Jackson's Chameleon

Trioceros jacksonii

Jackson's chameleon (Trioceros jacksonii) is a live-bearing chameleon from the cool montane forests and forest edges of East Africa, especially Kenya and Tanzania. Males of many populations carry three forward-pointing horns, giving them a small triceratops-like profile, while females often have reduced horns or none depending on locality. The species is usually green with shifting yellow, blue, or dark markings, and it hunts by slowly stalking insects and firing a long sticky tongue. A Kenyan form, commonly called the yellow-crested Jackson's chameleon, is especially familiar in the pet trade and has established introduced populations in Hawaii.

This is a sensitive reptile for keepers who can offer an airy, planted enclosure rather than a sealed hot terrarium. Cool nights, regular misting or dripping water, and moderate basking temperatures are more important than high heat; excess warmth and constant handling are frequent causes of stress. Captive diets are based on gut-loaded insects with careful calcium and vitamin use, plus UVB lighting or safe outdoor sun. Jackson's chameleons are usually housed singly because visual contact and competition can suppress feeding or breeding. Females give birth to live young, so breeding projects need separate nursery space and attention to the female's body condition, not just a compatible male.