My Cypriot December story... for Animal lovers (pics)

[cyprusmax47]

This animal story I posted already in the past on a different now defunct Forum. But perhaps members here on PL will also be interested...
It's all about of the chamaeleon I have in the garden and from time to time they appear. This one was actually in danger to fall in the pool, but it was so focused to reach the lawn, where I just finished cutting the grass....

Wait, wait, I am going to help...


Very, very hot the exhaust - but I am tough


Managed, you see....


But where is the throttle control? Oh I got it wrong


Here I have to go, OK it is the first time I do that!


How I am going to turn and start?


Hold on - like this...


I know, I have to hold this bar back, to start, but where you want me to mow, it is already done


it is bloody hard to hold it though


I had enough now - I go back down - by by...


Max

[Dominic]

I love the way they walk.

[PhotoLady]

They're fabulous, Max - I love seeing your chameleon photos

[brengreen]

Lovely. Thanks for sharing

[cyprusmax47]

They're fabulous, Max - I love seeing your chameleon photos

I wonder if you have seen many when you lived in Limassol...It is amazing that they are still active in December - climate change .... I am glad you love seeing these pics.

Max

[Georgie]

Beautiful chameleon, lovely pics & love the commentary ......

[PhotoLady]

I wonder if you have seen many when you lived in Limassol...It is amazing that they are still active in December - climate change .... I am glad you love seeing these pics.
Max

Hi Max, we had both or our dogs as well as cats when we were in Limassol, although our 2 cats passed away a few years before we left to return to UK.
One of our dogs (the eldest one) would hunt down lizards and gekkos so mostly the only other kind of wildlife that dared to cross the threshold of our gate and fencing was the odd Praying Mantis.
I've rescued many a lizard from the jaws of Indie and the odd mouse too!

[cyprusmax47]

I wonder if you have seen many when you lived in Limassol...It is amazing that they are still active in December - climate change .... I am glad you love seeing these pics.
Max

Hi Max, we had both or our dogs as well as cats when we were in Limassol, although our 2 cats passed away a few years before we left to return to UK.
One of our dogs (the eldest one) would hunt down lizards and gekkos so mostly the only other kind of wildlife that dared to cross the threshold of our gate and fencing was the odd Praying Mantis.
I've rescued many a lizard from the jaws of Indie and the odd mouse too!

I hate when the six cats of my neighbour think my property is THEIR playground, catching lizards, and using my BMW roof as a slide. If they would catch rats or snakes it would be OK, but they don't... Obviously several hedgehogs and chameleon have no problems with them...

Max

[Yioula]

Bravo Bravo Max.........fabulous photography as always......

[PaphosAL]

Beautiful pictures, as always, Max! Thanks for sharing...

I remember in the old days driving village to village in the old Toyota truck up in the hills, setting way points on our Magellan GPS for future walks. A couple of times I stopped dead, as (being observant) I spotted a chameleon crossing the road in front of me.

As Dom says, they have a have a funny way of walking. Slow and not a care in the world. Whereas a large lizard would scamper across the road in two ticks! The chameleon lets you approach it, pick it up, and give it a tender stroke, as well as seemingly listening to your reassuring voice..

Plonk it down into the grass verge where it was heading originally, job done, drive off. My fear was that the next vehicle behind me (or approaching me) would squash the poor little creature flat! They are beautiful, and so tame and friendly!

AL

[cyprusmax47]

The chameleon lets you approach it, pick it up, and give it a tender stroke, as well as seemingly listening to your reassuring voice..

AL

Alan, most of the chameleons I tried to approach ( more than 50 times on roads or in my garden ) were not that friendly. Some of them where only hissing ( but quite noisy) but others were trying to bite me (girls? )

That's why my above story with the lawnmower was so amazing as I did NOT interfere the chameleon what it was doing.....

Max

[aphrodite]

Loved the photos and story telling Max. X

[bromerzz]

Yes Chameleons can be quite aggressive. they either have no problem with being handled and stroked or they can bare their teeth and hiss.

[cyprusmax47]

Loved the photos and story telling Max. X

Aphrodite, I have sent you a PM....

Max

[Bograt]

Love the pictures, and the running commentary. Thank you Max.

