Night vision for Chameleons

[spinachlove]

Just a quick question. Does anyone happen to know if chameleons have decent nighttime vision? We turned off his UVB light so that he would go to sleep and he started to walk in a weird manner. When we turned it back on he was walking fine again. Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[chambabysitter1]

Just a quick question. Does anyone happen to know if chameleons have decent nighttime vision? We turned off his UVB light so that he would go to sleep and he started to walk in a weird manner. When we turned it back on he was walking fine again. Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks.

They need lights off and lights on at a normal schedule. 12 on and 12 off, at normal times.
A timer helps.

Chameleons are not deep thinkers, as far as he is concerned, the light is on so the "sun is up" and it is time to be awake.

When you turn it off "the sun is down" it is time for sleep.

12 hours on and 12 hours off, preferably matching the sun outside somewhat. Good luck!

 

[moody232002]

i think the op was trying to find out what night vision chams have rather than the actual cycles of light.
Not something i have looked into really as once lights are down i don't disturb Mista.
I'm sure someone else will have the answer.

 

[Minihuey]

i think the op was trying to find out what night vision chams have rather than the actual cycles of light.
Not something i have looked into really as once lights are down i don't disturb Mista.
I'm sure someone else will have the answer.

OOOO they get super pissed if you wake them from their slumber.

 

[xanthoman]

i dont really know for sure, but my guess is that it isnt so much an issue of lack of night vision , but a matter of adjustment , if you had been staring into a fairly bright light most of the day and then after dark it was suddenly turned off you may have a period of temporary near blindness, but that doesnt mean you dont have any night vision once adjusted , ive occasionally noticed the same thing on my chams , but sometimes i catch them up hunting before the lights come on or before sunrise when its still fairly dark in my room and they seem to see just fine . so thats my assesment , more an issue of adjusting to the (sudden) low light rather than a lack of night vision

 

[hallenhe]

Vertebrate eyes can have two types of light-sensing cells, rods and cones. Rods are responsive to light levels, but cannot distinguish colors; cones (provided there's more than one type present) can differentiate colors, but are less sensitive. Humans have rods (which we use to see in low light conditions), and three types of cones, allowing for the range of color vision we experience; red-green color-blindness involves one of our three cone types being inoperative. Chameleons have at least one more type of cone than we do, allowing vision in the ultraviolet range, and their cones are densely packed, but they completely lack the rods that are generally used for low-light vision; their night vision is considerably poorer than ours, and much, much poorer than that of nocturnal animals like cats.

 

[Miss Lily]

Vertebrate eyes can have two types of light-sensing cells, rods and cones. Rods are responsive to light levels, but cannot distinguish colors; cones (provided there's more than one type present) can differentiate colors, but are less sensitive. Humans have rods (which we use to see in low light conditions), and three types of cones, allowing for the range of color vision we experience; red-green color-blindness involves one of our three cone types being inoperative. Chameleons have at least one more type of cone than we do, allowing vision in the ultraviolet range, and their cones are densely packed, but they completely lack the rods that are generally used for low-light vision; their night vision is considerably poorer than ours, and much, much poorer than that of nocturnal animals like cats.

That's interesting. I just presumed that they can't see in the dark because once they are in darkness they just sleep. When Amy's lights go off she stays where she is and falls asleep! If only humans could fall asleep that easily!

 

[laurie]

That's interesting. I just presumed that they can't see in the dark because once they are in darkness they just sleep. When Amy's lights go off she stays where she is and falls asleep! If only humans could fall asleep that easily!

Trust me my husband does it every night!! I am always suprised his head gets to the pillow before he is asleep.

 

[Miss Lily]

Trust me my husband does it every night!! I am always suprised his head gets to the pillow before he is asleep.

Hehehehe! You have a point there Laurie! Mine is just the same. Perhaps I should have said 'women' instead of humans, lol! It takes me ages to switch off - probably cos I'm on this forum until far too late!

 

[spinachlove]

Vertebrate eyes can have two types of light-sensing cells, rods and cones. Rods are responsive to light levels, but cannot distinguish colors; cones (provided there's more than one type present) can differentiate colors, but are less sensitive. Humans have rods (which we use to see in low light conditions), and three types of cones, allowing for the range of color vision we experience; red-green color-blindness involves one of our three cone types being inoperative. Chameleons have at least one more type of cone than we do, allowing vision in the ultraviolet range, and their cones are densely packed, but they completely lack the rods that are generally used for low-light vision; their night vision is considerably poorer than ours, and much, much poorer than that of nocturnal animals like cats.

wow that's quite an extensive answer thanks! i just felt bad for my poor spinach cos he was running into the branch and the door of his cage..i'll make sure he's situated before i turn off his light!

 

[jojackson]

I never go from a bright room to total darkness instantly, the lighting levels drop systematically, ending up with nothing but the tv glare from a fully bright room within about an hour. This gives all the diurnal animals time to adjust and signals the snakes activity.
I dont know how well chams see in the dark but then they dont have to, when light levels drop as the sun gets lower in the sky, they settle down and prep for sleep.
So I aim to recreate that artificially, and mine are never up panicking in the dark.
Lighting on timers cues them in and a good photoperiod according to season, is healthy for them.

 

[Lilwitt420]

Chameleon at night

My veiled goes to a certain vine when he's sleepy a lot of times his tail will curl up any hell just lay there he'll look at me look at the light look at me I mist a little and lights out for him I usually don't hear him move and he's usually in the same place when light turns. Mine has a great personality he usually follows me around his cage he seems to brighten if I take him out usually a stressed one will turn darker from what I've read.

 

[Olimpia]

That's why I keep the blinds open in their room and have the lights come on after there is light outside and before it goes away at dusk. So right now it's something like the lights turn on at 7am and are out by 6:15, so they always have the sunlight to fade into day and into night respectively. This means I follow the sun and don't always have a 12h cycle year-round - in winter the lights may turn on by 7:30 and be out by 4:45 on the shortest days. And then longer in the summer, obviously.

 

[HandsomeSanta]

Despite having my lights on a 12 hour timer, my veiled chameleon is still somewhat active for about 30 minutes to an hour after the lights go out. So I keep a 60w Night-Glo bulb on in the far corner of his cage at night.

 

[Thechameleondude]

That's why I keep the blinds open in their room and have the lights come on after there is light outside and before it goes away at dusk. So right now it's something like the lights turn on at 7am and are out by 6:15, so they always have the sunlight to fade into day and into night respectively. This means I follow the sun and don't always have a 12h cycle year-round - in winter the lights may turn on by 7:30 and be out by 4:45 on the shortest days. And then longer in the summer, obviously.

same here, its good for chams to get natural light.

 

[TheDoobieDen]

Just a quick question. Does anyone happen to know if chameleons have decent nighttime vision? We turned off his UVB light so that he would go to sleep and he started to walk in a weird manner. When we turned it back on he was walking fine again. Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks.

A chameleon's photoreceptors consist mainly of cones, which allow them to see colors. However, they do not have many rods, so they are almost completely blind in the dark, which doesn't affect them much as they are not nocturnal.

 

[TheDoobieDen]

Just a quick question. Does anyone happen to know if chameleons have decent nighttime vision? We turned off his UVB light so that he would go to sleep and he started to walk in a weird manner. When we turned it back on he was walking fine again. Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks.

A chameleon's photoreceptors consist mainly of cones, which allow them to see colors. However, they do not have many rods, so they are almost completely blind in the dark, which doesn't affect them much as they are not nocturnal