Carpet chameleon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carpet chameleon |
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| male above, female below | |
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| Genus: |
Furcifer
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| Species: |
lateralis
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The carpet chameleon (Furcifer lateralis) is a cool type of chameleon. People also call it the jewel chameleon or white-lined chameleon. This amazing reptile lives only in eastern Madagascar.
Carpet chameleons are not very big. Female chameleons often have bright and colorful patterns. Males are usually green with white or yellow spots. There are other chameleons that look a bit like the carpet chameleon, but they are now known as different species. For example, F. major is larger and less colorful. F. viridis is usually green.
Contents
Where Carpet Chameleons Live
Madagascar Home and Habitat
The carpet chameleon, Furcifer lateralis, lives in eastern Madagascar. You can find them in many different places. They live from about 120 to 1,925 meters (390 to 6,316 feet) above sea level.
These chameleons like forests and bushy areas. They also live in grasslands and even in gardens with lots of plants. They are quite common in their home range.
Conservation Status
The area where these chameleons live is very large. It covers more than 130,000 square kilometers (50,000 square miles). This species can handle some changes to its habitat. Because of this, experts say it is a species of Least Concern. This means they are not currently in danger of disappearing.
Some carpet chameleons are collected each year for the pet trade. There is a set limit on how many can be taken. This helps to protect their numbers in the wild.
What Carpet Chameleons Look Like
Size and Color Differences
Both male and female carpet chameleons can grow to be about 17 to 25 centimeters (7 to 10 inches) long. This measurement includes their tail.
Male chameleons are mostly green. They have some white, yellow, or dark markings. Females are a bit heavier than males. They also have darker colors, like blackish or reddish.
Female Chameleon Colors
Female carpet chameleons show off a wider range of colors. Their markings can be black, white, blue, yellow, or orange. Both males and females have stripes on their throats and lips. They also have a line and ring-like patterns on their sides.
Chameleons can change their color. This depends on how they are feeling. For example, pregnant females have very strong and bright markings. They also change color based on their surroundings. In the morning, they often start with a dark color. This helps them warm up quickly in the sun.
Life Cycle of a Carpet Chameleon
Fast Growth and Short Lives
Carpet chameleons grow up pretty fast. They also don't live for a very long time. They can start having babies when they are only about three months old. However, they usually don't live past three years of age.
Eggs and Hatching
Female chameleons lay between eight and twenty-three eggs at one time. They can lay up to three groups of eggs in a single year. The eggs need to stay at a steady temperature. About 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit) is ideal. After about six months, the baby chameleons hatch from their eggs.
