might become threatened in the future??

 

[Tabooza]

Yo if anybody ever goes to check out the wild Cham. colony im in just hit me up pls.. I would most deffinitly enjoy it plus I'll also get to met some of u in person so that would be cool.. let me know when I'm in..