Dead Chameleon! Or Not?!?!

[reptileman]

Ok, so the worst thing ever happened to me today that I thought I should share with everyone on the forums, I went to show my cousin a baby chameleon and as soon as I took it out of its cage it had a spaz attack almost seeming like a seizure on my hand and then it just stopped moving. The thing wasnt breathing from what I could tell, it didnt move any of its legs or tail at all they were super stiff and then my parents told me we were leaving, I didnt know what to do with him so I put him back in his cage at the bottom and just thought to myself I would give him a burial when I got home, sure enough I get home and I couldnt find him anywhere near where I left him and I finally found him on the screen up by his basking lamp!!!! I couldnt believe it,

Has anyone else had a chameleon play dead? I forgot to mention when he stopped moving his tongue was sticking out of his mouth, I wish I had taken a picture but I didnt have time.

 

[JoeG]

Might be a survival instinct if it thought it was threatened. What kind of chameleon is it ?

 

[reptileman]

panther chameleon, this is the only one thats ever done this though and I have had quite a few

 

[bighutch917]

Not quite but I experienced something similar. I recently discovered a Ambanja neonate laying on it's side, stiff, with dark coloration and it's tongue exposed. Initially, I assumed that it was dead so I placed it in my palm for further examination. Within 30 seconds of being in my hand and in direct view of the sun, it perked up and lightened it's color. He perched himself onto my finger and remained there for ten minutes while basking in the sun. I moved him to a separate enclosure, away from his siblings and there he has remained. I think his behavior was stress related and nothing more.

Currently, he is alive and well and looking like a real stud .

 

[reptileman]

Not quite but I experienced something similar. I recently discovered a Ambanja neonate laying on it's side, stiff, with dark coloration and it's tongue exposed. Initially, I assumed that it was dead so I placed it in my palm for further examination. Within 30 seconds of being in my hand and in direct view of the sun, it perked up and lightened it's color. He perched himself onto my finger and remained there for ten minutes while basking in the sun. I moved him to a separate enclosure, away from his siblings and there he has remained. I think his behavior was stress related and nothing more.

Currently, he is alive and well and looking like a real stud .

so urs did like the opposite, played dead in the cage and came back to life in your hand? lol

 

[Elizadolots]

I think pygmy's are sort of famous for it. I believe I've read of bigger chameleons doing the same thing.

 

[Pilotman800]

I think pygmy's are sort of famous for it. I believe I've read of bigger chameleons doing the same thing.

Yeah, i've heard of pygmy's doing it. Other types I have never heard of though. Interesting.

 

[Elizadolots]

A couple of threads on this:

https://www.chameleonforums.com/youne-seen-lady-gaga-cry-now-see-her-play-possum-39160/

https://www.chameleonforums.com/veiled-playing-dead-4283/

 

[chameleoman]

happened to me a long time ago my first veiled i was walking to my moms room with him in my hand and all of a sudden his legs went strait out and hes wasnt FREAKIN MOVING scared the crap out of me so i was like what the heck and then i ran to my room and put him in his cage and then i put him on a branch and later i found him under the basking light warming up little buggers he sadly passed away do 2 my stupid amatuerness i wasnt even dusting no uvb feeding him every other day soiled plants with harmful chemicals and an unwashed dirty plant strait out of homedepot and i was just STUPID his name was GIZMO
R.I.P.
MY best little baby first and best chameleon