Do chameleons dream?

[Deejay]

Actually, brief subtle cycles of REM have been detected with minor movements of the eyes.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Did you note the date on this thread?
This one is a little more recent: https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/chameleon-having-nightmares.179308/

 

[dinomom]

I would think their state of sleep is different than ours. Fish do not sleep, they sort of hang out at the bottom of the tank. I notice that Omar will often sleep in a vertical position holding on tightly to his vine. If they would have the same sleep state I would think they would not be able to hold on the branches (vertically or horizontally). Mammals at different points in sleep are "paralyzed" during dream states, I think. So we are totally relaxed and could not maintain a position like the chams.
It suggests to me that because of their primitive brain structure they do not need to have such a sleep state. Additionally, I think it is also an survival thing so as a prey animal they may be able to awaken more quickly and escape the predator.

Not completely convinced..birds do sleep, and have the ability to "lock" their legs around a branch in order to do so. Something about one way valves. Furthermore, their feet can be almost frozen and the blood flow does not return to the rest of their body or they would freeze.

I wonder if prey animals' brains process and "practice" their escape moves and protocols during torpor or whatever we want to call this. As we know, (other than reproducing) their first two priorities that drive everything are escape predation, and eat.

Suffice it to say, no one really knows...