Archimedes slept with me under the blankets this morning ^^

[PhoenixFeather]

I had the sweetest morning with my little guy today, and I wanted to share it with someone...

see I heard some rustling around 8 and rolled over to see Archimedes hanging off the edge of his FR schefflera pot peering intently at the container where I store his crickets.. so I got up and got him to climb onto my hand by offering a cricket and hand fed him 4. but I was still so tired I had to lie down, so I laid him on my chest (still on my hand) and held the blankets up over him like a cave so he wouldnt be crushed and he hunkered down all warm and comfy on my pinky finger and went to sleep. I think because the underside of my blanket is black so it looked like night and he was warm and had just eaten, he just got so relaxed he couldnt resist

Of course after a while of holding the blanket up this way I was exhausted so I turned onto my side and held him close to me, making sure the blanket didn't smother him and there was enough air circulation. We laid there for a good while like that. Even I started dreaming for a moment, though mostly I was just focusing on being very still so as not to disturb him

When I had annoyed him by lifting the blankets to check on him once too often, he crawled off my hand and went deeper into the blankets, nuzzling his soft little face against my other palm to avoid the light. It was so precious, he's just like a baby sometimes!

Again, after a while I was really sick of lying still, and I was wide awake at this point, so I was like "ok screw this, he can take care of himself" and I slowly moved my hand away from his face and let the blankets envelope him, stretched a bit, and waited for him to wake up. Only later when I was moving about impatiently next to him did he finally wake up and crawl out. I checked the clock and we had been lying together for 3 hours!! so then of course he climbed straight onto my face and decided to perch there for another half an hour before letting me move LOL

Has anyone else ever let their chammy sleep with them or had a similar experience? I know this was pretty long for such a simple tale but every moment was so magical to me I wanted to share every detail

 

[rango87]

what a lovely story.my ambilobe is only 9 weeks old.i hope mine turns out just as wonderful as yours is.

 

[ReptiGurl]

That's very sweet! I've never heard a story of a cham sleeping with their owner! That's a special moment you got there !!! So adorable!

 

[shaunaroxanne]

While I can see why you would think this is sweet, I don't want new owners to get the idea that this is even remotely a good idea. Chameleons are cold-blooded, they don't need or even want a blanket. They live in trees, not caves, it was probably not a pleasant experience for him. They don't snuggle, as much as we want to believe that they do. And having him eat and putting him to sleep is not a good idea either. Sorry to be a downer, but I think you should think things through a little more thoroughly.

 

[squeekz1992]

I had Pascal sleep with me for a little bit once
But mostly just my bunny and my pups
But once I woke up with my sisters guinea pig in my bed..lol

 

[PhoenixFeather]

While I can see why you would think this is sweet, I don't want new owners to get the idea that this is even remotely a good idea. Chameleons are cold-blooded, they don't need or even want a blanket. They live in trees, not caves, it was probably not a pleasant experience for him. They don't snuggle, as much as we want to believe that they do. And having him eat and putting him to sleep is not a good idea either. Sorry to be a downer, but I think you should think things through a little more thoroughly.

hmmm yeah I knew I'd get some criticism, but I still really dont think it was bad. Every chameleon is different, and I know my own pet better than you do. Of course chameleons dont need blankets, but apparently he didnt mind it. In fact I dont know why you'd be so certain that he didn't enjoy it. Chams love warmth, and a blanket plus my body warmth is just another way to get it. If it had been unpleasant he would have just walked off (trust me, he does all the time.) I would never force him in such a situation. It's true I am new to owning a chameleon, but I am not careless with my pet, nor am I ignorant. Ive worked very hard with him, and when we interact it's always at his pace.

