Overheating panther colorations

[Prism Chameleons]

Hi All,

I have noticed a few photos posted here on the forum that show white or very light yellow/orange colorations and I have also received some phone calls from customers regarding their panther chameleon's strange colors that they have recently displayed that is out of the norm. Please be aware that if your chameleon displays very, very light colorations, almost to the point of "white" with perhaps some light yellow and orange colorations, it is very, very possible that your chameleon is VERY overheated and close to death due to heat stroke.

Although in most of the country the hot spell has alleviated, there are areas that are still too hot for panther chameleons to be left outside in the sun without shade and water. If you see your chameleon displaying white colors or very light shades of their natural colorations, please be aware that your chameleon may be too hot and take them inside and provide them with their normal moderate temperatures and moisture immediately.

Sadly, I had a customer that became aware of this way too late to save their little guy .

 

[Will Hayward]

Just FYI too, a lot of people have cruddy cameras with even cruddier built in flashes, these tend to washout the lighter colours in photos. To get around this, you can tape a tissue over the flash, experiment with one, two or three ply.

 

[Lost Lake Chameleons]

jenna

could you please post links, or quote the pictures you have recently seen on the forums that show chameleons that are near death

i think everyone here would benefit from seeing people's chameleons that were suffering from severe heatstroke

josh

btw....Will....great use of the word cruddy

 

[Prism Chameleons]

I agree with Will that sometimes the quality of a camera or photos taken in angles with the sun may be part of washing out or bleaching of colorations in chameleons. Since that is the case, I'd rather not point any fingers to others here on the forum. I just felt it important for people to know about colorations that are signs of extreme stress and/or extreme overheating. Especially since I had a customer who lost a chameleon due to this and not realizing that his beautiful colors were a sign of distress and help.

Panther chameleons will lighten their colors as much as possible to reflect the sun off their bodies if they are too hot and in extreme cases will turn nearly white to do so under very, very hot temperatures. Just be aware of this and your naked eye to your chameleon rather than a photo will tell you a thousand words if your chameleon is overheated with white, light yellow, and light orange colorations.

Our chameleons may be silent, but their bodies tells us a lot .

 

[chameloman72]

jenna

could you please post links, or quote the pictures you have recently seen on the forums that show chameleons that are near death

i think everyone here would benefit from seeing people's chameleons that were suffering from severe heatstroke

josh

btw....Will....great use of the word cruddy

Yea, I would like to see this myself seeing as how I live in Florida and it's pretty hot here still!! I agree with you too Will, I will have to try that with my camera as that seems to be the problem, my flash goes off even when it's sunny outside!!

 

[Brain916]

Yea I think there should be some links/pictures shown so I know exactly what to look for...now I am paranoid!

I have seen him kind of white, but shades of white, he is only (about) 3 months old...

 

[Fidel]

I suspect some people do this on purpose to show off their sire and sell chameleons.

 

[Chameleons By Design]

I suspect some people do this on purpose to show off their sire and sell chameleons.

No Fidel. I think I speak for plenty breeders when we show pics of a sire we try to fire them up. What that means is we show the male a female and he will display some beautiful colors towards the female. At this point that is when we take our pictures. Also pictures of the sires could be at rest capture there natural beauty. But we would never deliberatly overheat an animal to get it to display some colors. Hope this clarifies everything for you.

 

[Will Hayward]

I suspect some people do this on purpose to show off their sire and sell chameleons.

overheating shows washed out, but light colouring in most cases.

 

[Fidel]

I suspect some people do this on purpose to show off their sire and sell chameleons.

I wasn't referring to anyone in particular, or anyone reputable for that matter. But I have seen it in classified ads on other sites. Not trying to rattle anyone's cage but it has happened.

 

[Lost Lake Chameleons]

I really think this thread is useless unless pictures of "near death from heatstroke" are given.


I understand that we should all head the warning that it is obviously unwise to leave a chameleon baking in the sun with no shade or water, but to call out some pictures you have seen, then not actually show those pictures, isn't doing anyone any good.

I could see this thread being useful, if in fact we were talking about, something that was normally all black, and a picture was taken when it was all white with sunken eyes. Unfortunately, we are talking about color changing chameleons, whos brothers and sister we couldn't tell apart because of all the differences in color.

