question about dead chams

[Dankmeleon]

when chams die their skin doesn't stay all nice and colorful does it?

I was just thinking and I was kinda of surprised there arent people out there that want chameleon clothes and wallets and such...isn't that terrible lol

i want a fake ambilobe pattern racing jacket though how tight would that be

 

[Lost Lake Chameleons]

They actually look their best when they die (color wise.)

 

[Cainschams]

That is wierd I would think they would be all black. Ok this might sound a little morbid but I will tell you guys anyway. I like to get dead animals like mice, birds, fox, etc. I leave them outside untill the bugs eat everything but the bones. I then put them in bleach for a long long timeand then make wierd bird mice bone structures using wire hahaha. I am going to do this with my chams when they die not that I want them to but it is certain that everything dies so.

 

[ChrisnLisa]

Not weird at all. We actually thought it would be quite interesting to preserve the skeletons of our chameleons after they die. We've discussed it on a few occasions.

 

[Justin Carl]

Here is what I know.
The chromatophores in the skin are contracted by the animal when it is alert.
I guess different contractions result in different levels of pigment to be shown.
That is why chameleons look so good when they are sleeping.
They arent controlling them while asleep because they have no need to.
So, if the animal is dead its "calm/at rest" colors would show.
IF someone would add to this that would be great.
Josh, you said,"They actually look their best when they die (color wise.)"
Is it better then sleeping colors or fired up?
Maybe a combination of both?

 

[xoiceox]

I completely agree. Last year in my speech class I did a speech about animals and the chameleon was my center of focus...

In all my research I observed what you are stating about the chromatophores. It's also due to the Melanin in their cells.

"When melanin particles are concentrated in one place inside the melenophores, the bright yellow and blue pigments in other skin cells can be seen. Then, a chameleon's skin usually looks green. When the dark melanin spreads out within the melanophores, it covers up some of the other pigment cells. This causes the skin to appear black. Other movements can create stripes and spots of color!"

Which brings to fact what you were saying... It doesnt take them effort to sleep and unfortunately portray their colors when they pass. So their natural cell colors come out



I'm going to school to be a Vet, specializing in exotics... I LOVE STUDYING ALL THIS STUFF ! There should be more threads like this one hehe

 

[ChromaChameleons]

wow.. awesome info.. thanks guys...

 

[summoner12]

hmmm my female didn't look very good when she died... nor did my panther. He was only 4 months old, which might explain his lack of interesting colors. But as for my female she was pretty ugly.

 

[xoiceox]

Aww Well like I was telling someone else the other day on here... When my girl died (r.i.p. Lily) she was 2 1/2 ,she wrapped her tail round my pinky and turned a gorgeous bright green color as she was takin her last breaths

 

[summoner12]

sorry to say ugly... she was a great cham! but I mean she was really dark. In a couple of places she was a nice green but dark everywhere else.

 

[Dankmeleon]

i hear that their eyes sink in almost imediately and what remains is an inward socket! sweeeet lol

 

[summoner12]

i hear that their eyes sink in almost imediately and what remains is an inward socket! sweeeet lol

It isn't very pleasant to find your beloved cham dead at the bottom of your cage.... and yes the eyes sink in.

 

[Dean Pulcini]

I had some WC carpets that died and looked sweet to bad they were dead.

 

[jojackson]

So has anyone ever had a chameleon Taxidermied?

 

[bbqandtinyb]

7 Years Ago

So has anyone ever had a chameleon Taxidermied?

Well.... not exactly.... but when I was younger, I had a veiled cham (Zena) that died. I put her in a cedar jewelry box that my sis had laying around; locked it with the key and buried her in the backyard. She's been there for about 7 years and I haven't dug her up because the key to the jewelry box was tied around my wrist until recently. Kinda weird, cuz once I picked up my panther (Kobe) the leather that I had used to tie it around my wrist started wearing out and broke off within a week. A sign from beyond? Don't ask me!!

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I'm going to dig her up later this week when I don't have school, but once I do I'll take some pictures if anyone wants to see

 

[summoner12]

Well.... not exactly.... but when I was younger, I had a veiled cham (Zena) that died. I put her in a cedar jewelry box that my sis had laying around; locked it with the key and buried her in the backyard. She's been there for about 7 years and I haven't dug her up because the key to the jewelry box was tied around my wrist until recently. Kinda weird, cuz once I picked up my panther (Kobe) the leather that I had used to tie it around my wrist started wearing out and broke off within a week. A sign from beyond? Don't ask me!!

View attachment 8307​

I'm going to dig her up later this week when I don't have school, but once I do I'll take some pictures if anyone wants to see

Couldn't you just let her rest?

 

[Chamaeleoeo]

my last cham looked gorgeous when he layed at rest...not like a fire up...but a very relaxed light green as though he was relaxed and happy.

 

[Predator9555]

Well.... not exactly.... but when I was younger, I had a veiled cham (Zena) that died. I put her in a cedar jewelry box that my sis had laying around; locked it with the key and buried her in the backyard. She's been there for about 7 years and I haven't dug her up because the key to the jewelry box was tied around my wrist until recently.

I think the idea of keeping the key around your wrist in memory of her is beautiful. However, i wouldnt dig her up, i think it would bring back bad memories of her death, and seeing her in a decomposed or skeletal state would be pretty awful for me.

 

[jojackson]

If the box is intact and you can peice together the bones You could re-assemble her skeleton and mount it. new life, pheonix from the ashes!

no idea what they are using for a tongue here

 

[ciafardo 4]

jo that is the actual bone that supports the tougue the tougue kinda srunches up on that bone kinda coiled then fires then recoils back onto the bone crazy huh!