Spotting a Happy vs. Stressed Chameleon - reading the signs

[Mtnlaurel]

What do you normally see when you first turn your lights on in the morning?

 

[Mtnlaurel]

Thanks to you all, I see a lot of information about worst case scenarios, and what looks bad, but it is really helpful to know what "normal" behavior looks like.

 

[alphakenc]

On the younger panther cham ,when their tail are up,they are ready to roam n moving around,when their tail is down n curl,they are in a steady position without moving n resting.
When the panther head butt another panther cham,it means to move away right now here comes my territory,when they stick the little tongue out n try licking the branch,thats when they want to moving a bit forward in a slow motion ...when they hide next to the branch on the side way,that means ,get away from me I dont wana be found or be bother.
These are just some of my own observations with my panther babies.

 

[Mtnlaurel]

I guess what I am asking is do they have a regular sleeping spot or style? I have seen mine on the sides, on a branch, upside down on the ceiling? will he settle into a spot? Is it normal to roam? Are they typically asleep when you turn on the lights? Are they slow and groggy because they are coming to temperature? Are they hyperactive because they are hungry and got plenty of rest, ready to greet the day?
What do you see in the morning?

 

[Mtnlaurel]

C

 

[Mtnlaurel]

On the younger panther cham ,when their tail are up,they are ready to roam n moving around,when their tail is down n curl,they are in a steady position without moving n resting.
When the panther head butt another panther cham,it means to move away right now here comes my territory,when they stick the little tongue out n try licking the branch,thats when they want to moving a bit forward in a slow motion ...when they hide next to the branch on the side way,that means ,get away from me I dont wana be found or be bother.
These are just some of my own observations with my panther babies.

Great information.. awesome behavioral analysis. Thanks

 

[JacksJill]

My guy sleeps in the same general area every night. First thing he is there then he slowly roams the cage. Works his way around and up near the top or on to the top upside down. Later he seems to explore. Late in the day he returns to sleeping area.

 

[Andee]

Depends.. how long have you had your chameleon? Usually chameleons can take a while to find a preferred sleep spot, especially if they are only few months old. My older chameleons have about 3-4 preferred sleep spots and sometimes depending on if I have changed the times on them or their timer has gone off a bit, they get caught off guard and are in a strange place for the rest of the night. Most chams when the lights go out just shut down within a minute and don't really move. It's like their brain stops working lol. I have my cham lights go off at different intervals and then my last reptile light to go off is my blue tongue skink, it all happens within about an hour, it simulates more of a dusk for them. All of my cham lights also glow a dull blue for about an hour of the basking light turns off. My light in the morning comes on with the sun automatically because I have it set that way, I don't turn it on myself. So I don't often see my chameleons wake up. By the time I wake up they are already basking and have already had their first drink.

 

[alphakenc]

Great information.. awesome behavioral analysis. Thanks

U are more than welcome,Im glad I can help a bit.

 

[ZacharyLeesWife]

Mine have a fairly solid routine... They wake up slow and go warm the bellies, then poo, eat, and drink in the late morning. My boy always does a lot of roaming but my girl is pretty lazy. It's easier to spot problems if you get to know their routine. And I agree with the mid range colors being content. Mine both flash super dark and spotted if they're angry, if my boy is flirting or if they're territorial but they turn almost pastel or lime green when they are scared or stressed too much.
Quick edit- The two of mine have very very different personalities and reactions to things, I think knowing the basics is essential but you can tell more of what's normal for your cham through observation.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Ok, how about body shape? Orientation?

I understand that they tend to make their bodies look "taller" when they feel a lytl threatened. I've also seen him rock once or twice, but mostly belly resting along the branch, cylindrical body shape, tail slightly curled around the branches. What does the happy resting posture look like?

You have asked a very very VERY difficult question with no simple answer.

This is something you will have to learn by watching and observing. Each species has different colors and characteristics and each chameleon is an individual. They are not easy to learn to read.
Understand what events will likely be stressors then observe your chameleon during those events. Learn your species. Over time you hopefully will develop an eye to see it.

Stress is many things. Stress can be caused by fear of something and they will exhibit defensive posturing. Stress can also be when they are too hot or too cold. Or sick. Or when they are being bred. Not all stress is bad.

For body posture, any puffing up of their body or sticking out their throat is a very obvious sign of stress and they are being defensive. Lifting one foot is defensive (stress) posturing. Blanching and sometimes darkening is a sign of stress. Bright colors can be a sign of stress. Rigid body posture and a tightly curled tail can be signs of stress, usually fear/threat posturing.

Here's a series of photos I took of a deformed new import (Trioceros quadricornis quadricornis) I took in. His name is Quasimodo and once he was healthy and acclimated, I shipped him off the a reputable chameleon rescue where he was rehomed.

