do chameleons consciously control their colors?

[Eamon]

are chameleons color changing a conscious or subconscious thing? like to they actively choose what colors to show or is it just a natural thing, like how our heart pumps without being told to? can their subconscious brain tell when they choose to bask and change colors accordingly, or do they have to think about getting darker? just curious

 

[kinyonga]

This isn’t really an answer…take them for what they are worth…there are bits and pieces that might be of interest to you in each of these…



Another one…there are quite a few mistakes in this one..horns on a veiled, etc..


One more…

 

[kinyonga]

This one is a good one to read and believe…
https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleons-and-their-colors/

I have no scientific proof for you that they can control their colour changes. I can tell you of one very peculiar colour change one of my chameleons did many years ago that makes me wonder though. I had a sick chameleon…she changed to the strangest pattern and colour one day when she was given an antibiotic. Each time in the next few days, she did that same weird colour and pattern…and then, when the meds were stopped, never again until she was old and got sick again…she changed (without me giving her the medicine) to that same weird colour and pattern…and when I took her to the vet she had the same illness she had when it happened before…it was like she was trying to tell me.


One more…