Is he happy?

[BabyChamCham]

My male veilds usual colors are lightish green with brightish yellow stripes. I'm sure these are happy colors but just wanted to make sure. He goes even brighter when I handle him... Normal? Thanks.

 

[Carlton]

Actually, the term "happy" doesn't really reflect what's going on in his brain. When a cham is stimulated and reacting to something, their coloration tends to get brighter. Its not a degree of happiness, its a degree of stress, and stress can be good or bad. Stress hormones trigger color change in the skin cells. When you handle your cham he's reactive, so his color starts to change. Mild stress such as hunting prey, being handled, moving around patrolling his territory, etc. usually shows in nice bright more intense color. If the stress goes beyond excitement, it can shift into fear, territorial display, or outright anger. That's when their coloration tends to keep getting darker with heavier dark borders around color markings, a pattern of black spotting, or entire color changes (depending on the species).
In some ways, a happy cham is one who is content and not paying too much attention to anything. All's well in their world. Ironically, the cham's color can seem dull then. Think of it as a lack of reaction and lack of hormonal firing of those color cells in the skin. I like to think of this as their Lazy Boy mode...relaxed, dozing, slack-jawed, Saturday afternoon in front of the tv. So, if this meets the definition of "happy", fine.

 

[BabyChamCham]

Actually, the term "happy" doesn't really reflect what's going on in his brain. When a cham is stimulated and reacting to something, their coloration tends to get brighter. Its not a degree of happiness, its a degree of stress, and stress can be good or bad. Stress hormones trigger color change in the skin cells. When you handle your cham he's reactive, so his color starts to change. Mild stress such as hunting prey, being handled, moving around patrolling his territory, etc. usually shows in nice bright more intense color. If the stress goes beyond excitement, it can shift into fear, territorial display, or outright anger. That's when their coloration tends to keep getting darker with heavier dark borders around color markings, a pattern of black spotting, or entire color changes (depending on the species).
In some ways, a happy cham is one who is content and not paying too much attention to anything. All's well in their world. Ironically, the cham's color can seem dull then. Think of it as a lack of reaction and lack of hormonal firing of those color cells in the skin. I like to think of this as their Lazy Boy mode...relaxed, dozing, slack-jawed, Saturday afternoon in front of the tv. So, if this meets the definition of "happy", fine.

Just wanted to make sure he was entirely being stressed. Thanks!