Avery's Eccentricities

I have been working on my computer lots lately and so have been spending some quality time with Avery in my office.  She is generally a calm, still creature but she does have some interesting behavioural traits that I thought I'd share with you.

Behaviour #1: Puffing

Any time you get very close to Avery's terrarium she will freeze and puff out her throat in order to seem bigger and more intimidating.  She continually follows you with her independently swiveling eyes and will only unpuff and begin to move a long time after you back away and she feels safe again.

Behaviour #2: Swaying

Sometimes when you look over at Avery she will be sitting on a branch, swaying like she is a leaf in the breeze even though there is no wind at all in her terrarium.  In fact, that is exactly what she is mimicking - a leaf in the breeze.  It turns out, chameleons can't actually change colour as dramatically as many people think to match their environment so they use mimicry as one method to help blend into their surroundings.  Avery is very good at swaying.

Behaviour #3: Tail Curling

Chameleons are the only lizard that have a prehensile tail (like many monkeys) that can be used as a fifth limb to twist around twigs for extra stability.  When she is not using her tail for added grip, Avery likes to rest with her tail curled up into a spiral.  She often sleeps like this at night.

Behaviour #4: Hissing

Avery is an expert hisser.  Hissing is a common behavioural trail of female chameleons when they are frightened.  Avery doesn't hiss often but she can sure let 'er rip when you try to move her from the ficus tree back into her terrarium.  While I know her teeth are small and her bite is non-toxic (she has never actually bitten me), her hiss is enough to make you think twice about annoying her.

Check out this four second You Tube video of the hiss a chameleon makes.  It'll make you shake in your boots!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIYVMGstFQI

Even though Avery is a bit of an unusual creature and certainly not a suitable pet for young children, I think she is a wonderful office companion.  Here's props to Avery for being a very cool lizard indeed.