How "Smart" are chams?

[jampen]

I'm pretty sure, after one month of cohabitation, that Mel recognizes me; if not as a friend, then at least as the big animal that brings him crickets and water.

He's not afraid of me, i.e. he doesn't get defensive or try to move away when I reach into his cage.

When I go near his cage he looks at me, not just at me, but at my face, like eye to eye. Then he looks at my hands, seemingly, to see if I am bringing his white dish of crickets. It seems there is a lot of processing going on behind those incredible eyes.

How large is a chameleon brain?

Have any studies been done on cham intelligence?

 

[renzo0684]

I'm pretty sure, after one month of cohabitation, that Mel recognizes me; if not as a friend, then at least as the big animal that brings him crickets and water.

He's not afraid of me, i.e. he doesn't get defense or try to move away when I reach into his cage.

When I go near his cage he looks at me, not just at me, but at my face, like eye to eye. Then he looks at my hands, seemingly, to see if I am bringing his white dish of crickets. It seems there is a lot of processing going on behind those incredible eyes.

Have any studies been done on cham intelligence?

Mine used to like me and I thought it was awesome now I believe he plots my death during the night!

 

[jampen]

Death by tongue lashing. Chuckle :]

 

[hallenhe]

This has come up before a couple times; try a search on "smart" or "intelligence". Many show some ability to recognize/distinguish between people. When mine got out (of the living room) and found the crickets, he made a beeline back to them when he had the chance. He recognizes (and hates) the syringe for his oral calcium, and he knows when his antibiotic shot is coming and struggles (but hasn't learned not to climb right on to my husband's proffered arm right before the shot). He knows that the front door leads outside (or inside) and gets agitated/excited when brought near it.

 

[dirrtybirdy]

im envious of all the chameleon owners who's chameleons let them hold them.

mine will see me and start hissing. if i put my hand next to him, hes already lunging to bite

 

[zingaferd]

My chemeolon learned to recognize what a mirror is. He also understands the back door and always goes right to it when I let him out. Unless I leave the room then a few minutes later I always find him trying to crawl up my leg in the other room. And when running around the house he will go back into his cage to go to the bathroom. Then come back out again.

 

[KatiLemons]

My oldest male (I got when he was 6 months) definitely recognizes who he trusts and who he does not trust. When I first got him, I put in the time and patience to start handfeeding and allowing him to get used to me. He eventually started to come up onto my hand and he loves to come out now at 4 years old. He does recognize who my boyfriend is and he trusts him but when anyone else comes over he won't go to them or take food from them.

 

[Carlton]

I guess it depends on how you define "smart". A huge word with a vague meaning.

If smart means how well does a cham solve a problem or contemplate the world, I'd say they are not at the top of the pile.

If smart means they are socially sophisticated, again chams would not be all that smart.

On the other hand, if smart means how well they remember climbing routes, territory boundaries, recognize individual chams or humans they would be really smart. After all, a cham's eyesight is their most important sense and probably the most highly developed sense.

They are as smart as their environment demanded they be...not too much extra. They are not monitors and didn't need to be, thank goodness (don't worry, I like monitors...but they are almost too smart for ME and I'd fret over how to keep one occupied and content. I don't worry too much about keeping a cham happy).

 

[oblgobl]

I think reptiles in general (lizards in particular) are smarter than people give them credit for. Chameleons can definetly recognise diferent people as one of my girls hates me for some reason but doesn't mind anyone else. Although they don't talk they do communicate with each other with colour. They can learn certain things like were their feeding cup is and things like that but they don't have a puzzle solving brain. I don't think they'd rank especially high to be honest even in the lizard world.

 

[junglefries]

Two of mine passed the mensa test and a couple can't even spell their names. Just saying. I blame their teachers.

 

[Camsofcali]

Pretty smart for a lizard

One of my male panthers used to watch to see if i latched his cage or not. Before I realized he was watching this he'd get out and crawl across the room and into my females enclosures. I used to never latch shut the cages and just leave them closed. No need to latch right, there not smart enough to figure out that type of stuff.. Ha! This guy sired two clutches like that before he was even a year old, pretty much on complete accident. One that's actually hatching right at the moment. I ended up watching him a few times after I latched the cage and acted like I left the room vs. leaving it unlatched and leaving and he wouldn't try to leave his enclosure if the latch was engaged. I definitely thought it was kinda funny when I came back in the room a few hours later and he was in a completely different cage lounging with the ladies..

