Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all,

I have two quick and simple questions about the natural history of the veiled chameleon that hopefully someone here can answer:

1. I understand that this species is mostly endemic to the southwestern corner of the Arabian peninsula (Yemen, southern Saudi Arabia), but have any specimens been known to occur on the other side of the red sea in North Africa? (ie: Somaliland, tip of Ethiopia) They are so close that I imagine it would be easy for many to make it there.

2. How long does a healthy veiled typically live in captivity?

Thank you for your help.
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DAVE

0.0.1 Oriental fire-bellied toad
0.1 Western hog-nosed snake
0.0.1 Okeetee corn snake
0.1 Dubia day gecko
0.0.1 yellow * Everglades rat snake
1.0 Yunnan beauty snake
1.0 scarlet kingsnake
0.1 albino African clawed frog
0.0.1 Northern black racer
0.0.1 African brown house snake (Zambia locale)
0.0.1 Sonoran gopher snake
1.1 European fire salamanders
(parthenogenic) Brahminy blindsnakes *

You asked..."have any specimens been known to occur on the other side of the red sea in North Africa? (ie: Somaliland, tip of Ethiopia)"...I have not seen any documentation to say that they are there....but you never know! They are in Florida and Hawaii though.

You asked..."How long does a healthy veiled typically live in captivity?"...its said that the AVERAGE life expectancy of a veiled female is 3 or 4 years and a male can live to be over 5 years of age. My females typically live to be over 6 and my males live to be over 8 as a rule. I have several females right now that are over 4 and still look good.

Hello,

Thank you very much for the helpful information.

-----
DAVE

0.0.1 Oriental fire-bellied toad
0.1 Western hog-nosed snake
0.0.1 Okeetee corn snake
0.1 Dubia day gecko
0.0.1 yellow * Everglades rat snake
1.0 Yunnan beauty snake
1.0 scarlet kingsnake
0.1 albino African clawed frog
0.0.1 Northern black racer
0.0.1 African brown house snake (Zambia locale)
0.0.1 Sonoran gopher snake
1.1 European fire salamanders
(parthenogenic) Brahminy blindsnakes *