Temperament. Nature or nurture?

[Justin18]

Are chameleons temperament based off genetics or environment? Or a combination of both?

Since I got my Chameleon from my girlfriends parents I get to see my veiled's parents fairly often and I've noticed the mom is extremely friendly while the dad on the other hand is more of a grumpy old man, which leads me to believe temperament is based on genetics since those two chameleons are unrelated and the environmental part is exactly the same.

However, as a psychology major I've been taught many times that things like temperament are always a little bit of nature and nurture. Although psychology deals with humans and obviously chameleons aren't people.

So what are everybody's thoughts? Nature? Nurture? Or both?

 

[MCSEB]

I'm no expert. I know chameleons can get a little grumpy and give you temper when they're shedding. Also when they're hitting puberty. That's all I know. Hope this helps a little.

 

[Justin18]

Well I know things like that lol I was more curious along the lines of what determines their temperament (personality). Not short term things that can cause them to get a temper or grumpy (emotions)

 

[squeekz1992]

IMO its a little bit of both. Some chams are tolerant and others aren't. I've never met a neglected cham, so I can't really say as for how bad nurture affects temperament. But as for good nurture, it can totally affect a chameleon. Not in the same way it does a dog or bunny or cat or horse though.

 

[Justin18]

So how do you think nature (genetics) fits into all this?

 

[Olimpia]

Nurture does a whole lot. If you know how to work with a Chameleon then you can turn an aggressive animal around in anywhere from weeks to months. You can positively reinforce ”social” behavior with food and train them like you would other animals, condition them to some level of interaction. Maybe not to the point of where they reach out to you to be handled but to where they might come up to you for food vs. just running away hissing at the first sight of you.

 

[Justin18]

So would you say compared to nurture, genes play little to no role in a chameleons temperament?

 

[SMCNARY]

I think you are hitting the nail on the head as they say. Genes and enviroment both play a significant roll in the development of any living species. Although Herps/Reptiles can't feel love they can definitely be conditioned and also become familiar with certain people and places etc. (just my humble opinion)

 

[Miss Lily]

Well, I will add my exeriences to this! Since 20008 I have had 3 Veileds, all who were very clam and happy to be handled on thier own terms. The first female was at a reptile shop for her first 6 month, saw people every day and was regularly handled during that time. My second female I got at 3 months. She had not been handled and took a bit of work and patience on my part (plus some edible bribery). She woudl often wnat to come out for a wander around and was eventually quite happy with being handled.

Now, with my male, I got him at 18 months of age and he had been passed backwards and forwards through several homes already. The previous owner said he had bitten him, but he never showed any agression towards me, not even a hiss. He did get more grumpy as he aged though, and when his arthritic joints were causing him some discomfort he started to head butt, but I just left him alone as I knew he didn't want any contact with me. Even after all the adjusting he had to do in his short life he was such a sweet boy and loved to be out with me. I think a lot of it is how you are with them, it's kind of hard to explain!

My most placid cham has to be Monty, my Jackson. His parents were wild caught and he has never hissed or tried to bite. I got him at 7 weeks old and he is such a sweet and sociable little chap! When I get home from work I go up to his cage and he comes right to the front to see me! He is just adorable! Jacksons do seem to be mroe laid back in general I think.

My latest addition is a young Carpet chameleon - now he has mroe attitude than the rest of them put together! He will not even entertain the concept of hand feding. He hisses and lunges at me and I have no doubt he would bite me if he got half a chance! I know Carpets are more shy as a species and I only ever get him out for weighing and cleaning if he is at the front of his cage. Once he is out his angry colours (which are amazing!!) disappear and he is quite happy to sit on my hand or arm for a while. Yesterday he sat on my arm basking in the sun by the window - that was his first bask in the sun, bless him!

 

[Olimpia]

I think genes tell them to be wary of being discovered, be weary of predators, and be weary of anything that seems scary, which is why they tend to react with fear and aggression when cornered in their cages or forced to be handled. But with enough patience and work even very aggressive chameleons can (in my experience) gain a very noticeable level of comfort around humans. I think it depends on how well you can train/condition them with positive (food/sunshine) reinforcement.

 

[fluxlizard]

Selective breeding for temperament would make a big difference.

I've thought about this often with lizards- especially some of the more flightly species like green basilisks.

There was a really good article on this topic in National Geographic a couple years back. Scientists were studying this topic and had selected foxes for the best temperament and within a few generations they became dog-like in tameness and behavior...

 

[Justin18]

Wow guys! All great answers they definitely helped me get a better understanding on what effects a chameleons temperament. Thank you! I've seen several post on the forums where people said getting a chameleon with a good temperament was based on luck and I knew that could not be the answer... Thanks again for all the wonderful answers!

 

[fluxlizard]

More information on that fox study.

I'm pretty sure this is the same one that was in national geographic.

http://cbsu.tc.cornell.edu/ccgr/behaviour/
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/807641/posts

 

[thephotoprincess]

We breed our veileds and panthers based on temperament - they are all very comfortable around people and used to being handled and photographed. We also take them to educational events and have the public interact with them.

We also interact with the babies from the time they hatch.

Our male veiled, panthers and jacksons even free range in the same area with no problems.