I am having a hard time with the op calling out specific chameleons on THIS forum, offering a warning about sun and heat(which i agree with 100% if given as a general warning/reminder to everyone to be careful in the heat of summer-which the OP was NOT)

Cruddy cameras aside, I think everyone here would benefit from seeing these near death experiences you have observed. Thankfully, or I should say hopefully, all the posters of the pictures you are referring to, took their chameleons that were about to die from heatstroke inside just seconds after taking those photos and seconds before they were about to keel over.

Again, I need to restate that I 100% agree with a warning about temps, this being summer and all, but i think it should have been done without referring to people on this forum, or it should have been backed up with photos so that WE ALL AS A COMMUNITY could benefit from seeing what you see.

sorry for the ramble, just thought EVERYONE could benefit from visuals, since pictures do say a thousand words.

 

[Chameleons By Design]

I wasn't referring to anyone in particular, or anyone reputable for that matter. But I have seen it in classified ads on other sites. Not trying to rattle anyone's cage but it has happened.

Hi Fidel,
I just wanted to post again to make sure that you know that in no way was I lashing out at you. It was just a statement that colors being given off by chameleons during a heartstroke look completly different from those colors of a say male getting ready to breed. So I hope you understand that there were no cages being rattled.

Lost Lake Chameleons,
That was a very well written post and I cant agree with you more. This forum is to help others out. And how can we show say the inexperianced what a chameleon looks like with a heatstroke if we have no pics. So please anyone with these pics of chameleons going through this tough time please do post some pics.

 

[chameloman72]

Jenna,
I find it quite suspicious that you started this thread right after I started this one: https://www.chameleonforums.com/check-out-5863/!! Are you saying my panther is NEAR DEATH? I can assure you he is no where near dying or having heat stroke!! He is actually quite a bit healthier than a couple of the panthers I purchased from you!! I would surely like to see some of the photos that you ARE refering to as having heat stroke and near death!!

 

[Brad]

I don't see anything wrong with a general warning to the community. There are new keepers out there that may have found the warning useful. If Jenna does not want to name specific photos, that is her decision. She most likely made that decision in order to not publicly insult someone and cause a forum distraction, which has now unfortunately happened anyways.

 

[Prism Chameleons]

I obviously did a terrible job posting this thread with the intent to warn chameleon owners about excessive heat colorations to prevent possible heat strokes and death. As stated before, I had a very sad customer lose his chameleon because of this and I was only trying to prevent this sad occurrence from happening to another. This is the one and only reason I posted this thread. There is no other reason.

You are right Josh. I should have never said anything about photos on this forum. I will take this as a warning for myself to be very careful on how I word anything I may write on this forum or on any other thread. I posted this thread to help others and not for it to become a controversial issue with pointing fingers or accuse others of having overheated chameleons. I do not know if the chameleons in ANY photos are due to overheating as there may be many other causes for a panther chameleon to look washed out during photo sessions (i.e. quality of camera, settings on camera, sun position, etc.). I will take the “heat” for bad wording in lieu of posting other photos that may cause embarrassment and/or false accusations that may not be warranted due to other possible reasons for a washed out, light colored, white looking chameleon. I am just not that type of person… I care about other people’s feelings.

All of the criticism towards me on this thread is well taken and I will take that into consideration when I try to help others again. It is my bad wording and phrasing at the start of this thread that should have never been written.

It is plain and simple to tell if your chameleon is feeling overheated – very, very light colorations than is normal. Each chameleon owner should have an idea already what their chameleon’s normal colorations are in moderate temperature conditions. If someone can see that their chameleon is getting very light, near white colorations and it is HOT in ambient temperatures, then it is possible that the chameleon is in danger of becoming overheated.

Hot temperatures outside + chameleon is out in sun in hot temperatures + chameleon turns very light colors to reflect the sun off their body = possible overheated chameleon. Simple as that and common sense. Just be careful, that is all.

If this thread saves one chameleon’s life from too hot of temperatures, then the thread is worth it to me. And I apologize for my bad wording at the start of this thread.

To Chameloman72 – I hadn’t even seen your photo until you just linked the thread here. I hope all is well with you…

 

[Lost Lake Chameleons]

After speaking with Jenna, it is clear to me that this was a simple warning that might have been improperly worded, thus leading to whatever this thread has turned into. She was only looking out for the little ones with no voices, and only wants the best for EVERYONE"S chams.

I think we should all be aware of the temps in the habitats of our beloved chameleons. Always provide adequate shade, and make sure your babies have the opportunity to get away from the sun.

JOsh