Growing Up

A chameleon is no different from most reptiles - they lay eggs. The female chameleon climbs down the trees to dig a nest in the earth a few days before laying her eggs. For many chameleons' species, egg-laying time comes when the earth is soft and damp from the rain. The eggs need a moist environment to be in until they hatch, so the mother will dig until she finds damp soil, even in a desert. The nest is usually deeper than her length from tip to tail.

A chameleon digs as slowly as she walks. She often digs for days, only returning to the safety of the branches to sleep. When working on the nest, the female chameleon is vulnerable, conspicuous, preoccupied and slow. If a predator were to stumble on her, she practically has no defence except bluffing or playing dead.

 

When the nest is deep enough, the female will then deposit from 30 to 50 eggs. After a laying the last egg, she will fill the hole very carefully and then tramp the ground to restore its original undisturbed appearance. Feeling satisfied with the nest, she would then climb back to the branches, never to return. When in captivity, females often die from the stress from egg laying, but in the wild, they lay several clutches a year without any undue stress.

The embryonic chameleons grow under the surface for weeks or months. The leathery shells absorb all the water they need during this period. Once hatched, the baby marches to a bush and climbs away from danger.

Starting from the very first day, the baby chameleons walk and climb with assurance, always on the lookout for their next meal. When a small insect, comes into view, the slender, flexible tongue darts out towards its prey with near-perfect accuracy. If they meet another chameleon of it's species, they can communicate as well as adults.

If the babies survive the rigors of childhood, they may life a decade or more. No one knows for sure the life span of chameleons in the wild. Jackson chameleons in captivity have lived for almost 10 years in ideal captive conditions, but that figure may not apply to wild individuals or members of other species.