Obama the cham
New Member
as a knew (3 months now) panther chameleon owner wats the truth behind the skin if the chameleon? camoflauge? or just groovy?
chameleons controvercy, a thread of truth.
- Thread starter Obama the cham
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pssh
Avid Member
My Sambava has obviously developed colors to make me think he's escaped! He blend perfectly in with a ficus or a pothos (especially a pothos with a red pot!)
The colors developed through natural selection (I'm assuming it was the females that caused this to happen. One female preferred this color, then more females preferred that same color, and eventually the majority of them has those specific colors.) the ones that are most cut off from other populations are usually going to be the most different. (nosy be, nosy faly, nosy mitsio, etc. As they are on islands)
The colors developed through natural selection (I'm assuming it was the females that caused this to happen. One female preferred this color, then more females preferred that same color, and eventually the majority of them has those specific colors.) the ones that are most cut off from other populations are usually going to be the most different. (nosy be, nosy faly, nosy mitsio, etc. As they are on islands)
Olimpia
Biologist & Ecologist
Pssh is right, females of any species are always attracted to the newest and best trait among males. This can be color, physical features, behaviour, song, etc. And it's not always a trait that makes the life of males any easier (as seen by male peacocks or stalk eyed flies), and often makes life more difficult. But at the same time it means more reproductive success, which is why it works out - it sort of evens out.
That being said, my chameleons can totally blend in when they aren't fired up. Even my blue chams can tone it down and completely blend in to plant cover with lowish light. So it totally does work for them.
That being said, my chameleons can totally blend in when they aren't fired up. Even my blue chams can tone it down and completely blend in to plant cover with lowish light. So it totally does work for them.
If you are referring to the color change...most darken the body color to warm up and lighten the color when they are too warm. They also use color changes to indicate mood and indicate whether they are gravid/non-receptive or not....but the color changes for mood and receptivity are also accompanied by posture changes.
For instance...a male veiled seeing another male veiled will inflate his body, raise a hand up near the chin, coil and uncoil the tail, turn bright colors/patterns, hiss, gape, etc. and attack the other male if he doesn't back off.
A non-receptive/gravid female veiled meeting a male veiled will hiss, gape, rock back and forth, inflate her body, display mustard/yellow splotches with bright blue dots and a dark, almost black background color.
A receptive female veiled meeting a male veiled will remain calm, body not inflated, no hissing, no gaping, hold her body close to the branch and move her tail out of the way and display the mustard/yellow splotches and blue dots....but keep the nice green background color.
IMHO they do not usually try to blend in to hide although I have seen some vague kind of blending with the odd species.
Hope this helps.
For instance...a male veiled seeing another male veiled will inflate his body, raise a hand up near the chin, coil and uncoil the tail, turn bright colors/patterns, hiss, gape, etc. and attack the other male if he doesn't back off.
A non-receptive/gravid female veiled meeting a male veiled will hiss, gape, rock back and forth, inflate her body, display mustard/yellow splotches with bright blue dots and a dark, almost black background color.
A receptive female veiled meeting a male veiled will remain calm, body not inflated, no hissing, no gaping, hold her body close to the branch and move her tail out of the way and display the mustard/yellow splotches and blue dots....but keep the nice green background color.
IMHO they do not usually try to blend in to hide although I have seen some vague kind of blending with the odd species.
Hope this helps.
Obama the cham
New Member
STILL GROOVY! but i do fully understand it now, as my brother has a 4 month old (MULTI MIX, like 5 panther breeds in one from screameleons i think) female and my 10 month old got a decent look at her and did the most astonishing colors i have ever seen him do, but SHE roared like she was 10 feet tall and went very bland colors with deep striping and tried to hide behind herself goin paper thin, (this was an accident by the way, they happen to spot each other as i walked by with him on me