I never said he was snuggling in the way you imply, just that he nuzzled his face into my palm (the nearest thing to him) in order to get more dark. just like how he hides his face under a leaf when he's sleepy but there's still a light on. not exactly extraordinary behavior considering the circumstances, but it was pretty cute

and about the feeding then sleeping thing, I get it. I really do. In fact the reason I put him in the toasty blanket cave was cuz he had just eaten some and I know warmth is vital for digestion. I never meant for us to take a nap together!!! That would have been idiotic and selfish. I thought he would just sit there enjoying the warmth, but apparently it got him so relaxed he dosed off. And then I didn't want to disturb him so it just kind of escalated lol. Anyway, I really think this is different from feeding him and then putting him to bed for 12 hours in the relatively cold temps of night time. plus it was just one portion of his food for the day, I didn't stuff him . I just really doubt there's anything serious to worry about with this situation, though I do appreciate your concern I know you are just trying to look out for what is best for the cham, and I agree that it would be bad for any owners to get the idea that this is behavior to expect or try to induce.

 

[Miss Lily]

You could quite easily have could have fallen into a deep sleep, rolled over and crushed your chameleon. That doesn't even bear thinking about. I know some chams can be very 'friendly' and want to be with you - I have had several myself, and my Monty is like a tiny green puppy rather than a lizard, but I would never knowingly put him in any dangerous situations, he's far too precious!

 

[Ulrich]

I have a friend who once had a baby croc (he is a bit crazy at times). He was told to hold them and hug them to tame them. Well. He fell asleep while hugging it and when he woke up his testicles were bitten off.

Ok, just kidding. But the croc was crushed.

I think we should not consider our reptilian friends as mammal like creatures. They are neither social nor too robust (especially when small as a Chameleon). We do interpret their behavior in our favor as they are our pets. But even the Cham that does tolerate you couldn't bother for you less.

Regarding your assumption of heat vs digestion: Putting them into the dark under a blanket will trigger their hormones to associate with night. And they will sleep and slow down their metabolism. Digestion will not take place. They are diurnal and can only digest when they are awake. Not when it is just warm.

Your story would be sweet when it is about a puppy. But with a reptile, I would not recommend this again. Don't get me wrong here.

 

[PhoenixFeather]

You could quite easily have could have fallen into a deep sleep, rolled over and crushed your chameleon. That doesn't even bear thinking about. I know some chams can be very 'friendly' and want to be with you - I have had several myself, and my Monty is like a tiny green puppy rather than a lizard, but I would never knowingly put him in any dangerous situations, he's far too precious!

yeah, I hear ya. I remember once when I was little I heard a story of a woman who crushed a kitten in her sleep. I remember thinking "What kind of an idiot sleeps with a kitten!!? That is careless beyond excuse " In fact I thought of that story as I laid down on my side with him and how I could ever look at myself in the mirror again if something like that happened.... yet I did it anyway. why? well because I wasnt undertaking it carelessly and I know my limits is the short answer.

I was awake and aware of him the whole time. (yes I know I said I was dreaming, I really meant more like "wake-initiated lucid dreaming" when I voluntarily enter a dream state while conscious of my surroundings and the fact that Im dreaming. not too uncommon for me) I wouldnt dare let myself fall asleep in such a position, even if I could have. like I said it was pretty darn uncomfortable most of the time because I was so conscious of him and I had to be very still/support the blankets. Don't worry, I dont think it'll happen again. My sleep is far too precious to me to disturb it with a needy little lizard

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

You know your chams better than anyone else and what is safe. Someone is always going to criticize in the hypersensitive world we live in. Great story, even better Cham!

 

[PhoenixFeather]

I have a friend who once had a baby croc (he is a bit crazy at times). He was told to hold them and hug them to tame them. Well. He fell asleep while hugging it and when he woke up his testicles were bitten off.

Ok, just kidding. But the croc was crushed.

I think we should not consider our reptilian friends as mammal like creatures. They are neither social nor too robust (especially when small as a Chameleon). We do interpret their behavior in our favor as they are our pets. But even the Cham that does tolerate you couldn't bother for you less.

Regarding your assumption of heat vs digestion: Putting them into the dark under a blanket will trigger their hormones to associate with night. And they will sleep and slow down their metabolism. Digestion will not take place. They are diurnal and can only digest when they are awake. Not when it is just warm.

