How fast are chameleons?

[CloudsMystique]

Would it be okay to take him outside and set him on a plant or a table to take pictures of him?

I do this with my bearded dragon, who CAN be really fast, but I've never had a problem with him trying to run away.

I ask this because while I was at the plant nursery buying some ficus trees for him, the guy who was helping me happened to have a panther chameleon that escaped about a year ago and is now living in the nursery. He said he saw him up in the tree a couple days ago, but he can't manage to catch him.

 

[ColorCham427]

whaaaat?! its been leaving for a year in a nursery? insanely amazing!

i say its fine. just NEVER leave him with out ur eyes on him. never go inside the house, even if you have an eye on him. possibilites......

chameleons can surprisingly be much quicker than they appear... but they certainly cant out beat a beardy! nor a human with legs!

 

[summoner12]

They aren't THAT fast.... but... what they do sometimes is if they are in fear they sometimes do the escape back flip and then bolt. If your cham isn't very skiddish he should just sit pretty. If he freaks out a lot when he sees you, he might drop to the ground and run. If this happens they aren't THAT fast... they can move quick but only for short bits. Just don't leave him alone for any length of time.... 2 minutes is enough time for them to get away and hide well enough for you to 'lose' them and for him to get even farther as you search for him.

 

[Carlton]

Right. If you are right there taking the pictures no problem. He may freeze at first while staring at the new view, but chams are experts at sneaking off as soon as you take your eyes off him.

As for catching the panther at the nursery, the best time to try is at night or early in the morning when the cham is still cool and sleepy. At night most chams will show a brighter lighter coloration as they curl up to roost and you may be able to spot him with a flashlight. On a colder morning you could grab him before his brain is warmed up and reactive. Is it because the trees he's living in are too tall to reach?

 

[Fearaffect]

My one K. multi male is kinda fast....for a Cham......

When its breezy, he'll actually "catch" the wind and leap off the tree and "glide" some 15ft or so to make his escape. He's the only one I know that does this, surprised the hell outa me the first time he did it........

 

[summoner12]

My one K. multi male is kinda fast....for a Cham......

When its breezy, he'll actually "catch" the wind and leap off the tree and "glide" some 15ft or so to make his escape. He's the only one I know that does this, surprised the hell outa me the first time he did it........

15'? Wherefore he live? I take it he escaped?

 

[Fearaffect]

Oh no, he didnt make it.......lol I saw him "fly" off.....little shit....then I put him back on the tree.......and he did it again!!! Put him back in the cage after the second attempt......he doesnt get to go out anymore........

 

[CloudsMystique]

Thanks for the advice, everyone : ]

As for catching the panther at the nursery, the best time to try is at night or early in the morning when the cham is still cool and sleepy. At night most chams will show a brighter lighter coloration as they curl up to roost and you may be able to spot him with a flashlight. On a colder morning you could grab him before his brain is warmed up and reactive. Is it because the trees he's living in are too tall to reach?

I think that's the problem. He's living in some oak trees, I believe. It's totally open, so he could leave anytime he wanted, but he stays there.

 

[summoner12]

So I read this right? he would jump 15 feet?

 

[Fearaffect]

So I read this right? he would jump 15 feet?

Yes, He was up 8ft.....got windy, then..........IM FLYING!!!! LOL He jumped into the wind!!! and glided down roughly 15ft away!!!! craziest shit u wouldve ever have seen!! I didnt even believe it thought it was just a leaf, then looked for him and then noticed the "leaf" was making a run for it!!!

Now, I dont know how the frack he did it, or if it was just the wind caught him or something, but yea, he landed 15ft away Id say...........second time he was within a foot or 2 of the exact same spot.

 

[Fearaffect]

ok, just took the tape measurer out, measured how far he had went.......

SOOO, U know......it was CLOSE to being 15ft......lol

Roughly 10 ft away.......but if u add height that he was at.....then it gets closer to 15ft.........

 

[summoner12]

wow thats pretty cool.

 

[Fearaffect]

wow thats pretty cool.

well, im just glad the little guy didnt break anything....u know....

Grass hadnt been mowed in almost 2 weeks so was a pretty good buffer for him......but still the second time I was mad.....lol little shit found out how to get away and did it right in front of me!!!!

 

[summoner12]

lol thats pretty funny.

 

[HairyScaryMark]

Here was me worrying when my guy fell of a chair onto the grass. Still will make sure not to let him fall again anyhow.

Crazy that there is a Panther Chameleon living in a plant nursery. It's a big greenhouse so sort of could sustain a suitable enviroment for the creature? Still craziest thing I heard today.

 

[fishy12]

lol then u see a hawk u go from wow to...........oh shit!

 

[Carlton]

There's a written account somewhere from an explorer in Africa who had a melleri come crashing down out of a huge (could have been 30-40 feet up)rainforest tree in front of him, get up and walk away as if it was nothing. The native guides told him that melleri throw themselves out of trees and burst open on the ground to release their babies. Also that during droughts they leap out of trees to sacrifice themselves for the younger ones. Chams can fall a long way without hurting themselves actually. I've had chams fall off tall curtain rods, shower curtain rods, and cabinets onto hard floors. If the have time, they puff themselves full of air before hitting.