Do Chameleons have people preferences?

[BugzNelson]

I'm wondering, are chameleons able to distinguish between different people? If I tame my chameleon and build trust with him, will he associate that trust with all humans or only me specifically? I just got a new panther chameleon and I'm curious what to expect. What has been your experience?

 

[kinyonga]

Chameleons do seem to recognize people.

 

[MissSkittles]

I don’t know about all chameleons, but my panther Jack has shown that he recognizes me. He very willingly comes to me as soon as I open his door and climbs on my hand. As I was showing him to someone he has seen several times, I was going to hand him to them but he wanted no part of that and didn’t even like being out of his enclosure with them in the room.

 

[nightanole]

Mine prefer:

DOnt have a red shirt
Do have glasses with shiny frames
Dont have facial hair
Do have long hair

Yet:
Im bald
scruffy looking
dont wear glasses
Only person who feeds them

I think that says something...

 

[BugzNelson]

I don’t know about all chameleons, but my panther Jack has shown that he recognizes me. He very willingly comes to me as soon as I open his door and climbs on my hand. As I was showing him to someone he has seen several times, I was going to hand him to them but he wanted no part of that and didn’t even like being out of his enclosure with them in the room.

Is it weird that I'm happy about that? maybe I'm selfish but I want him to prefer me, especially since I know that building trust will take a lot of work.

 

[Mountain Dragon]

I read somewhere that chameleons do recognize people but if your wearing something like a beard they haven’t seen or big glasses they might think ur someone else. My chameleon will run and eat in front of me when I feed him but didn’t eat in front of my Cham sitter

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I'm wondering, are chameleons able to distinguish between different people?

IME, yes. He seems to know the difference between Missus & myself, as does our beardie.

If I tame my chameleon and build trust with him, will he associate that trust with all humans or only me specifically?

Unclear; he may do either. Time will tell.

I just got a new panther chameleon and I'm curious what to expect. What has been your experience?

I started taming late. Once I did, I did not use food as a motivator. I did let him out of his enclosure to explore the adjacent plant table a couple of times. He eventually did venture onto my arm on his own, so handling has become more often (couple times a week) and he warmed up to Missus first try.

But anyone's experience here may have little/nothing to do with your cham; they're all different.

 

[jenfur427]

My chameleon definitely recognizes me and prefers me over anyone else in the family. Anyone else in the family, she stays still and won't move. When I go up to the cage, she comes towards me.

 

[Thatcher]

Chameleons do seem to recognize people.

I have some new info for everyone about this topic.

I am and identical twin and my chameleon sees me as a walking tree with tasty bugs and sees my brother as the kid that would kick sand in your eyes and take your lunch money.

He also doesn't like my mom or sister but sees my dad the same way as me. Totally agree

 

[MissSkittles]

I have some new info for everyone about this topic.

I am and identical twin and my chameleon sees me as a walking tree with tasty bugs and sees my brother as the kid that would kick sand in your eyes and take your lunch money.

He also doesn't like my mom or sister but sees my dad the same way as me. Totally agree

That is super interesting! Are there any obvious visual differences between you and your twin?

 

[Thatcher]

That is super interesting! Are there any obvious visual differences between you and your twin?

No not many we are very similar

 

[MissSkittles]

Wow! So chameleons hearing and sense of smell are poor…the bulk of their communication is visual. They must be able to pick up the super subtle differences perhaps in body language or something else to be able to tell you and your brother apart. That is so cool!

 

[Thatcher]

Wow! So chameleons hearing and sense of smell are poor…the bulk of their communication is visual. They must be able to pick up the super subtle differences perhaps in body language or something else to be able to tell you and your brother apart. That is so cool!

Yeah it's really fascinating!

 

[Mountain Dragon]

I have some new info for everyone about this topic.

I am and identical twin and my chameleon sees me as a walking tree with tasty bugs and sees my brother as the kid that would kick sand in your eyes and take your lunch money.

He also doesn't like my mom or sister but sees my dad the same way as me. Totally agree

Wow that is so interesting

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I am and identical twin

---

Wow! So chameleons hearing and sense of smell are poor…the bulk of their communication is visual.

Hmmm... I've been wondering about sense of smell. Poor compared to what or in what sense?
I'm not finding anything academic about chameleon olfactory abilities other than some general (short) statements about it being poor, but I can't think why chameleons' sense of smell would/should be any worse than other lizards...

Then again... I haven't had my second yet...

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Yeah... not enough yet. Forgot half of what I was going to say...

All 3 of our reptiles can & do tell us apart, and behave slightly differently with each of us.

Yesterday, Ol' Grumpypants compromised me. I was taking the roach cup out of his enclosure before lights-out and the accompanying misting, and he ran straight up my arm to my shoulder and around onto my back before I even knew it—not even a gape. I called to Missus for, "Little help here?" but she was on the phone. When she got there, he had decided my hair was the new "in" thing to grab onto like a vise-grip pliers. Chaos ensued. This incident aside, he usually gapes at me—just a little warning gape—but never at her.

 

[Thatcher]

Yeah... not enough yet. Forgot half of what I was going to say...

All 3 of our reptiles can & do tell us apart, and behave slightly differently with each of us.

Yesterday, Ol' Grumpypants compromised me. I was taking the roach cup out of his enclosure before lights-out and the accompanying misting, and he ran straight up my arm to my shoulder and around onto my back before I even knew it—not even a gape. I called to Missus for, "Little help here?" but she was on the phone. When she got there, he had decided my hair was the new "in" thing to grab onto like a vise-grip pliers. Chaos ensued. This incident aside, he usually gapes at me—just a little warning gape—but never at her.

WOW