Chameleons and Glass

[zepedrowdp]

Hello.
I have a small question for people who use glass terrariums to keep their chameleons.

How do you avoid the chameleon seeing themselves as a reflex of the glass? I heard they can stress a lot if they see another one of their species!

If the light outside the terrarium is darker than the inside the glass will turn into a mirror am I right?


Thanks for the attention

 

[fluxlizard]

Hello,
I used glass terraria for several years for many chameleons.
Reflection was only a problem for a few minutes sporadically, and only certain times of the day when lighting was just right. Interestingly, those times were not necessarily at night when the room was darker than the tanks. I certainly do not remember a trend of lots of chameleons noticing their reflections after dark. Every once in a while one would notice itself and do a little bluff for a minute or two, but it didn't last long and I never saw one seriously stressed to the point that it was a true problem at all. The reflections were never like a real mirror, more like a ghost image, so most of the time didn't even register at all with the lizards...

 

[melric]

I've never really had a problem with that. You can situate plants around the glass and that might help.

 

[moriahliveson]

right now i am using a glass terrarium. i am saving up the money to get a screen cage i like them much more. but thank you for posting this cause i never thought of that. but i do have a problem with water at the bottom of the cage if i dont remember to check it a few times a day. i was wondering what you have at the bottom of your cage and also how you deal with water in the cage.thanks

 

[fluxlizard]

When I used the glass tanks, I used drip cups over the tanks and catch bowls inside. Water dripped either off of a single leaf into the bowl, or directly into the bowl itself. Many many chameleons drank from the bowls directly during the drip sessions (about 20-30 minutes long 1x per day). I would also lightly mist the tank morning and night for humidity. Light enough that within 1-2 hours it was dry again.

Using this method, I did not have problems with water accumulating at the bottom.

 

[leviw06]

chameleons are not afraid of their reflections. cant member where i read it but my cham looks at herself and even walks right up to her reflection and checks her self out. not threatening movemention or agressive actions more curiousity.

more of a "DAM! i look good" type of thing.

 

[fluxlizard]

It isn't really fear, and non-gravid females get along pretty well with other females anyway. Just occasionally males might think for a couple minutes their reflection is another male and then threat display at it briefly. No big deal.
At least that was my experience.

 

[RhinoAndDaisy]

my chams are happy in there home, my male rhino see's himself and walks up to the glass and touches it with his hands and head! like its his friend