I took Quasi out for photos to gauge his progress. He is very brightly colored and has to be stressed in the first picture. He's held on a stick by a huge chameleon eating monster, out in the open with no cover to hide in and nowhere to escape other than dropping to the ground.

Very brightly colored, standing tall on the stick (which might mean nothing). I know he has to be stressed.

A few second after I brought him out, he turned and caught a look of his reflection in the window. He's started darkening.

Here he is in full threat display--displaying to his own reflection. Foot raised. Colors dark. Throat thrown out and standing very very tall. Sometimes they will curl their tails up when in this situation.

This is just one tiny piece of the puzzle. You've asked a very complicated question, but a very important one for you to learn the answer to. Kudos to you for thinking about it.

One comment, they really shouldn't rest their bellies on the branches. Belly hugging can be an early symptom of MBD. What you are describing might be perfectly normal though. Hope I didn't worry you.

 

[Andee]

I can't help but love when they do a threat display, I know it's not healthy for them to do on a regular basis, considering neither of mine do it like ever I take this as a good thing... The only time Ryker ever does is when he sees my phone... Never the camera... Oh well lol. However the threat display reminds me so much of a grumpy old man. I treasure the pictures of them cause it's so cute, though I definitely try to avoid making it happen. Quasi is so beautiful even if he has deformities. God quads are gorgeous.

 

[Mtnlaurel]

I know each one is different, but there definitely seem to be commonalities across individuals and even species. Much like all border collies are not the same, and a border collie is totally different than a pug, But we can all tell a happy dog from a threatened or frightened one, no matter the breed or individual.

The difference is that most people fundamentally understand dog body language. Reptillian body language is totally different. That is where responses like these are so helpful. Before the pictures of Quasimodo (great name by the way) in full defensive posture, I might not have recognized that as feeling threatened, and might have thought he was happy to see me.

I think it's really important to understand what is normal, or even range of normal, so a major deviation from that would be a cause for concern, extra watching, or possible intervention before we get to the point of fatality.

Hmmm, that's concerning about MBD af belly resting. I will have to watch more closely.

 

[Mtnlaurel]

So two other things I have noticed and have been thinking about.

So I read that the extended throat is called a gular pouch. What is its function? My initial thought would be for breeding show, and now have also seen mention of it being an aggressive or defensive posturing.

Often while eating, he grabs the cricket, crunches it a few times, them holds it in his mouth for a while before swallowing. Then after swallowing he tilts his head back with his nose facing upward sometimes.

I've read a million times what size crickets are safe in relation to head size, but how on earth would I know if he was choking? Are those normal eating habits?

 

[Mtnlaurel]

Thank you everyone for your incredible responses. I am learning a tremendous amount that is helping me to feel far more confident at noticing if there is a consistent problem

 

[jajeanpierre]

So yoo would consider intermittent leaf walking o be normal in response to stressors, but prolonged leaf walking to indicate extreme stress, as in more than, let's say, 10-15 seconds, providing the stress is backed off? Where would you draw the line, between normal and I'm worried?

What do you mean by "leaf walking"? That jerky walk they do when they hunt?

Everything "depends."

My wild caughts will walk very jerkily if there is no wind but run in a straight line if it is windy and the leaves are moving around. It is a camouflage technique. They don't have to hide when the wind is blowing the leaves. They "tend" to do the jerky walk when they are out in the open and exposed.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I guess what I am asking is do they have a regular sleeping spot or style? I have seen mine on the sides, on a branch, upside down on the ceiling? will he settle into a spot? Is it normal to roam? Are they typically asleep when you turn on the lights? Are they slow and groggy because they are coming to temperature? Are they hyperactive because they are hungry and got plenty of rest, ready to greet the day?
What do you see in the morning?

The answers are dependent on a lot of things like ambient temperature, age and species.

 

[ZacharyLeesWife]

Often while eating, he grabs the cricket, crunches it a few times, them holds it in his mouth for a while before swallowing. Then after swallowing he tilts his head back with his nose facing upward sometimes.

Sometimes Dilly does that exaggerated swallow with small or even soft bodied feeders, so I don't think that it's a choking stance but I couldn't say definitively. I have seen it though, and never had any issues following it. I kinda thought it might be because of the position that her tongue was in when she caught the feeder, but it's really just a guess. Never seen it in my male.

 

[Andee]

Idk with the swallowing thing, I haven't dealt with it much at all. Not on a regular basis at least. The thing might not be a choking problem but just that the prey item is a little bit bigger than supposed to be or something and it helps move it down better?

 

[ZacharyLeesWife]

One of the reasons this thread is SO great to see is my female, Dilly. She's been really sick and the only reason that she's not critically ill is that I watched her carefully, I got to know her habits and mannerisms. It sounds like that's your goal as a keeper, and that's great to see! She's on 3 prescription's and liquid calcium right now, but outwardly she doesn't look too bad. Getting to really know your cham is so important! This is my bean this morning after her meds...