Photo Album - Page 4: David's pet chameleon Charlotte
[NOTE] Sadly Charlotte the chameleon died in her sleep on the night of Tuesday,
August 28th 2012. She had reached her sixth birthday, which
is pretty good for an animal whose lifespan is supposed
to be 3 - 4 years. She is sadly missed.

given to me as a baby in September 2006

The story begins with a man in Poole in Dorset named Hayden Crawford, who successfully bred a clutch of 56 hatchling veiled chameleons, an amazing feat which was reported by the local paper. Above and left are the pictures that accompanied the article.

Hadyn needed good homes for his new arrivals and after a telephone conversation we agreed that I could have one (a female) which I collected personally by car. The father's name is Charles and the mother is Camilla.

We named our new family member Charlotte. She was very small and delicate looking but took the three hour car journey in her stride. Here Charlotte and Jean are getting to know one another.

My first task was to build high-rise accommodation for Charlotte. The vivarium is 4 ft 6 ins high by 3 ft wide by 18" deep. It's electrically heated and has a drip-feed watering system and a reptile UV lamp to keep her healthy.

Charlotte has settled in very well to her new home. She is eating well and drinking plenty of water and is very active. She is also very tame and will climb on to a human hand as soon as it is offered.

We have given her two different types of shrub to climb on, as recommended in the book. We have tried very hard o do everything right.

Contemplating a bit of T-shirt mountaineering.

Sometimes size actually does mattrer.

The expedition sets out

Beyond this point oxygen may be required.

Summit in sight.

Summit attained!

Baby Charlotte. Here she is having a go at matching the freckly skin on the back of my hand. As time goes by her colour matching ability will no doubt improve!

Charlotte fully grown, Decenmber 2007

Charlotte's personality has become a bit more aggressive as she has got older and she no longer likes to be handled but will allow it if approached gently. She will still eat from the human hand quite happily. She is now about 1 foot long (6" body, 6" tail)

POETRY IN MOTION

This is a rather nice short sequence of Baby Charlotte having her lunch. She would eat from a human hand from a few weeks old but this time I let her use a plate to show her good table-manners. 

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