Hypo Chameleons for sale in the UK

Hypo, short for hypomelanistic, is a veiled chameleon trait that cuts dark pigment and leaves the skin translucent where it is missing. It is sold far more often under its trade name, Translucent. The see-through look is what keepers are after, anywhere from a few clear patches to an animal translucent all over.

Appearance

The trait shows as clear or white patches, and the feet are the most reliable place to look for them. A lightly marked animal keeps normal veiled colour, which is barred brown and yellow on a male and mostly green with yellow markings on a female or juvenile. Its translucent areas are distinct but may be little more than the feet. The high colour form is translucent over the whole body, with paler, pinker colour throughout.

Genetics

Hypo is incomplete dominant, which the trade usually calls "co-dom". One copy shows the trait, and two give the high colour animal. The gap between a patchy Hypo and a fully translucent one is usually down to dose, so ask the seller whether an animal carries one copy or two rather than judging from a photograph. Piebald and hypermelanistic veileds work differently: both of those traits are recessive.