Rescue This Jackson

Hayfork

New Member
We were given a Jackson that someone brought off the big island in Hawaii, it's in great health, eats meal worms, drinks filtered water- he is very sad and stares out the window wanting to be back home. I would like to ship this to someone in Hawaii that will release it back into the wild where it can be happy and raise a family. Thank you!
 
I think the stress of shipping him again would be far worse for him than if you researched some and gave him all he needs in your care :) This is a great place to learn everything he needs!! Search the forums and Congrats on your new Jacksons!
 
I don't think the government of Hawaii would go for that anyway, they don't really want them (they're not native)
 
Send him to me in INDIANA and I will love hime and even have a girl waitin for him aswell. Pretty girlz always have a way of making a male feel good :)
 
They were not originally native, but they are all over now :) But you can't ship one to Hawaii reguardless
 
I doubt he's mooning over Hawaii...he's wild caught and so not used to captivity. You can choose to acclimate him and keep him or find him another home.

I think it's obvious you can't send him back to Hawaii.

The most likely scenario is you give him to someone else who keeps him.

That relieves you of caring for him, but it does not address your expressed concern that he wants to be free.

If you want to own a chameleon, then make peace with the one you have. Make his environment as friendly as possible. You'll find this board a great resource for that.

If you do not, in fact, want a chameleon, then decide what you want to do. If it's to get the chameleon out of your hands, the easiest answer it to find someone who will take it off your hands. You've already had offers here. You can certainly find an owner for it.

If you want to set the chameleon "free" you would be better advised to travel to a location where they are already surviving and set it free.

http://www.californiaherps.com/lizards/pages/c.jacksonii.html

Note that I am not advocating that, I'm simply suggesting that letting it go in a place where the species is known to survive is less of a death sentence than some other options.
 
Thank You!!!

Thanks for the replies and mostly the link about San Luis being an area where they are running in the wild. Does anyone know of a certain area in San Luis where we could set him free? It's a 10 or so hour drive from our place and we are willing to do it if we can line something like this up to set him free.
Thank you!
:)
 
I just wanted to put my two cents worth in here...ignore me if you want.

I don't think its a good idea at all to release him in the wild. He's not native to CA, even if there is already an established population. That website even said they don't know the damages or changes they could do in that area and releasing more is discouraged. I've been through many biology and environmental classes and one major thing we've learned in all of them is introducing a new species to an area is guaranteed to change the natural balance of the native flora and fauna of the area. Yeah, they're already there so adding another one to the mix isn't going to change much, but its just not a good idea in my opinion because you'd just be adding to the problem of an introduced species. To me its like setting a Burmese Python free in the everglades because they're already there.

I personally think you should keep him for yourself or find him a new home.
 
I thought I should post as well...Even though he's a WC from Hawaii...I dont think you should set him free here in California...First off the climate is Different to where he was...And who's to say he would adjust and make it out here? If you cannot or dont want to keep him you should find someone that can and will aclimate him into his new Captive home..thats the best thing for him at this point. Guaranteed Food, Shelter and Warmth. Just my opinion...Hope you do whats right for him rather than what you think you should do. But I do get why you would want to release him with other chams...Good Luck.

~Kayla
 
Yeah, they're already there so adding another one to the mix isn't going to change much

Even that's an understatement. You'd be adding a fertile male to the population thus causing it to propagate faster. Cryogen is right, you should really not "release this animal into the wild" because California is the wrong wild. He is not pining for some wild adventure or missing his homeland, he is just not used to being in a cage. Solution is either get him a bigger cage, build him a free range, wait for him to acclimate, or give him to someone who doesn't mind acclimating him. If you release him there is a high chance of him being eaten by something (bird, cat, dog, raccoon) or getting caught by some kid who will keep him in terrible conditions where he'll die. Or even at best, if he survives you are contributing to introduction of a non-native species into a natural habitat thereby potentially altering the balance. These guys are cool, I'd love to see them everywhere, but they don't belong here. What if you helping the population of jacksons in that area would lead to extinction of some endangered animal in that area? Please don't release him, for his sake and the sake of other animals in the area. We introduce animals to new areas all the time thinking they're harmless and end up ruining the ecosystem (see burmese pythons in the everglades). Please consider one of the other options presented.

I built my little jacksons a 4x4x2 outdoor cage and filled it with some leafy plants and he loves it! You could try making him a better home where he feels more comfortable and less confined. If you're in a part of sunny California where it's warm most of the year he could live outside where he'd feel like he was right at home!
 
Put him up for free on here and he'll live like a king rather then having to search for dinner and he won't be eaten either.
 
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