He is so dark his whole body

[RikkiL]

I'm pretty sure nothing is wrong with him but he has been turning super dark all day like he just changes colors from light to dark and back and forth he has been eating and drinking. We added a fake vine plant thing in the very front thinking it was the reflection haunting him but nope still changing colors. I'm not sure if I should be in awe or oh nooo mode.

 

[DocZ]

Looks to me like he’s just soaking up the rays.

 

[RikkiL]

Looks to me like he’s just soaking up the rays.

That is exactly what I told my husband but he was like ask your group!!!

 

[DocZ]

That is exactly what I told my husband but he was like ask your group!!!

It’s good he was concerned .

 

[DocZ]

One of my hoehnelii would get super dark every morning during her tanning sessions

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

My panther would alternate light & dark when very young.
IDK if he was practicing or what, but it wouldn't surprise me.

How's your basking zone?

 

[Lindasjackson]

My Jackson’s gets very dark when basking other than that he’s bright green. Your guy looks healthy and alert so I wouldn’t worry too much.

 

[RikkiL]

My panther would alternate light & dark when very young.
IDK if he was practicing or what, but it wouldn't surprise me.

How's your basking zone?

I just looked and it seems to be about 83 right now where he is at

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I just looked and it seems to be about 83 right now where he is at

It could be a little warmer (85-90). It might explain the darkness.
https://chameleonacademy.com/panther-chameleon-care/

 

[RikkiL]

We had a 25wt bulb in the light fixture till yesterday and he was light colored on Friday and Saturday. We now have a 60 watt exoterra bulb in the fixture. He perks right back to happy colors while my husband hand feeds him.

 

[RikkiL]

My panther would alternate light & dark when very young.
IDK if he was practicing or what, but it wouldn't surprise me.

How's your basking zone?

I really feel like that is what he is doing just practicing all the moods

 

[ERKleRose]

It could be a little warmer (85-90). It might explain the darkness.
https://chameleonacademy.com/panther-chameleon-care/

Bill Strand changed it to that after big breeders complained to him about the lower (but proper) temps he used to have on there (lower temps means less egg production which equals lesser chams to be able to sell off). That’s one of the only things on his website that isn’t correct

 

[Beman]

They get darker when basking... It does not mean to make the temp hotter. Even veileds will go extremely dark while basking. They are simply turning the dark color for the heat. Dark gets warmer faster.... On a sunny day if you go outside in a white tshirt vs a black tshirt which one is going to be hotter? The black one. Same applies to their color changes while basking. I would leave temps where you have them at rather then increasing them. 83 is a solid temp for basking.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Bill Strand changed it to that after big breeders complained to him about the lower (but proper) temps he used to have on there (lower temps means less egg production which equals lesser chams to be able to sell off). That’s one of the only things on his website that isn’t correct

When was this? Going back to Sep, 2020, the panther care sheet said:

For temperature we are looking for something in the mid to upper 80s.
....
If your chameleon shows the following behaviors, bring the bulb closer [IOW, it's not warm enough]

1. Huddling under the bulb for more than 30 minutes
2. Hanging from the top screen panel under the bulb
3. Remaining dark and lethargic. After basking, they should take on resting colors.

https://web.archive.org/web/20200922162539/https://chameleonacademy.com/panther-chameleon-care/

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Bill Strand changed it to that after big breeders complained to him about the lower (but proper) temps he used to have on there (lower temps means less egg production which equals lesser chams to be able to sell off). That’s one of the only things on his website that isn’t correct

When was this? Going back to Sep, 2020, the panther care sheet said:

For temperature we are looking for something in the mid to upper 80s.
....
If your chameleon shows the following behaviors, bring the bulb closer [IOW, it's not warm enough]

1. Huddling under the bulb for more than 30 minutes
2. Hanging from the top screen panel under the bulb
3. Remaining dark and lethargic. After basking, they should take on resting colors.

https://web.archive.org/web/20200922162539/https://chameleonacademy.com/panther-chameleon-care/

That’s one of the only things on his website that isn’t correct

So you're sending people to a site with incorrect information... Hmmm...

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I really feel like that is what he is doing just practicing all the moods

OK