Harmless · Popular pet · Native to Yemen and Saudi Arabia

Veiled chameleon

Chamaeleo calyptratus (Duméril & Bibron, 1851)

Also called Yemen chameleon, cone-head chameleon
Data updated October 2026

Adult male veiled chameleon gripping a branch, showing its tall casque and green body with yellow and orange bands
Fig. 1 — Adult male, with the tall helmet-like casque that gives the species its name.
Close view of a veiled chameleon's head showing the cone-shaped casque and turret eye
Fig. 2 — The casque is taller than on any other chameleon commonly kept as a pet.

At a glance

A large, hardy chameleon from the mountains and valleys of southwestern Arabia, known for its towering casque. It is one of the most widely kept chameleons and has also escaped to form wild populations in Florida and Hawaii.

01

Identification

The veiled chameleon is easy to recognize by the tall, triangular casque on top of its head. Adult males are green with broad vertical bands of yellow, orange or green on the sides, often broken up by black, brown or yellow markings. Females are smaller and light green with tan, white, orange or yellow mottling, and gravid females turn dark with turquoise and yellow speckles. Hatchlings are plain pastel green.

  1. 01Very tall casque. A cone-shaped crest that can rise well above the back of the head, tallest in adult males.
  2. 02Banded green body. Males show bold vertical bands of yellow or orange along the flanks.
  3. 03Chameleon build. Grasping, fused toes, a curling tail and eyes that move independently.

Commonly confused with

Both have a much lower casque than the veiled chameleon.

02

Size

01 ft2 ft3 ft4 ft Typical adult male · about 18 in (46 cm)

Adults usually measure 12 to 18 inches (30–46 cm) including the tail, and big males can reach about 2 feet (61 cm). Females stay smaller, around 18 inches at most. Hatchlings are only 3 to 4 inches long.

03

Range & habitat

Veiled chameleon climbing through leafy shrubs
Fig. 3 — Veiled chameleons live in shrubs and trees, often near year-round water.

The species is native to southwestern Saudi Arabia and Yemen. It lives on rainy coastal mountain slopes, high dry plateaus and drier valleys where water and vegetation last through the year. Escaped and released pets have started wild populations outside the native range, including on Maui in Hawaii and in South Florida.

In Florida it was first documented in 2002 near Fort Myers in Lee County, where it is breeding. It has also been recorded in Hendry, Collier, Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties, mostly in suburban and disturbed areas with shrubs such as avocado, Brazilian pepper and castor bean. It is the most widespread of Florida’s introduced chameleons.

State guides: Florida

04

Diet & predators

Veiled chameleons are sit-and-wait hunters. They creep slowly along branches, lock on with their independently moving eyes and catch prey with a long, sticky tongue. Insects make up most of the diet, but large adults also take small lizards, frogs, mammals and birds. Unusually for a chameleon, they also eat leaves and flowers, which is why some Florida gardeners see them as a nuisance.

Feeds on

  • Crickets, grasshoppers and other insects
  • Small lizards and frogs
  • Occasional small mammals and birds
  • Leaves and flowers

Preyed on by

  • Birds
  • Snakes
  • Larger lizards (young chameleons)
House cricket on a leaf
Prey — crickets and other insects.
Hibiscus flower and leaves
Plants — leaves and flowers are also eaten.

05

Behavior & seasons

Veiled chameleons are active by day, hunting in lower vegetation and climbing higher to sleep at night. They are solitary, and adult males defend territories against other males with color displays, puffed-up bodies and head movements. The tall casque may help channel water toward the mouth, as dew and rain collecting on it run down the head.

They control their temperature by moving between sun and shade and will gape or pant when hot. Handled roughly, they may hiss and bite, but bites rarely break the skin and are not toxic.

06

Reproduction

Veiled chameleons mature fast, often within a year and sometimes in as little as four months. Females that have mated or are carrying eggs turn dark with bright speckles, a signal that they will not accept a male. About a month after mating, the female digs a burrow, often at the base of a tree, and lays a large clutch, commonly 30 to 40 eggs. Captive females can lay three or four clutches a year. The eggs take roughly 4 to 10 months to hatch depending on temperature.

07

Conservation

The veiled chameleon is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act, and most animals in the pet trade are captive-bred. In Florida it is an invasive nonnative species with no protection beyond anti-cruelty laws, and releasing pets is illegal. Its effects there are still poorly known, but its broad diet and high reproductive rate are concerns, and in Hawaii it has been found to threaten native birds, insects and plants. Which reptiles are restricted?

08

In captivity

Veiled chameleons are among the hardiest chameleons, but they still need more specialized care than many pet lizards. Each adult should live alone, as they become territorial once mature. Use a tall, screen-sided enclosure for good airflow; for an adult male, about 2 × 2 × 4 feet tall is a common guideline, and a female needs somewhat less. Fill it with sturdy branches and live, non-toxic plants for climbing and cover.

  • Heat and light. Daytime air around 72–80°F with a basking spot of about 85–95°F, plus a UVB tube over the screen top. Nights can be cooler.
  • Water. They drink droplets from leaves, not from bowls, so mist the plants daily or use a drip system.
  • Food. Live insects such as crickets, no larger than the width of the head, gut-loaded with greens before offering.
  • Egg-laying. Females lay eggs even without a male and need a deep, moist dig site.

See a reptile vet if your chameleon stops eating, has sunken eyes, struggles to grip branches or a female seems unable to lay. More pet care guides

Keep reading

Sources

Data updated October 2026 · How we build these pages