brittbrit93
New Member
idc i saw what i saw =))
any reason why my graceful chameleon keeps laying in the dirt?
- Thread starter brittbrit93
- Start date
ChameleonFan1989
New Member
Since it's too hot, maybe that's why she's brown. Is she ever green when she's in there?
KarmaChameleon1337
Avid Member
Believe what you want but don't spread false info. She was stressed out.
ChameleonFan1989
New Member
No offence but if thing don't corrected ASAP, it'll end up dying
DanSB
Avid Member
I look at it like this:
Chameleons are slow ambush predators who also would happen to make a wonderful treat for many other animals. Their ability to hide is a huge part of their evolutionary survival strategy.
Stressed: Normally black or brown? excellent colors to blend into the ground or bark or a handy hiding spot.
Basking: Bright green?... fantastic to blend with leaves that would be in an arboreal basking location.
While they aren't changing colors to match their surroundings rather their moods; the colors that match their moods would tend to make them better at hiding or being seen (for mating).
So no they do not change colors to match their surroundings, they change colors to match their moods which correspond to a generality that makes them inconspicuous or conspicuous in their natural environment.
In a sense they do blend.
They will not turn checkerboard on a checkerboard, or red on a red background, but as Trace said, they do actually make some changes (within their ability) to match their surroundings sometimes. This isn't really seen in the bigger species as much as the smaller one. My pygmies do this on a regular basis. On the dark green plant they turn olive green. On the light green plant they turn a pretty light green. On the grey rocks they turn into a muddy brownish grey. On the stick they turn stripy brown. That's as much ability as they have, but within that range they can chose to "blend". They don't always, but to say they do not ever is a bit false. It's a natural adaptation to hide in their environment. Their moods will cause color changes much more reliably and drastically. Dark colors mean stress. In this case, I would be betting it is more stress than blending to match your clothing.
Brittbrit - Your chameleon is full grown, or close to full grown btw. It's not a baby. As said, it is a wild caught chameleon and needs to be handled absolutely as little as possible (like once a week) for the first few weeks as it gets used to its new home. Too much stress in this period, like being picked up by a monster that wants to eat you (that's what your little cham is thinking) can put so much strain on her already tired body that she can get sick and die. The fact that she seems cool about you holding her all the time is actually her so scared that she hopes you just leave her alone and go away. They are very delicate at this stage. As said before, the dirt should be removed. You can put your plants into pots with the dirt covered by rocks bigger than your cham's head (so she doesn't eat them) to keep them alive. The dirt doesn't help with humidity as much as it helps bacteria and mold grow and possibly harm your cham.
As said in your other thread, 100 degrees is much too hot and she is probably digging in the dirt to try to escape the heat. Low 90's should be the absolute max temperature in her cage, and the bottom should be at least 10 degrees cooler than the top. Since they don't sweat like us or pant like dogs they need to have cooler areas to cool themselves off. Without that they can overheat and die. Since that cage is so small and glass you may only be able to have the UVB on to keep it from overheating. The UVB must be on at least 10 hours every day. And at night there should be no light at all. Her cage will not ever get cold enough to need heat at night as it will hold residual heat from the day enough to keep it over 60 degrees. Mine do. In the forests of Africa and Madagascar it gets cold at night and there are no lights for them. This is what they need.
She must have live bugs to eat - she cannot eat the dead ones. Mealworms are not good to feed. The links right below in my signature should help you get some more info on your new little one! Feel free to ask more questions.
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brittbrit93
New Member
shes not full grown shes no bigger than my finger and i did the lights like you all said to do but now shes just sitting on the branch thats directly under the humifier and is brown which she rarely is and i tried frozed the crickets for her and she just looked at them i do believe that they are too big for her so what should i do with those crickets
bradley
New Member
If you can get a small plant pot and put your plant in that and take out the rest of the soil. I used an exo terra for my baby panther and here is how I set it up. it will work for your cham too. You need to make the best of what you have now otherwise it will die! i would also take the backgrod out as all the crickets do is hide behind it!
brittbrit93
New Member
the background is wall that she climbs
bradley
New Member
You could add some sticks and vines from outside for climbing. The backgrounds are no good as the crickets eat them as well and this gets passed onto the chameleon when the crickets are eaten. Even if gutloaded (fed) prior to feeding the will still eat the background. make sure no lights are on at night. They need total darkness and a temperature drop.
KarmaChameleon1337
Avid Member
If you want advice do not tell us that we're wrong on EVERYTHING we say. I have a Senegal. That is an adult. I promise you. Senegals are very tiny.
brittbrit93
New Member
why did the person i buy her from tell me she was a baby when shes not
KarmaChameleon1337
Avid Member
They're a liar. You were also told a bunch of other false info about chameleons. As a owner of a Senegal I can tell you that she is an adult. Not a baby. The forums are to correct it, so please, stop telling everyone that they're wrong when you're not certain yourself.
brittbrit93
New Member
im sorry 
KarmaChameleon1337
Avid Member
It's fine haha. It just makes people not want to help when you keep telling them they have no idea what they're doing, when you come to us for advice.
mcleodschams
Established Member
totally like i said to you yesterday this is the place to get info you will not be steered wrong i promise
mcleodschams
Established Member
i gave you a list of eveything you need last night on your post about what lights do i really need
