I've died and gone to heaven

[Swilson50]

This is my first post and I've got to shout how happy I am. I started keeping reptiles in the 70's and Chameleons were not practical at all...Fast forward to now and I've got 7 chameleons and I think I've died and gone to heaven. They all have separate screen cages and I've spent a fortune. Before buying any, I read until my eyes were bloodshot. I've got 1 veiled, 3 Jacksons and 3 Panthers. All are captive bred. I've got two "baby" male jacksons which I got from different breeders. They are my favorite because they come to me when I open the door. One even walks along the top of the door when I open it and "visits" his neighbors. He's a living doll. Unfortunately, he slipped off the door one time and caught his tail. It snapped about an inch from the end and the end turned black that night. So, I snipped it and put some blood coagulator on it. It doesn't seem to have effected him because he still comes to me and seems healthy. Both of my male jacksons are very friendly. They both love to go for a ride on my shoulder. I also got a gravid young lady so I can be a daddy again (at 67). She's not too friendly, but she looks very uncomfortably plump. My male Veiled is a baby, but a bit grumpy. However, he loves to snatch crickets from my fingers. My three male Panthers are captive bred juveniles and must not have had much "hands on" as babies. They all eat from my fingers, so they're coming along. I work out of my home, so I'm in the room with them most of the time. I bought a small artificial plant which I set on a stool beside my computer. I give them all some play time every day and they seem to love it.
I just wanted to share my happiness. I didn't get the jacksons until I already had the others because most of the writers say Jacksons are fragile and I found very little about their "tameness". Panthers are definitely the most beautiful, but the Jacksons personalities should get more "good press."
Well, it's time to get back to work.
Stan Wilson
Dodge City, Kansas

 

[alphakenc]

Great story,thanks for sharing with us Mr.Stan ...67 young...thats it,this remind me about that old turtle in my Godgrandmother 84 house,just dont know who is older ...the turtle or the sweet lady

 

[Nosyfaly]

I have a male panther who is a lot but grumpy. It breaks my heart but I'm looking forward to my next Cham so I can have a best friend and have mr. Grumpy pants . Awesome read, thanks for sharing and I would love to see pics of the jacksons

 

[bobcochran]

I don't think Jacksons are fragile, they were my first chameleons in 1992. If you provide the right conditions they're very hardy. They just need more water and cooler temps. For some people these conditions are easier to provide! I'm one of those people!
Oh yeah, welcome to the chameleon forums!

 

[JaxyGirl]

Hi @Swilson50 Welcome to the forums!! My first Cham was a Jacksons and was almost 8 when he died of old age. He was super friendly with a huge personality. like @bobcochran said, I didn't find Jacksons fragile either. I live in Maine so maybe the cooler weather made it easier to maintain the correct environment? But what I do know is that they need a lot of water or they get dehydrated really easily and then it's a quick downhill from there. Currently I have 2 panthers which are sweet also but so far not as social as my Jacksons but they're still young.
Enjoy your Cham family!! Post some pics when you get a chance

 

[Swilson50]

Here are the photos which show why I've Died and Gone to Heaven.
Trex is the one with bone color horns. He is mostly green in color. I got him from Reptiles by Mack
The other has very dark horns and I got him from KA Reptiles. He has a lot of yellow, especially his eyes. I visited with the owner of KA and he said that his breeder often mixes his Jacksons so he gets "morph" colors. Perhaps that explains the extra color. If anyone can explain the different colored horns, I would appreciate it.
Stan

 

[KLowery88]

Hopefully more experienced members will chime in, but it looks like you might have two different sub species. Trex looks like Trioceros jacksonii xantholophus, while the second picture looks like Trioceros jacksonii jacksonii.