julianfremaint
New Member
I am aware that if you show a panther chameleon it's reflection it "fires up" and it's colors brighten up. Out of curiosity, if this unhealthy to do even once or twice?
Fired up Chameleon?
- Thread starter julianfremaint
- Start date
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
Think about it this way...in the wild, any cham is going to encounter rivals, potential mates, predators or other sorts of intruders. They fire up in response to stimuli. It won't kill them or such an ability would never have benefited the animal enough to be carried on genetically. What WILL matter is how often the need to fire up happens, how long, and how extreme the stress becomes. A cham who is forced to stay in "fire up" mode constantly is going to become exhausted and more likely to end up sick. Stress is part of life. Not all stress is bad, and not all is tolerable. Most chams are fairly individual in how stress prone they are.
julianfremaint
New Member
I understand, it makes a lot of sense. So if I were to show my panther a mirror to see the most vibrant variations of his colors once or twice he should be fine and healthy?
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
Should be fine.
The only time I would see this as having potential serious problems is for a chameleon who is still adjusting to a new environment, or one that is sick or has a weakened immunity. No amount of unnecessary stress would be advisable then.
