Chameleon Stop Drop And Roll Instinct

Seeco

Seeco

Avid Member
Here are some photos of a chameleon instinctively dropping from a height and rolling into a ball and burrowing into the grass. In response to this thread: https://www.chameleonforums.com/kinyongia-oxyrhina-uthmoelleri-55609/ This guy does it every time, even though he is nearly adult size now, and he is the only one from his clutch that does it. Weird and funny, especially when there is not nearly enough cover for it to work. When this guy jumps he immediately grabs his tail and somersaults in mid air. This is lame but it reminds me of Sonic the Hedgehog...I can't believe I just said that...

He is so freaked that he is trying to squeeze between my fingers
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The landing
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The squirming. Here he is pushing really hard with his head. "Hey! You are not a salamander!"
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P.S. He is the best looking multituberculata in the world;)
 
Mine did the skydiving routine as soon as I removed her from the package! Was kinda disturbing. I guess they are tougher than you'd think a tiny chameleon like that would be.
 
I never did get to document this with the K. tenuis or oxyrhina. Its really an odd thing to see a chameleon doing it. It reminds me of a fish flopping around out of the water! Now you just need to make a video!
 
Thanks Louis, I'm partially satisfied. Like Jared said, I need video!

He is a good looking multi. I see you like to take him out around sunset, eh?;)
 
I'm bumping this since only Kinyongia peeps see to have noticed but is is a really interesting behavior we are discussing :D
 
Seeco said:
I'm bumping this since only Kinyongia peeps see to have noticed but is is a really interesting behavior we are discussing :D
Click to expand...

It is interesting!! Well, at least a few of us think so. I guess if it was a panther doing it everyone else would think its interesting too:rolleyes:
 
I think it is fascinating. Most of us are used to our chameleons adopting an aggressive posture when threatened, or simply running away as fast as possible. The stop and flop is a totally different tactic. They must come from an area with lots of ground cover or leaf litter.
 
Seeco said:
I'm bumping this since only Kinyongia peeps see to have noticed but is is a really interesting behavior we are discussing :D
Click to expand...

My quadricornis do this. Both male and female. The males squirms around in my hand, then dives on the ground. Once either is on the ground, they run away.

LPR08
 
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