Veiled cannibal

[tenchijin]

I found this on Youtube yesterday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jq6MiOem8c
A large male veiled has apparently eaten another veiled that must have been pretty large, given the length of its tail and legs/feet which haven't been swallowed.

Now, I've always assumed that they would cannibalize under certain circumstances, but I've never heard of a large male eating another adult/subadult of the same species. Has anyone else ever experienced this?

 

[chamillionaire3]

omg that is crazyyy! that was a huge cham that he ate?

 

[christyj637]

I think its fake, the legs and tail don't look real.

 

[Ashleigh]

Woooahhh....that was disturbing!!! here is another video that this guy made... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3O0WASPy80
he had three veilds in the same cage! How would he even live through eating another one?? I mean, we worry about feeding them bugs that are too big so they won't choke, but another chameleon??!! I don't even know..I'm shocked! lol

 

[AnvilsHammer]

Thats absolutely disgusting. Having three chameleons that are obviously not babies in the same cage is grossly ignorant of Chameleon care. Also how long did that chameleon go without food to think that another chameleon about the same size is worth eating. This guy should not own chameleons or any other animal for that matter. This is animal abuse.

 

[Chamlo]

It's real. Saw this a few months ago. Was angry. It is real. The guy is a member on the forums. Treated his three like crap thou. The largest one ate the other 2. The kid is an idiot

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Chameleons eating other vertebrates is documented from time to time in the wild. Eating vertabrates is considered by some to be a normal behavior in the wild for some species of chameleons. This however includes chameleons eating other chameleons. I have seen a couple of pictures of adult Furcifer oustaleti eating subadult Furcifer pardalis in the wild. I have also heard of Calumma parsonii eating newly born Trioceros jacksonii xantholophus from a wholesaler enclosure. The babies were being born in front of a adult female Parsonii and she ate some of them. All though this cannibalism happens occasionally this should be avoided in captivity.

 

[ataraxia]

Im not feeding into the guys mental problems and will not watch this video.. The more views he gets the more fuel for his sick ways. Why share the link to get more views? I have spent a lot of time watching these animals and have watched a lot of interactions. I dont believe a chameleon will attempt to eat another chameleon of same size. It has to be small enough to fit in the mouth and most importantly be retracted. I do know they will eat lizards small enough. Couple Months ago, Donahue crawled off the free range across the room and perched above a baby oustaleti bin. He did manage to eat two or three (i cant remember exactly) before i caught him. Lesson learned. No new news that they are cannibals but i highly recommend that anyone with respect not watch these senseless videos. No idea why in captivity would you subject another to a dumb act as this. Hope karma gets people like this at some point.

Idiotic links such as this should be removed. Nothing is to gain from this.

 

[Entomotile]

I had a larger male sibling try to eat his smaller sibling (at around 4 months)- they were in together for 15-20 while I cleaned/rearranged a cage. I turned around to find him giving it his best trying to consume something at LEAST half his size. I was able to rescue the smaller guy and other than not shooting his tongue properly (he was bitten on the neck which I assume damaged the underlying structures) he's fine. It was crazy to see and very shocking to me- but I guess if the movement catches their eye they will try and consume anything... I didn't watch the vid, seeing something like that once was more than enough but I'd say it's possible.

 

[MollyT]

I would think that the claws would damage his mouth or throat. Those things are sharp! What a horrible video! He shouldn't be allowed to own animals.