By Linda J. Davison
One of my first breeding projects in the early 1990s was with the Oustalet’s chameleon (Furcifer [Chamaeleo] oustaleti), the giant chameleon from Madagascar’s spiny desert. Sticky Tongue Farms was just beginning, and one day I received a call from a man who needed to find a home for his chameleon because his wife didn’t like it. I agreed to pick up the lizard.
I had never seen a captive-bred Oustalet’s before, and this man had hatched his pet, named Oliver, on his own with little breeding information available to him. This impressed me. The man was adamant that I take Oliver only if I would promise to never sell him because Oliver was his baby. When I saw Oliver I knew he was special. He had so much personality and spirit. He was a gentle giant.
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