I need veteran opinions

[Tartan]

I made an observation tonight, curious if I'm somewhat right or just stabbing in the dark.

Tonight I turned off my Jackson's (Neera's) lights to get some nice pictures on her lovely green and yellow coloring.

All was well until I turned the flashlight (dual LED flash) so I could get the picture...as soon as I did she got up and took off down the branch originally I thought I had spooked her with the light, but she didn't change colour. Instead she stood up on hinds and zapped a cricket in the corner of the enclosure.

This got me thinking and pondering.

Can Neera even see the crickets on the top of her cage due to the bright lights...because once my light had illuminated them she went right for it....what is everyone else's ideas or observations and is a lower light pointing up an idea.

When I put the crickets in they go to the roof and she doesn't seem interested at all. It was almost lights out time for her and it was just odd lol.

This is her btw....how does she look to you guys?

 

[maxttu]

She looks nice and healthy! Do you observe her eating throughout the day at all? I know what you mean about the crix. If my guys don't get to them fast enough, they do congregate on the top by the heat lamp. They usually don't last too long. My pigs know their tricks!

 

[Tartan]

Yeah she noms some of the crickets on the branches and leaves. I'm having a hell of a time keeping humidity but that's a different thread hahaha. Mine all pack up in the edges and corners and she just ignores them....I even have difficulty spotting the chirpers through the glare of the light. She poops and there is a ton of white stuff with it so I presume that's the 'urate' people talk about....saw her drinking from my dripper for the first time lol

Btw you have no idea the smile on my face after you saying she looks healthy....

 

[maxttu]

Well, she is pretty! How long have you had her?

I know that you mentioned humidity? You can cover up 1-2 sides of the enclosure with plastic sheeting and up your mistings. This should help.

 

[Tartan]

I've had her approximately 2 weeks. I'm still in the panicky stage....she was a rescue from where I work...some idiot picked her off a branch and ripper off her toe nail...got infected....was medicating her and helping it heal at work then brought her home once it looked much better...her entire leg was swollen up.. (Closest leg in the picture) only signs anything is wrong is sometimes when she tries to climb the sides she is unsure of her footing due to the missing nail...

 

[Tartan]

I may have figured out my downfall I was using a therm/hydro combo digital readout for my humidity and basking spot....so my humidity always looked Low... I put an analog hydrometer in the lower half of the cage in the shade and its sitting at 70 steady now for almost 3and a half hours... I also put up some cling film on the back of the cage...my screwing with the cage must come to an end today but here are some pics of my "she can't see the roof situation"

Here are a few pics of my enclosure with my side mounted CFL (so its not hot) and some pictures of her "quit pestering me dammit" colour.

 

[mcbdz]

Hello. Just in case you haven't watched this video, it may help. He tilts the bulb so it isn't straight down, but tilted out. May help. And how he cares for jackson's is awesome.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKTbUaOQ0aA&feature=related

 

[phylicia]

Answer to TARTAN

I HAVE BEEN NOTICING ALSO THAT MY SIX MONTH OLD Panther Chameleon Nosey be doesnt eat the crickets right above him under the basking light..I wonder alsi Do they get blinded by light and dont eat them because they cant see them the light is too bright?..

 

[TheLivingLegend]

I HAVE BEEN NOTICING ALSO THAT MY SIX MONTH OLD Panther Chameleon Nosey be doesnt eat the crickets right above him under the basking light..I wonder alsi Do they get blinded by light and dont eat them because they cant see them the light is too bright?..

To be honest, Ive thought the same thing lately. If it hurts my eyes, then it probably hurts theirs. My fixtures have dimmers and turn my heat lamp down a hair so its not so blindingly bright. The led light probably was a visible light to chameleons.

 

[TheLivingLegend]

Yeah she noms some of the crickets on the branches and leaves. I'm having a hell of a time keeping humidity but that's a different thread hahaha. Mine all pack up in the edges and corners and she just ignores them....I even have difficulty spotting the chirpers through the glare of the light. She poops and there is a ton of white stuff with it so I presume that's the 'urate' people talk about....saw her drinking from my dripper for the first time lol

Btw you have no idea the smile on my face after you saying she looks healthy....

Yea keeping humidity can be a pain. Cover all the areas you want to the best you can and seal it off somehow so the air cant breathe out from under it.

 

[jmmcnally1]

jackson

he looks good man

 

[Tartan]

After putting my cfl bulb on the side of the enclosure she has been zapping the crickets off the roof no problems....

I had a funny feeling when I put that flash light on them

It's a case of glare I think..that's why old fighter pilots flew toward the sun it's so their attacked could not see the dark object behind the bright glare... I've figured it out and I'm surprised but pleased!! Let me know what you other guys observe.

Also legend I can't seem to get a great seal but as you can see my enclosure isn't exactly densely populated. Lol

Sorry for spelling mistakes...stupid auto correct.

 

[Ulrich]

In nature they rarely shoot above their head but horizontal or downward. I think it is an interesting thought to assume light reflection as a source of that behaviour. Should investigate more.

 

[Tartan]

Set this test up...

(Control)
At feeding time
Place a cricket on a branch and measure the time taken till it gets eaten

(First test)
At feeding time
Turn on all lights
Place a single cricket on the screen top
See how long it takes for the cricket to get eaten...

(2nd test)
At feeding time
Place a cricket on top mesh again with lights off
And use a flashlight to point at the cricket
Measure amount of time taken.


(Conclusions that may be gained)

If the control time is less that both top mesh tests then they don't tend to look up

If control test is less than the first test with lights on but marginal with lights off then they the glare from our lights is impeding their eyesight...

If the control test was slower than either...you did it wrong ^_^


If a few people could do this we could find some interesting ideas.

Disclaimer : this is purely a "who woulda thunk it" experiment and in no way correlates to any other chameleon captive or wild.