Your story would be sweet when it is about a puppy. But with a reptile, I would not recommend this again. Don't get me wrong here.

wow I didnt know digestion stopped with waking consciousness.... that's so strange, thanks for telling me. Is there a link where I could learn more about that? I'm sorry about your friend's croc. thats really, really unfortunate. You dont have to worry about little Archimedes though, this isn't gonna happen again. It's just a funny little story I wanted to share

I know it's hard to trust someone you dont know to take care of an animal the right way, especially when we care so much about them and have seen and heard so many horror stories. so I really appreciate all the comments especially the concerned ones

 

[shaunaroxanne]

You know your chams better than anyone else and what is safe. Someone is always going to criticize in the hypersensitive world we live in. Great story, even better Cham!

There is a difference between criticism and guidance. But if you think you know better than the advise we are giving, y'all do your thing.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

There is a difference between criticism and guidance.

This is the truth of it 100%.

While we love our chameleons and other reptiles as much as we may love our mammalian pets we have to remember that they are not the same. Reptiles do not snuggle because they do not generate their own body heat, so this is a completely foreign concept to them. They do not bond to each other or have family or relationships with each other (with rare exceptions, like prehensile tailed skinks) so they do not enjoy snuggling under the covers in the slightest. You put your chameleon into a dark environment, which triggers the stress response - go to sleep because moving around when you can't see is going to attract predators that can see. Chameleons are prey animals so you have to see it from their perspective, which is quite different from ours as a dominant mammal. You took him away from his UVB and normal environment during the day when he should have been active, basking, and hunting. And it is true that it was dangerous for him because you could have rolled over on him. I know this was a special bonding moment for you, but it was not for him. He was scared and responded the only way he knew how. Sometimes we forget how differently animals think and respond to different situations. So this is not an activity I would recommend at all for those reasons purely for the sake of your chameleon.

 

[PhoenixFeather]

This is the truth of it 100%.

While we love our chameleons and other reptiles as much as we may love our mammalian pets we have to remember that they are not the same. Reptiles do not snuggle because they do not generate their own body heat, so this is a completely foreign concept to them. They do not bond to each other or have family or relationships with each other (with rare exceptions, like prehensile tailed skinks) so they do not enjoy snuggling under the covers in the slightest. You put your chameleon into a dark environment, which triggers the stress response - go to sleep because moving around when you can't see is going to attract predators that can see. Chameleons are prey animals so you have to see it from their perspective, which is quite different from ours as a dominant mammal. You took him away from his UVB and normal environment during the day when he should have been active, basking, and hunting. And it is true that it was dangerous for him because you could have rolled over on him. I know this was a special bonding moment for you, but it was not for him. He was scared and responded the only way he knew how. Sometimes we forget how differently animals think and respond to different situations. So this is not an activity I would recommend at all for those reasons purely for the sake of your chameleon.

ok I'm sorry, but you are just plain wrong when you say that "he was scared and responded the only way he knew how". He was NOT afraid. I know what that looks like. I spend at least an hour with him every day and have worked him up from being a fairly defensive/frightened guy (even hissing at times) to being extremely tolerant and accepting kisses and pets without a blink of the eye. I have plenty of experience with "scared Archimedes" and this was not him.

Also you've said he couldn't see with the blanket over him, that is not true. At first when he fell asleep I had him on my chest with the blanket held at arms length above him. that's a 1.5 ft window for light, and it was not dark in my room at all. Sunlight from a window and the lights over his plant lit it fairly brightly. Hence why he was awake in the first place. It was just shaded in the large blanket cave, but I think the blackness of the blanket might have tricked him. Still he could have crawled a few inches to get out from under the blanket's shadow, and yes I'm pretty sure he knew this as he could clearly see the light and the rest of the room. He is not dumb or cowardly. I think he fell asleep mostly because he felt comfortable and it was still early, and no I'm not projecting onto him. I happen to be very familiar with his personality and habits and I can tell his moods pretty easily at this point. So sorry if I take it a little personally that you're assuming I carelessly scare my pet to the point that he freezes and forces himself unconscious.

and about taking him from his UV light, gimme a break... is he never allowed to be taken away from his plant and lights ever? Not even for a few hours? He got uninterrupted access to a Zilla 50 tube light for nearly 9 hours today (without mesh between him and the light.) I have not even tried to interact with him since this morning. Is that somehow not enough?

