# Malagasy Giant Chameleon (*furcifer oustaleti*)

The Malagasy Giant Chameleon is a colorful reptile that can change its colors to blend in with its surroundings! It has a long, sticky tongue that helps it catch insects for lunch.

- **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Tropical forests of Madagascar
- **Also known as:** Giant Chameleon, Oustalet's Chameleon

![Malagasy Giant Chameleon](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Oustalet's_chameleon_%28Furcifer_oustaleti%29_female.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oustalet's_chameleon_%28Furcifer_oustaleti%29_female.jpg)

## Appearance

The Malagasy Giant Chameleon is one of the largest chameleons, often displaying vibrant green, brown, or grey patterns. Males have a prominent casque and two large, bony ridges along their snout, distinguishing them from females. Their large, independently moving eyes add to their distinctive appearance.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Squamata
- **Order:** Lacertilia
- **Family:** Chamaeleonidae
- **Genus:** Furcifer

## Interesting facts

- A Malagasy Giant Chameleon hatchling is smaller than a human thumb!
- Their sticky tongue can launch from zero to 60 mph in a blink!
- They can hear, but have no outer ears, just internal ear bones!
- This chameleon's skin isn't just for color; it's covered in tiny, reflective crystals!

## Special abilities

- **Super Sticky Tongue:** Malagasy Giant Chameleons can shoot their tongue out twice their body length to snatch insects instantly.
- **Master of Disguise:** Malagasy Giant Chameleons can change their skin color to blend into surroundings or express mood.
- **Gripping Tail:** Malagasy Giant Chameleons have a tail that can grip branches like an extra hand for climbing stability.

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 40-68 cm
- **Weight:** 0.2-0.8 kg
- **Lifespan:** 2-8 years
- **Speed:** 0.5 km/h
- **Clutch Size:** 20-60
- **Incubation:** 200-240 days

## Diet & Feeding

They are expert hunters, using their lightning-fast tongue to catch various insects and small creatures.

- **Primary Foods:** crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, spiders, small lizards, small birds
- **Foraging Method:** Ambush

## Ecological connections

- **Hunts:** Two-spotted Cricket (*Gryllus bimaculatus*) — Main prey source for these large chameleons.
- **Hunts:** [Migratory Locust](https://www.snappit.app/explore/migratory-locust) (*Locusta migratoria*) — Common insect prey in their Madagascan habitat.
- **Eaten by:** Madagascar Sparrowhawk (*Accipiter madagascariensis*) — Major aerial predator of smaller chameleons.
- **Eaten by:** Malagasy Ground Boa (*Boa manditra*) — Known snake predator of chameleons in Madagascar.

## Traits

- [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators.
- [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.

## Collections

- [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Malagasy Giant Chameleon?

Compare toes, scales, head shape, crests and tail proportions. Many lizards can drop and regrow their tails, so a short tail isn't always a species trait. Lizard Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How long is Malagasy Giant Chameleon?

40-68 cm

### How much does Malagasy Giant Chameleon weigh?

0.2-0.8 kg

### How long does Malagasy Giant Chameleon live?

2-8 years

### How fast can Malagasy Giant Chameleon move?

0.5 km/h

### What does Malagasy Giant Chameleon eat?

They are expert hunters, using their lightning-fast tongue to catch various insects and small creatures.

### Where is Malagasy Giant Chameleon usually found?

Tropical forests of Madagascar

### How does Malagasy Giant Chameleon hunt?

Ambush

## More Reptiles

- [Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider) (*Trachemys scripta*)
- [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*)
- [Common Five-lined Skink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-five-lined-skink) (*Plestiodon fasciatus*)
- [Desert Spiny Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-spiny-lizard) (*Sceloporus magister*)

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Source: [Malagasy Giant Chameleon: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/malagasy-giant-chameleon)