Chameleon psychological experimentation/communication

[MonoNatural]

Hello,

As far as anyone knows, has there ever been a successful experiment to communicate with a chameleon? I have a set of NanoLeaf Aurora programmable colored panels, and I am attempting to design an experiment to illicit a color-display response from my male veiled chameleon.

Essentially I want to see if I can make him do a colorful display in response to some colored panels in the same room. (He likes to watch the panels already.)

Please share any experiences you may have had involving objects, colors, or methods that have caused unusual responses in your chameleons. Please mention if your chameleon has ever reacted to colored or patterned objects.

What situations are most likely to illicit a dominance color-display? (basking, prowling, morning, pm, evening.)

Thanks in advance for your participation!

 

[kinyonga]

Are you doing this for a study or for your own personal curiosity?

They react to phones, cameras likely because they are dark and they can also see reflections in them.
They react to you sometimes if you wear certain colors of clothing or certain patterns.
They react to certain motions...like rocking.
They usually recognize the container that the insects are in as well and I've had a couple of them realize that when they saw the needless syringe it was bad tasting medicine too.

This might help...
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/training-behaviors.138005/

Not chameleons but you might find this interesting...
http://livingwithlizards.com/lizard-intelligence/

 

[MonoNatural]

Definitely for my own curiosity and to give my little guy some entertainment. After noticing that he likes watching nature documentaries with animals (though he is terrified of snakes), I started thinking about what specific visual elements will illicit positive moods and bright colors (not necessarily at the same time.)
Phase-2 of my plan actually involves putting a mini television set, of sorts, either in or mounted outside his enclosure.

Yes I think chameleons recoil from cameras perhaps because it looks like an eye. My chameleon is an 8mth old male veiled, and he is going though a bit of a phase of not being very colorful (with light greens) when hes awake, despite ideal conditions and being 100% happy otherwise. Some other threads here have concluded that some Veileds just stay their brown-ish 'basking colors' their whole waking life.....so I am hoping his interest in visual stimulus can be used to encourage colorful displays. He does not react with a dominance display to mirrors yet. He does put on a aggressive and colorful display if he is enraged because I am trying to handle him on one of his bad days.

So far I am basing my methodology of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and A Clockwork Orange...but without the cruelty.

 

[Trent H.]

Definitely update us as the experiment goes on. I'm very curious about what will happen.

 

[MonoNatural]

Thank you. I will update in the near future!

 

[kinyonga]

One thing to keep in mind...if he's reacting to things it's likely a stress related reaction that is making the changes happen in most cases. Too much stress is not a good thing.

 

[MonoNatural]

One thing to keep in mind...if he's reacting to things it's likely a stress related reaction that is making the changes happen in most cases. Too much stress is not a good thing.

Yes, thank you - But in this case I think his problem is not enough stress. Like they talk about in this article: http://sydney.edu.au/news/sobs/1699.html?newsstoryid=12915

I think these many months of over-abundant food, complete lack of competition or predatory stress, and due to his pet-store origins probably an early separation from his siblings - have contributed to his recently-dull coloration while awake. (Though there are at least 5 or 6 strong theories about this exact scenario in these forums, going from individual variations to 'teenage phase,' etc.)

It is fully my intention to introduce some beneficial visual stressors into his routine so he has more to look at than my living room and whatever I'm watching on tv.
Anyway im always very careful....now where did I put the lazers? (Edit: Just kidding!!!)

Phase 2 will be significant and get its own thread. The idea of replicating 'natural' lighting, temperature, humidity, vegetation, cycles, etc has all been done - but almost nothing with simulating the psychological conditions of nature! (auto-feeder mechanisms are one step) There is much room for growth here.

 

[Longhorn1234]

Can you explain how an auto feeder mechanis is an stimulant of psychological conditions in nature?
Thanks

 

[MonoNatural]

Its a simulation of nature (somewhat), because it keeps the chameleon moving around and looking for food, as opposed to being able to find it in a cup every time, for instance. 'Free Roaming' your crickets in the enclosure is a similar effect, but you end up with a lot of cricket crap on the screen from any survivors - so I don't do that.