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PLAIN DEALER (Cleveland, Ohio) 26 August 06 Cleveland Botanical Garden debuts new star reptiles (John Mangels)
Forget "Snakes on a Plane." How about "Chameleons Under a Pane"?
The glasshouse at the Cleveland Botanical Garden has replenished its chameleon population. After the disappearance and suspected theft in June of "Spot," the glasshouse's resident free-roaming reptile, garden personnel hunted high and low for a replacement.
They've obtained two more of the distinctive creatures and will offer a special opportunity for the public -- especially kids -- to meet them today.
Spot was an Oustalet's chameleon. The species, formally named Furcifer oustaleti, is native to Madagascar, the island off Africa's eastern coast whose spiny desert flora and fauna are replicated in the glasshouse. Spot spent his time sunbathing in one of the exhibit's baobab trees.
Though chameleons are masters of disguise, changing color at will, Spot isn't in hiding in the glasshouse; he was apparently reptile-napped. After his disappearance June 25, employees recalled seeing a young couple sitting near the chameleon's last known position. The man and woman bought a tote bag in the gift shop, then quickly left. It seems they got Spot out.
Garden staff spent the ensuing weeks looking for a replacement. They located a pair of baby Oustalet's chameleons from a breeder in Maryland. The male, "Spike," is a foot long, and "Brownie," a female, is a couple of inches shorter. They'll eventually grow to two feet or more, bolstered by a diet of bugs they catch with a flick of their long tongues.
Like their cinematic reptilian cousins, Spike and Brownie traveled by air, but Samuel L. Jackson wasn't swatting at them during the flight. "Snakes are not the only things on a plane," said glasshouse manager Cynthia Druckenbrod.
The chameleons arrived via FedEx, cradled in special shipping crates that contained ice packs to keep them from getting overheated.
After the chameleons spent a month in quarantine to make sure they were healthy, garden staffers this week let Spike loose in his new home (Brownie will stay in a terrarium a little longer). As he climbed into the trees, Spike turned from brown to dirty white to reflect the sunlight and moderate his body temperature.
Brownie and Spike already are making eyes at each other, and Druckenbrod said it's almost certain they'll mate. If there's a surplus of offspring, they'll be offered to zoos.
Today from 10 a.m. to noon, children who bring a bug in a jar to welcome the chameleons will be admitted free. The Botanical Garden is at 11030 East Blvd. in University Circle. Adult admission is $7.50, and tickets for non-bug-bearing kids is $3. For more information, go to www.cbgarden.org
Crickets, grasshoppers and the like are fine, as long as they're alive. Chameleons, it seems, have discerning palates.
Cleveland Botanical Garden debuts new star reptiles

Too bad that someone stole the chameleon....but its neat that bug-bearing children will be admited free!
Glad you posted the article, Wes!

And to think I, just on friday, paid $24CDN to take the wifey out to see a bunch of silly butterflies in the Butterfly Conservatory at the RGG in Niagra Falls. I kept saying the whole day how much cooler a chameleon forest would be...
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CANADIAN SILKWORMS

I'm glad you shared this post. That's great what they have done over there in Cleveland. I'll be sure to check it out if I ever am in the area. Is there any pics of the establishment and/or facility grounds?

There is advertising for the gardens...some show the chameleons in the pictures too. There's a tenrec a baobob tree...and even a colony of leaf-cutter ants. It looks like a very interesting place to go and see!

Here's the link....
http://www.cbgarden.org/
http://www.cbgarden.org/index.cfm?objectId=B0CDB391-3048-7098-AF607D2EE6E2B1E7

Didn't you see the iguana there....not a chameleon of course, but chameleons can't be there....they would eat the butterflies! They do have quail chicks there too....and I think a frog.

They only had one Red Ear Slider there. No iguanas, no chicks, etc.

Maybe it wasnt a RES, but it was similar. A large male I beleive.
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CANADIAN SILKWORMS

Are you sure you were looking with your eyes wide open, Will? (Just kidding!) Maybe they aren't there anymore.

Yep, saw the turtle, nothing else. It was really busy... so mabye thats why, but I think that would attract more attention. The Iggy could have been way up high out of sight.
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CANADIAN SILKWORMS

Nice article. Why in the world would somone steal that chameleon, how strange. Hopefully they are at least taking care of him properly. What would make somone do that? People who really love chameleons would never steal somebody elses and take it from its home. How dare they. I'm from chicago, maybe I should take a trip to cleveland. Sounds like a cool exhibit. We have the shedd aquarium here and recently they added the "komodo king" exhibit with (of course) the komodo dragon which is in a massive habitat and also there are other reptiles like day geckos, skinks, tree monitors, and an especially beautiful and colorful ambilobe panther chameleon. Anyone around the midwest area should definately check it out.
-ashley