 

[kplatvoet]

This is an interesting read on reptile intelligence.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/19/science/coldblooded-does-not-mean-stupid.html?_r=0

 

[Psychobunny]

I guess it depends on how you define "smart". A huge word with a vague meaning.

If smart means how well does a cham solve a problem or contemplate the world, I'd say they are not at the top of the pile.

If smart means they are socially sophisticated, again chams would not be all that smart.

On the other hand, if smart means how well they remember climbing routes, territory boundaries, recognize individual chams or humans they would be really smart. After all, a cham's eyesight is their most important sense and probably the most highly developed sense.

They are as smart as their environment demanded they be...not too much extra. They are not monitors and didn't need to be, thank goodness (don't worry, I like monitors...but they are almost too smart for ME and I'd fret over how to keep one occupied and content. I don't worry too much about keeping a cham happy).

I agree, intellegence means different things to different people, and a clear definition would be needed. Clearly, they are smart enough to learn and survive in the wild. As far as problem solving, somethimes they surprise me. For example, I had a panther who liked to squeez himself under the thin gap under the UVB fixture. One time, I placed my hand in his way, and he tried to push it out of the way using his nose and body as a sort of ram.
It was the first time I had ever seen a cham use any part of it's body to move something.
Other then that, they do learn from repitition and know to associate seeing me approch the cage with either food, or being let out.
It's most interesting to watch their behavior when out of their cages and on the free range.

 

[wetrippymaine]

My little guy scratches and paws at the door when he wants out, he also watches tv with me and will keep constant eye contact with the screen until the movies over. I'm convinced theyre pretty damn smart.

 

[StepHh8]

Every time I put my hand in the chameleon cage, He will check out my hand because I feed him by hand a lot.

 

[Lathis]

My Jax Ferdinand certainly recognizes people and their habits - my husband hand feeds, I dont, and he watches my husbands hands like a hawk. He has a memory like an elephant, and he can puzzle out access and escape routes like a pro.

That said, one time, he got stuck in a shoe. I love him and he is far more clever than I ever expected from a small reptile, but I would never call him "smart".

 

[Trace]

That said, one time, he got stuck in a shoe.

You spelled passed out wrong.

 

[Lathis]

You spelled passed out wrong.

Hardy har har

 

[heather89]

im envious of all the chameleon owners who's chameleons let them hold them.

mine will see me and start hissing. if i put my hand next to him, hes already lunging to bite

Don't give up hope on all chams! I had a veiled that hated me for no reason (except when he was really ill one time and didn't have the energy to be a brat). That was 9 years ago and after he died I took a break from chameleons because I thought they were going to be friendlier. Well I got a Jackson's early this year and he is great (1 year old). He will hold out to eat until I hand feed him, although if he sees that's not going to happen he concedes and eats off his platform. He also greets me at the bottom of his cage when I come in in the mornings. And he's never hissed or lunged at me.

Also! Almost a month ago I got a 2.5 year old panther. I was worried with both these guys that they wouldn't be open to being handled by me because I hadn't had them since they were babies. Definitely not the case. My panther is super friendly and can be held regularly. He has also never hissed or lunged. He had to go to the vet this last Monday and he was such an angel. Sitting with me. He was calm and wonderful.

The gist of this being, not all chameleons are the same. And there will be some that hate, but there are also some that are wonderful

 

[ChamAllen]

Two of mine passed the mensa test and a couple can't even spell their names. Just saying. I blame their teachers.

I agree, my Panther Ziggy isn't very bright (I caught him trying to cuddle with a veiled in my free range) and all my Meller's are about average but the smartest of all chameleons are clearly the Giant Fisher's Chameleons.

Fisher's can clearly problem solve. When I approach their environment they don't fear me at all but all of them line up to get out in anticipation of the screen door opening. As soon as I open the door they all head out showing they know that they are in a cage. Their memories are fantastic as they've learned the fastest routes to the bookshelves and the upper plant ledges. I can spend hours watching them "escape."

The other chams are really not aware of their restrictions.