and I already said I never claimed he was snuggling. at all. But just because reptiles have not evolved to take advantage of the body warmth of other organisms doesn't mean they are incapable of recognizing it when they are sitting on something that's radiating warmth all around them. And I can say from experience that some naturally solitary reptiles do pile up with others for warmth when they are put in an environment where there are a lot of others. in other words, an artificial environment. Unnatural environments sometimes provoke unnatural behavior, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing as long as the animal is still provided with everything it needs to stay healthy, which he is. I really think you've made way too many assumptions here. I understand that you don't know me and therefore see no reason to trust that I am even slightly competent, but I think this has gone too far. tbh Im a little sorry I even brought it up.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

I'm sorry if you think I was judging you. There is no need to take this so personally as that was not my intent at all. It can be difficult to understand animals that are so different from ourselves so I was just trying to offer another perspective to consider. Scared and stress are not the exact same. Maybe I should have been more clear: a stress response to being out of his element and in a dark environment will cause them to go to sleep because they are prey animals. And no, a few hours out of UVB is not harmful, but I don't want people to think this should be a regular occurrence.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

I'm not criticizing nor judging anybody, I'm saying that upfront.

After working in the pet industry for well over ten years here is an observation that held true many times over. Pet owners tend to attribute their emotions to their pets. In a sense people interpret their pets responses to various things in a way favorable to their needs as owners.

That said, I agree with ferretinmyshoes. I'd be concerned that one of the many new keepers who visit this site for info read this topic and come away with the wrong idea.

 

[DavidBuchan]

This is the truth of it 100%.

While we love our chameleons and other reptiles as much as we may love our mammalian pets we have to remember that they are not the same. Reptiles do not snuggle because they do not generate their own body heat, so this is a completely foreign concept to them. They do not bond to each other or have family or relationships with each other (with rare exceptions, like prehensile tailed skinks) so they do not enjoy snuggling under the covers in the slightest. You put your chameleon into a dark environment, which triggers the stress response - go to sleep because moving around when you can't see is going to attract predators that can see.......

I know there was more to your post Dayna. But since this sort of thing hasn't happened with my chams....but has with Ashleigh....I'm going to say you shouldn't tarnish all reptiles with the same brush.
Some are friendly.
While I have no experience of a friendly chameleon at all.....my last monitor lizard was very very puppyish.....Weller was the best pet lizard ever and he liked to sleep under my bed.
Personally speaking, from the attitude displayed by PhoenixFeather I get the impression that neither criticism or guidance is really required. Perhaps a gentle reminder as Miss Lily posted......or a hilarious comment like Ulrichs .....Trust the British sense of fair play on this one.......lol

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Friendliness is not the same. Many of my reptiles are quite friendly and while I'd like to think that they enjoy my company, that would be anthropomorphism. They know I am not a threat and are comfortable around me. I can still love them for it, but I don't have illusions that they love me back. I'm not going to subject them to the same treatment as my dogs or cats because of them being friendly. And for newbies I don't want them to get the wrong ideas.

 

[DavidBuchan]

Friendliness is not the same. Many of my reptiles are quite friendly and while I'd like to think that they enjoy my company, that would be anthropomorphism. They know I am not a threat and are comfortable around me. I can still love them for it, but I don't have illusions that they love me back. But I'm not going to subject them to the same treatment as my dogs or cats because of them being friendly.

Quite true. I should have said "friendly".......thank you for your continued corrections.

 

[PhoenixFeather]

ok thank you everyone, Im sorry if I snapped It's just that Ive worked really hard with him and had great progress, and though there's no way you could know his and my experience together, I couldnt help but feel frustrated that there are so many who seem not to trust that I can take care of him. I understand that it sounds like a really stressful situation for a cham to be in, but since I free range him he is used to lots of weird stuff and pretty much lets it all roll off his back nowadays. like going for shoulder rides, climbing curtains, sitting on chandeliers, taking showers, strolling along the rim of fish bowls, etc (Im always right next to him to supervise when he's out of his safe home-base area, usually with a hand out to catch him if he slips ) His life is an adventure I know, but I try to never push him past what's comfortable. It's taken a lot of patience, effort, and creativity to get him to where he is now. Such a good little guy, adventurous and way happier and more comfortable with life than he was before.