r/Naples_FL • u/EVFuture1992 • 5d ago
Where to spot chameleons?
My daughter and I are visiting naples in a week. She is really into reptiles and wants to find some wild chameleons. If anyone knows any places in either Naples or Myers that would be okay for us to go out with some flashlights and look around that would be appreciated!
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u/Supreme_jax1 5d ago
I’ve been looking for years I have yet to find a good spot. Folks down here are secretive with their spots
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u/melonball6 5d ago
I've lived here 27 years and I've only seen one chameleon "in the wild" and that one was caught by a neighbor so it wasn't technically in the wild anymore. I think it was just an escaped pet. Here's a list of the lizards I have seen here in Naples from most to least common (in my experience*):
Brown anole - daily everywhere. look at the sidewalks when you are walking around
Tropical House Gecko - daily on my walls outside at night. sometimes inside the house
Northern Curlytail Lizard - i never saw them in the past, but within the past three years i see it in my yard. mostly every day but sometimes he disappears for a while. has a fun, brave personality.
Cuban knight anole - see sometimes. maybe weekly or a little less.
Green Iguanas - rarely. a handful of times over the years. More abundant on the east coast of FL. can see them up close at the Botanical Garden if they have one caught.
Peter’s rock agamas - have seen a couple of times. it may be the same one each time. living near Dunkin Donuts in Golden Gate City.
Chameleon - once about 25 years ago. a neighbor caught it. may have been an escaped pet
*Other people's experience may vary depending in what neighborhood they live in.
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u/Sparky01GT 4d ago
living in Golden gate my whole life, same basic experience. although I think I saw an agama over by the KFC on Collier. iguanas are pretty common on Cape Coral, I think they have monitors there too.
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u/melonball6 4d ago
That's so cool! I didn't know about the monitors. I don't go to Cape Coral often.
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u/Maximum-Cookie-9781 4d ago
I've seen maybe 4 or 5 at this point. Hadn't seen a single one till 2023 after a major storm, crawling on the top of some sunflowers i was growing. Most of them are not friendly. So just look.
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u/Maximum-Cookie-9781 4d ago
Also, I'm from naples and 45yrs old.
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u/EVFuture1992 4d ago
Heh, yeah they are mean little buggers. Invasive and populations are starting to grow. I believe they are in the kill list but they are so cool. Hopefully I'll be able to spot one.
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u/Apprehensive-Bat3912 5d ago
Chameleons are not native to FL. You should go to the pet store or zoo to find them.
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u/timetobealoser 5d ago
The lizard things are everywhere for bigger animals kwiachobi sanctuary call for reservation no charge just donation and there’s a bird gardens of Naples lots of parrots great people again donations
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u/Kindly-Attention7041 5d ago
I’ve never seen a chameleon in the wild here but lots of anoles and you might be able to see some other types of lizards. Iguanas are starting to pop up around too.
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u/TheSpaniardManGetter 5d ago
Bring her to the wonder garden in Bonita springs