Chameleon Licking Random Areas???

[Lukie Pookie]

So today I took out my little baby chameleon to go and chill in the sun a little bit. He was on this small rubber wire I put out for him to climb on and then he licked it about once or twice, but there was no water on it. I was about to go get the spray bottle because maybe he wanted a drink, but when I put my hand near him he started hissing and flaring I heard that a chameleon licking things also has to do with them claiming territory somewhere. Is this true??

 

[KingJulian]

My panther does it too. Not sure if it has to do with marking their territory, or if it's some way to feel if the branch is safe.

 

[ToniandGizmo]

So today I took out my little baby chameleon to go and chill in the sun a little bit. He was on this small rubber wire I put out for him to climb on and then he licked it about once or twice, but there was no water on it. I was about to go get the spray bottle because maybe he wanted a drink, but when I put my hand near him he started hissing and flaring I heard that a chameleon licking things also has to do with them claiming territory somewhere. Is this true??

I know that the males will rub their vents on branches to mark their territory, sometimes leaving sperm plugs... I believe that your cham is "tasting" or checking for these "marks". Just another way to see whose been using the branch.

 

[Jelloman]

Mine has been doing the same thing, he also shot his tongue at a drop of water??

 

[Thegreatfonz]

Chams can use their tongues like snakes so they use it to taste and sense things. I've never heard that it means marking their territory.
Shooting his tongue at a drop of water means he's drinking!

 

[VigilantSpearIII]

I think they do it to test water. Similar to a snake, a cham will taste the object to see if its edible, safe, etc. Still, just to be sure I always spray down some water on the area in case hes trying to tell me...H2O!

 

[ToniandGizmo]

Chams can use their tongues like snakes so they use it to taste and sense things. I've never heard that it means marking their territory.
Shooting his tongue at a drop of water means he's drinking!

They use their "other" end to mark and their tongue's to "read" the markings.