Bruce Ireland was thrilled to be invited to work with an animal different from those he normally interacts with, and the two soon became good friends.
A snake handler has shared memories of an encounter he will “never forget” after being offered a job in California. He expected to see the usual snakes, but instead encountered a scaly creature of a completely different kind.
Bruce Ireland took to YouTube with a story described as “crazy and amazing” involving a colourful lizard causing quite a stir “slithering around the neighbourhood”. He told his audience: “I usually get calls about snakes, but today this gentleman came across this guy.”
He was surprised when he removed the chameleon from its container, as the docile reptile seemed eager to establish a friendly relationship with him, settling comfortably on his shoulder before moving to his baseball cap. Full of delight, he exclaimed, “Oh my God, you’ve got to be kidding me.”
He was then amazed at how “Max” — the chameleon’s new name — showed off a vibrant turquoise color in contrast to his natural green tones. “What an adventure!” Bruce enthused. “You’re the coolest guy ever. My kids are going to love it — it’s just an unusual creature. I think it’s from Madagascar. It looks so healthy, I’ll probably try to put out an ad first (urging Max’s owner to get in touch), as it must be someone’s pet.”
Bruce’s 699,000 YouTube subscribers were also captivated, with thousands of them reacting to the mesmerizing lizard. An inspiring comment from one viewer helped pinpoint the species: “Beautiful Madagascar striped panther chameleon! He’s gorgeous even when he’s not fully grown! The fact that he didn’t puff up or hiss when you put your hand in him tells you he’s a domesticated one.”
READ ALSO: Urgent warning about giant snakes on Spanish island beloved by Brits [WARNING]
READ MORE:
Loft owners warned about new-to-UK 2m snake [UK]
House made from old tree stump attracts many animals to garden [ANIMALS]
Warning: Huge 6.5ft snakes invade UK and live alongside humans [SNAKES]
One commenter agreed, noting, “The fact that he's so friendly and immediately started climbing towards you means he's been domesticated and wouldn't survive in the wild. Thanks for saving him!”
Another user was clearly touched by the owner's experience, stating, “Chameleons are so hard to keep! It's clear that his owners not only know how to care for chameleons, but they absolutely adore them! He's been interacted with a lot. What great colors!”
Meanwhile, a fourth commenter noted that the chameleon seemed comfortable around people: “This little guy seemed to understand what a human was right away. He was completely relaxed and crawling around comfortably. I don't know if he had a previous owner, but take care of this little guy. What an amazing color and pattern!”
In trend
SUBSCRIBE Invalid email address
We use your registration to deliver content in ways you have consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include advertising from us and third parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
According to the Chameloeon Academy, panther chameleons live along the coast of Madagascar from the central part of the east coast to the northern tip and almost to the central part of the west coast.
Their website explains, “They are also found on various islands along the coast. If you've heard of places like Nosy Be, Nosy Faly, or Nosy anything, they come from those islands. Nosy is the Malagasy word for island. Each of these places has its own unique color palette that's different from the others. So one place will have a red base, and another will have a blue base. But a red panther will never turn blue. So there are some limitations there.
“The variation across the range is seen in males. Females have beautiful pink, salmon, brown or grey hues, but females in all habitats show the same colour variations, so it is impossible to tell a female's habitat just by looking at her.”
Sourse: www.express.co.uk