I did not know chameleons hissed. I have picked up one or two, like Al when they have been crossing a road, and they always seemed very calm. Slightly swirly in the eyeball regions, but that's it. Hissing would certainly take me aback. We get lots of praying mantis in the garden, and they always seem to look at you with a "yes, what do YOu want" kind of attitude.....

[cyprusmax47]

Love the pictures, and the running commentary. Thank you Max.

I did not know chameleons hissed. I have picked up one or two, like Al when they have been crossing a road, and they always seemed very calm. Slightly swirly in the eyeball regions, but that's it. Hissing would certainly take me aback. We get lots of praying mantis in the garden, and they always seem to look at you with a "yes, what do YOu want" kind of attitude.....

Bograt, what I said in a earlier post, SOME of the 50 or so I tried to approach were hissing, but than really noisy. Another, more dangerous animals which were hissing at me were poisonous baby vipers. They were hiding under the rubbish bin outside on the road, even they were still very young
the noise they made you won't believe.
By the way: praying mantis is the favourite food for chameleons.
Max

[Ginahill]

Thankyou for posting lovely photos -- roll on 2018 when I will be returning to Paphos & can lizard watch over my balcony -- sadly sometimes watching cats patiently waiting to catch them for dinner! (never seen a chameleon in our gardens though)

[Bograt]

Love the pictures, and the running commentary. Thank you Max.

I did not know chameleons hissed. I have picked up one or two, like Al when they have been crossing a road, and they always seemed very calm. Slightly swirly in the eyeball regions, but that's it. Hissing would certainly take me aback. We get lots of praying mantis in the garden, and they always seem to look at you with a "yes, what do YOu want" kind of attitude.....

Bograt, what I said in a earlier post, SOME of the 50 or so I tried to approach were hissing, but than really noisy. Another, more dangerous animals which were hissing at me were poisonous baby vipers. They were hiding under the rubbish bin outside on the road, even they were still very young
the noise they made you won't believe.
By the way: praying mantis is the favourite food for chameleons.
Max

Oh my lord, baby vipers! I would loved to have seen them, amazing that so tiny but still noisy and in full "snake" mode. I did not know about praying mantis being food for chameleons, either. So maybe, we will have a chameleon visit. So interesting, the wildlife in Cyprus.

Are you still in touch with Snake George, Max? He is on the island I believe..... I had a facebook notification pop up, from Servo Serpens Service, and his name was the first on the list of people to call when you had a snake in the garden. I WANT a snake in the garden!!

[Bograt]

Thankyou for posting lovely photos -- roll on 2018 when I will be returning to Paphos & can lizard watch over my balcony -- sadly sometimes watching cats patiently waiting to catch them for dinner! (never seen a chameleon in our gardens though)

A very friendly cat that visits me a lot, does love a little lizard for lunch. I guess that is the nature of nature, so to speak. Usually however, the lizard outwits him, and the cat is left looking to me to give him a snack instead

[cyprusmax47]

Love the pictures, and the running commentary. Thank you Max.

I did not know chameleons hissed. I have picked up one or two, like Al when they have been crossing a road, and they always seemed very calm. Slightly swirly in the eyeball regions, but that's it. Hissing would certainly take me aback. We get lots of praying mantis in the garden, and they always seem to look at you with a "yes, what do YOu want" kind of attitude.....

Bograt, what I said in a earlier post, SOME of the 50 or so I tried to approach were hissing, but than really noisy. Another, more dangerous animals which were hissing at me were poisonous baby vipers. They were hiding under the rubbish bin outside on the road, even they were still very young
the noise they made you won't believe.
By the way: praying mantis is the favourite food for chameleons.
Max

Oh my lord, baby vipers! I would loved to have seen them, amazing that so tiny but still noisy and in full "snake" mode. I did not know about praying mantis being food for chameleons, either. So maybe, we will have a chameleon visit. So interesting, the wildlife in Cyprus.

Are you still in touch with Snake George, Max? He is on the island I believe..... I had a facebook notification pop up, from Servo Serpens Service, and his name was the first on the list of people to call when you had a snake in the garden. I WANT a snake in the garden!!

Sorry Bograt, I missed your post. The baby vipers were the size of a pencil only, but vicious. For private reasons I am not in contact with Snake George anymore...My new post yesterday about giant praying mantis proved to me the situation in my garden is still balanced, imagine how many offspring she's got in her tummy... providing the next chameleon is not faster...
Max