environmental enrichment

[lysinlight87]

Do chameleons benefit from any form of environmental enrichment?

I know it's easy to anthropomorphise them or to mistakeningly interpret their behavour in the same way you would interpret a mammals. Ie. assume that they get bored, want affection, want to play, etc.....but my guy sits in his cage 24/7, is he happy with that? Can I make his life more interesting or does it not matter to him?

My axolotls do the same, so I invested in a rather expensive piece of driftwood, thinking they might play, but they still seem to prefer to sit and stare into space all day lol

Is it that chameleons have no need to play, being largely solitary creatures; or that they don't have the intellegence or brain structure to behave that way? It interests me, trying to work out what makes them tick.

 

[Kate]

I know what you mean. They don't know any other life. Popeye knows what he wants. When I go to his viv to spray, feed or clean he will either sit and look at me. Run away or reach out to be taken out. He likes to sit on the windowsill and look out or climb up the lamp by my chair. As far as coming out the viv, there is no hesitation when he wants to. Each comes with its own personality.i don't know if this constitutes intelligence .

 

[Ulrich]

Interesting question as we tend to humanize our pets quite a bit. In the first place they are ambush predators. They definitely have no need to be social, but they need to stimulate their senses of hunting and hiding. For me, I don't cup feed but let the prey roam free as well. They tend to get excited sneaking on a prey, trying to find their best way towards the best position to shoot - through the thick foliage of the enclosure.

 

[lysinlight87]

Oh yea, no doubt they have characters As you said, they know what they want & what they don't want.

 

[lysinlight87]

Interesting question as we tend to humanize our pets quite a bit. In the first place they are ambush predators. They definitely have no need to be social, but they need to stimulate their senses of hunting and hiding. For me, I don't cup feed but let the prey roam free as well. They tend to get excited sneaking on a prey, trying to find their best way towards the best position to shoot - through the thick foliage of the enclosure.

Perhaps, I should try free-ranging his food again. I stopped because the insects were munching on him, but he eats a lot at the moment. Would give him some stimulation

 

[pssh]

Other than offering a variety of foods, I dont do much else. They often go crazy for flying foods. It's fun to watch, and it appears that they enjoy the treats.

Natural sun would be good too. Being outside seems to perk them right up.

Edit: try tub feeding if you have the issue of leftovers nibbling on him. A tub allows for more hunting than a cup (though not as much as free ranging the food would.)

 

[Carlton]

Do chameleons benefit from any form of environmental enrichment?

I know it's easy to anthropomorphise them or to mistakeningly interpret their behavour in the same way you would interpret a mammals. Ie. assume that they get bored, want affection, want to play, etc.....but my guy sits in his cage 24/7, is he happy with that? Can I make his life more interesting or does it not matter to him?

My axolotls do the same, so I invested in a rather expensive piece of driftwood, thinking they might play, but they still seem to prefer to sit and stare into space all day lol

Is it that chameleons have no need to play, being largely solitary creatures; or that they don't have the intellegence or brain structure to behave that way? It interests me, trying to work out what makes them tick.

I'm so glad you are asking these questions! I've wondered about this a lot, so here's what I think. Consider what a cham spends its time and energy on in its wild condition...they are sit-and-wait predators who depend on their invisibility to hunt and escape predators. So, they won't be wanting to move all that much except to bask, drink, hunt, mate, guard their turf. Wild chams defend a territory, they don't range over a huge area. Give them familiar pathways all around a fairly stable territory so they can announce themselves when they wish to. They are suspicious of change and like routine, so give them that. They prefer height, so let them climb as high as possible. They are almost totally dependent on one sense...their vision, so I think giving them a secure spot to watch the world go by is important for them. I think offering feeders in such a way that they can figure out just the right position to watch the movement, aim and shoot their tongues with some effort is satisfying and keeps their muscle tone and coordination tuned. I don't feed out of little cups placed in the exact same spot, but put a larger box in the cage below the main bushy plant and move it around so the cham can "solve the problem" and find, then select, its own food.

