A Callous Exotic Pet Keeper Dumped His Chameleon in a Garden Bin on One of the Coldest Nights this Year

A callous exotic pet keeper deserves bad karma for dumping a chameleon on one of the coldest nights of the year.

Throwing the strikingly beautiful reptiles away inside a bag was effectively a death sentence for the cold-blooded creature.

RSPCA inspector Zoe Ballard took the veiled chameleon to a specialist vets for treatment but there was nothing they could do and it had to be put to sleep.

The animal welfare charity is now appealing for information to track down the cruel reptile owner who left the animal in garden rubbish in Hastings at the weekend.

“The poor little chap was clearly very unwell and to be dumped in a bag in this cold weather is completely unreasonable and inhumane,” said Inspector Ballard.

“Like many other reptiles, chameleons cannot regulate their own body temperature so rely on the environment they are in to keep at the correct body temperature.

"They are also very susceptible to infection and they are more at risk when placed into a dank environment.”

The RSPCA is witnessing a rapid rise in the number exotic creatures such as snakes and lizards being neglected and abandoned.

Last year, it received 4,990 calls about reptiles, a 37 per cent increase over the last decade and a result of more flamboyant and fascinating creatures being offered for sale, particularly over the internet.

Sadly, for the animals, naïve owners quickly find out caring for snakes, lizards and other unusual animals is both expensive and requires thorough research and expertise.

“It is a possibility that the owners took on this animal but were unable to provide the care he needs and decided to dump him,” added Inspector Ballard.

“This poor chameleon was dumped outside in freezing temperatures and left for dead.

"This is a terrible thing to do to any animal but it is particularly harmful for a chameleon as they are very sensitive and will suffer when placed in an incorrect environment.

The fact that he could not be saved is evidence of that.”

Anyone with information about this chameleon or how he came to be dumped in the garden is urged to contact the RSPCA Inspectorate Appeal Line in confidence on 0300 123 8018 and leave a message for inspector Ballard.

                      The beautiful reptile was thrown into a garden bin.

      The chameleon was dumped on one of the coldest nights of the year.

               Chameleons cannot regulate their own body temperature.

There was nothing vets could do and the chameleon had to be put to sleep.

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Can You Keep Cephalopods As Pets?

Cephalopods, the class of mollusks which scientists classify octopuses, squid, cuttlefish and nautiluses, can change color faster than a chameleon. They can also change texture and body shape, and, and if those camouflage techniques don't work, they can still "disappear" in a cloud of ink, which they use as a smoke-screen or decoy. Cephalopods are also fascinating because they have three hearts that pump blue blood, they're jet powered, and they're found in all oceans of the world, from the tropics to the poles, the intertidal to the abyss. 

Cephalopods have inspired legends and stories throughout history and are thought to be the most intelligent of invertebrates. Some can squeeze through the tiniest of cracks. They have eyes and other senses that rival those of humans.

Usually, hobbyists interested in keeping a pet cephalopod should stick with Octopus or Cuttlefish - Squid don't survive well in aquaria) should first consider buying one at their local aquarium store. Even if they don't regularly stock cephalopods, most good saltwater shops can special order an octopus (and in rare cases, a cuttlefish) if it is requested. 

The main advantage one gains by going through a pet store is in cost—and it's a big difference. Because pet stores buy through distributors and in bulk quantities, a cephalopod at the local shop will cost nearly half of what it would to get through the mail: overnight shipping is expensive and saltwater is heavy; not to mention if the shipment has to cross a national border and become mired in red-tape permits and government bureaucrats that think cuttlefish are fish and octopuses are not because the word fish is not part of their name. Although some retailers will require a deposit to cover their risk, another advantage to the consumer lies in the fact that you normally get to examine the animal and ask the shop owners and caretakers questions about it before you make it your pet. 

Here's The Caveat:

Most shop owners lack specific knowledge about cephalopods, their care requirements, and species information. The online shops and mail-order houses are usually no better about it. In fact, most of what the industry knows about cephs is from trial-and-error and long-standing rumors—rumors that don't favor our soft friends. Many will slap the omnipresent O. vulgaris or O. joubini tag on their animal and sell it as such, regardless of where it came from or what it actually is. The animal you receive could be a baby with the potential to grow very large, or it could be a full grown adult of a small species that may have only weeks left in it's natural lifespan. 

Most octopuses in the aquarium trade are in the small to medium size range as adults—rarely larger than a grapefruit. Both scientists and hobbyists alike find frustration in finding transportation for their cephalopods, and international orders will need to address permits to cross national borders. 

In addition to costing more than many marine fish and invertebrates, none of the cephalopod family tolerate shipping stresses well, and there's always the chance of inking during shipment. 

Most other type of cargo has higher priority than live fish and invertebrates, and some of the species listed below are only available in certain seasons. Also, the prices below do not include shipping costs—which can be over $50 for the smallest specimens and thousands for the largest. 

Things to think about before you buy a cephalopod:

1. Home aquarists and scientists agree- cephalopods can be really hard to keep alive in a tank. They require a very clean, stable seawater system, escape proof lids, and they are picky eaters. Keeping one can be expensive, and feeding one can be expensive.

2. While some countries have strict collecting laws, many tropical animals are collected from the wild using irresponsible and illegal methods such as poaching and/or “cyanide fishing”. Cyanide fishing involves squirting cyanide into the reef and breaking coral to dig out the poisoned, stunned animals. It kills coral, other invertebrates, and fish. Ask your aquarium shop for tank-raised animals.

3. It might be deadly. Blue-ringed octopuses are deadly. There is no anti-venom for their bite. Other octopuses are so poorly known that we don’t even know how dangerous they might be. Relatives of Abdopus aculeatus have a poison in their bodies that’s similar to TTX, the poison in blue-ring venom (Robertson et al. 2004 Toxicon 44: 765). Striking animals like “Wunderpus” and the “Mimic” might be highly venomous. It appears that the skin of the "Flamboyant" cuttlefish is toxic. You don’t want to be the one who finds out. 

4. It might be rare, so taking a wild animal might put those cephalopod populations at risk.

5. It might try to crawl out. Octopuses are well-known for their abilities to escape aquaria. Intertidal species are notoriously hard to keep in a tank. If it goes walkabout when you’re not looking, then you will find a dead octopus on the floor the next morning, or behind the couch in two years. 

6. It might eat your other pets. Crabs, clams and sometimes snails are not safe from the voracious appetite of a cephalopod. Often fish will either eat your cephalopod or be eaten by your cephalopods.

7. They don’t live very long, most species only about a year. By the time you get your tropical cephalopod, it is an adult near the end of its live span. You’ll be lucky to keep it alive for a few months

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