Is she scared of the snake?

[wodesorel]

I saw in another topic where chameleons are afraid of snakes.... I hadn't been able to figure out why Jane was always so dark when most of the females I see posted here are such a happy green. She eats without a moment's hesitation and basks in the open all day long, but could she be showing darker colors because she can see my kingsnake when he's out and about? He's getting moved in another month or two when we get the enclosures situated. (Jane's actually going to move to the spot where his set-up is now.) I can put a curtain up until then to block her view of him. He'll be pretty ticked about not being able to see what's going on, so I don't want to unless I need to. He can be a real jerk when he wants to be.

 

[kinyonga]

Chameleons can definitely react to the presence of snakes.

 

[jpowell86]

Your chameleon being able to visually see your kingsnake would absolutely cause stress and fear. The issue is not the stressful coloration you can outwardly see, but the amount of internal stress that you are not aware of. Chameleons are great at hiding their stress and sometimes they will not show many if any visual indications of high levels of stress. Constant stress on a chameleon can compromise their immune system and can in extreme cases lead to sudden death. IMO, I would place a visual barrier between these two guys before going to bed tonight.

 

[wodesorel]

Will do!

 

[jpowell86]

Awesome

 

[guanagator]

They definitely react to snakes, I have a snake rack in the same room as my enclosures and have timed my cleaning and care taking duties so that the Chams don't regularly see any of the snakes however on the occasion I have a python out to show someone else I've noticed the panthers darken up, quad males show no reaction and the quad female is shy and moves to her hiding spot whenever I'm in the room regardless of snakes. Bottom line is less visual contact between your Cham and anything they view as a potential predator. I'm not willing to stress my chameleons enough to know for sure but I do think it's more than the snake movement and maybe color related, I have a BEL and they don't seem to react at all if she's out but the leopard pastel and clowns gets them all fired up, I think the black/ yellow plays a roll. I've also worried about the pheremones from the snakes around causing residual stress and think ultimately I'll have them in separate rooms for multiple reasons, mainly temps.

 

[wodesorel]

She's lightened up and has pinks again for the first time since getting her home.

Honestly, I never even thought about it bothering her once she saw him and didn't immediately react. My tree frog went ballistic the first time she saw him, so I look for similar reactions from anything else that goes into that room. Even some small glimmer of 'oh heavens it's a snake!'. Jane never reacted outward in any way aside from the coloration. The leopard geckos seem to have never noticed he exists. The toad doesn't show any signs of being alarmed either. The only one I've had to worry about to this point has been the frog, and that's been as easy as turning her tank so the background blocks the view, and tossing a towel over top when we need to get him out.

I've got a curtain up for now blocking view of him completely but it's not the easiest thing work around. I'll get something a little more semi-permanent on her actual cage later this week until we move Stan out.

I think the black/ yellow plays a roll.

And yep, he's black & yellow. And a jerk...

 

[Carlton]

Oh wow, yes she was reacting to that potential predator! My melleri safe in their free range trees would even display at plant sprayer hoses lying on the floor and garden hoses left out in view of the room's windows.