As they are "cold blooded" they may not have as much mental energy for lots of activities. Probably having the choice to move from one temp/humidity/light level to another gives their life more variety. Give them as wide a range of conditions as you can (which means as large a habitat as possible). Even a free ranged cham has choices, but over time they figure out their favorite spots and don't use the others. A contented cham may not be bored, just contented.

I'm not sure they "play" other than testing their skills as they grow up. It seems that most animals that play are more social ones because they need to learn what's acceptable behavior in a group. Chams are not socially motivated other than mating or dealing with a competitor. They don't raise or care for young or defend or live with their mates. There are a lot of skills they simply don't need to practice.

 

[lysinlight87]

As they are "cold blooded" they may not have as much mental energy for lots of activities. Probably having the choice to move from one temp/humidity/light level to another gives their life more variety.

This makes me think of insects. lots of simpler organisms move by kinesis, which involves moving faster & turning more frequently in response to a stimulus, until the desired conditions are stumbled upon. These are usually a result of simple chemical responses but can be intepreted as a conscious reponse quite easily (ie. I see a woodlouse running around and assume it knows where it's going). I know chameleons, and other reptiles have more brains, but the principles are the same- they respond to the environment and move to find the ideal spot-but they're not necesarily thinking much about it. The instinct is to move to somewhere comfortable

With my cham, there is a temperature gradient in his cage, but I'm not sure about humidity.

 

[lysinlight87]

I think offering feeders in such a way that they can figure out just the right position to watch the movement, aim and shoot their tongues with some effort is satisfying and keeps their muscle tone and coordination tuned. I don't feed out of little cups placed in the exact same spot, but put a larger box in the cage below the main bushy plant and move it around so the cham can "solve the problem" and find, then select, its own food.

I like this idea, I'll try moving his feeding cup around too. It's also entertaining for me to watch him hunt.

 

[Carlton]

I like this idea, I'll try moving his feeding cup around too. It's also entertaining for me to watch him hunt.

So, the REAL question is, who's enriching whom and why? Your cham may be motivating YOU to feed and spoil him. Devious, scheming little manipulators!

 

[lysinlight87]

So, the REAL question is, who's enriching whom and why? Your cham may be motivating YOU to feed and spoil him. Devious, scheming little manipulators!

good point...he may be much smarter than I think! lol

 

[Carlton]

This makes me think of insects. lots of simpler organisms move by kinesis, which involves moving faster & turning more frequently in response to a stimulus, until the desired conditions are stumbled upon. These are usually a result of simple chemical responses but can be intepreted as a conscious reponse quite easily (ie. I see a woodlouse running around and assume it knows where it's going). I know chameleons, and other reptiles have more brains, but the principles are the same- they respond to the environment and move to find the ideal spot-but they're not necesarily thinking much about it. The instinct is to move to somewhere comfortable

With my cham, there is a temperature gradient in his cage, but I'm not sure about humidity.

I love this! (Especially the image of that poor woodlouse not knowing where it's going). Cause and effect...action and reaction. The most intelligent, sophisticated human on earth still eats when their stomach growls or they won't be intelligent for very long. We can only interpret behavior through our own unless we train otherwise.

 

[lysinlight87]

I've seen many a lost woodlouse....lol
Next year I get to study animal behaviour at uni, can't wait! Perhaps it will shed some light on this topic

 

[GarynTampa]

I try and mix up my feeding techniques throughout the week.

I love to show off his feeding to my friends and his tongue is LONG...a great conversation peice that always gets ooooh's and awwwww's.

He will get finiky at times, so I free range a few crickets and he loves to plan his attack with his stealth.

Superworms and butter worms are fed from a small plastic feeding cup. He knows where to bask to get these treats as well.

My idea of hand feeding is to keep him reminded that Im a a friend...not another predator and now he lets me take him out of the enclosure without blowinig up and showing that he is scared or territorial. After doing this for 2 weeks, he now comes to the front of the enclosure every time I open the door!

I am sure he recognizes me..at least I THINK he does!

Gary
Tampa, FL