What the heck!

[CasqueAbove]

So I am working and I turn to see this. He almost got her too.
No chams do not eat fish. This is a small beta tank on my desk, not in his cage. They are very attracted to movement though.
Still a bit surprised at the action. I mean putting his head under water ? Now I need a lid lol

 

[Pearl Fields]

What an awesome picture

 

[Mrjamwin]

This is fascinating, somewhat concerning and makes me think that we don't know everything about Chameleon psychology and what they can really do.

 

[CasqueAbove]

This is fascinating, somewhat concerning and makes me think that we don't know everything about Chameleon psychology and what they can really do.

I am actually seeing it as dangerous. I do not know if he can properly hold his breath, and I worry about him inhaling water and developing an RI. but I don't really know.

 

[Beman]

So I am working and I turn to see this. He almost got her too.
No chams do not eat fish. This is a small beta tank on my desk, not in his cage. They are very attracted to movement though.
Still a bit surprised at the action. I mean putting his head under water ? Now I need a lid lol
View attachment 282801

How did he get to the little tank? You free range yours right? Crazy that he would open his mouth like that. dangerous I would imagine with their airway being in the front.

I love the way it is set up by the way.

 

[CasqueAbove]

How did he get to the little tank? You free range yours right? Crazy that he would open his mouth like that. dangerous I would imagine with their airway being in the front.

I love the way it is set up by the way.

Sort of free range, I am actually in the process of building my set up. My original intention is to divide it, but he is loving it now, so I am not sure.
The "tent" area is where he goes to get warm and sleep. It has coolers and fog.
I just ordered another 4ft arcadia T5 to go over it.
His activity level is crazy right now. He moves through out all day long. It is 8ft x 3ft x 5ft He has only come down once so far, and I was getting bugs so he was just coming to get some.

The reality of this is that I was just bringing in some plants for winter and he started loving it and exploring so I added branches for him, well and now UVB.

 

[AnamCara]

Woah...crazy!

 

[Beman]

Sort of free range, I am actually in the process of building my set up. My original intention is to divide it, but he is loving it now, so I am not sure.
The "tent" area is where he goes to get warm and sleep. It has coolers and fog.
I just ordered another 4ft arcadia T5 to go over it.
His activity level is crazy right now. He moves through out all day long. It is 8ft x 3ft x 5ft He has only come down once so far, and I was getting bugs so he was just coming to get some.

The reality of this is that I was just bringing in some plants for winter and he started loving it and exploring so I added branches for him, well and now UVB.

View attachment 282804

Dang so essentially he just happened to see the movement of the fish and crawled all the way in there to access it! I wonder if it was the fish specifically or if the movement of the water got his interest first.

Are those baby bins below?

 

[ashdavisa]

Any time I have Wasabi out and we pass the fish tank, she's immediately sticking her arms out trying to get closer or priming her tongue, thinking she can grab a guppy through the glass.
Small moving thing = food to a chameleon.... she even thought the latches of her enclosure were food at one point ?‍

I hope he's able to get out ok in the event that it happens again... it looks shallow enough, but I'd definitely be concerned about him inhaling the water. I may be in a minority that sees this as more distressing than interesting, though, especially since the vivarium hobby seems to be on a water feature/paludarium kick.

 

[Ramrod]

So I am working and I turn to see this. He almost got her too.
No chams do not eat fish. This is a small beta tank on my desk, not in his cage. They are very attracted to movement though.
Still a bit surprised at the action. I mean putting his head under water ? Now I need a lid lol
View attachment 282801

Better order some floaties (size xx small) maybe a snorkel also?

 

[CasqueAbove]

Dang so essentially he just happened to see the movement of the fish and crawled all the way in there to access it! I wonder if it was the fish specifically or if the movement of the water got his interest first.

Are those baby bins below?

Yes on baby bins.

I have seen him go to the water spout as well, but not inside.
I think part of it is his missing tongue. He hunts like a regular lizard now and he eats very light, as he usually will only take one roach every other day. He only runs about 105 grams.
So like a female he is kind of always hungry and more drawn to movement, or food possibility.

 

[CasqueAbove]

Any time I have Wasabi out and we pass the fish tank, she's immediately sticking her arms out trying to get closer or priming her tongue, thinking she can grab a guppy through the glass.
Small moving thing = food to a chameleon.... she even thought the latches of her enclosure were food at one point ?‍

I hope he's able to get out ok in the event that it happens again... it looks shallow enough, but I'd definitely be concerned about him inhaling the water. I may be in a minority that sees this as more distressing than interesting, though, especially since the vivarium hobby seems to be on a water feature/paludarium kick.

Yes I agree, this is not recommended at all! I have the same fear of him inhaling water. They do not understand water, and I would tend to agree that if you tried this like a large paladarium you would have a drowned cham, or one with bad RI.

I have the lid for the tank and will be adding it. If he continues to be overly drawn to it I will remove it. This is not really a set up. Just my plants in for winter.

 

[Mrjamwin]

@CasqueAbove can you provide a photo of one of your baby bins for reference pretty please?

 

[CasqueAbove]

@CasqueAbove can you provide a photo of one of your baby bins for reference pretty please?

So they are not the prettiest from the out side, but they have worked great for me. They are bio-active topsoil, designed to be used as the top soil in a full set up.
One of the plusses for the babies is that there is a constant variety of food, from fruit flies, gnats and isopods. I feed roaches or crickets once a day in a dish. Two still do not eat them, they are the two smallest, but I see them hunt the leaf litter all the time.
The humidity stays good, around 50% day good for babies.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I'm still trying to figure out what I'm looking at (OP photo)!

FWIW, most (not all) reptiles can swim. Regarding chameleons specifically, I found this:

How Chameleons Swim

The best method of how any lizard chooses to swim is the chameleon, they have come up with a unique way of avoiding drowning in water. They inhale air and puff up so much they simply float on top of the water, then use their legs as paddles, a chameleon does actually turn itself into a lizard boat!

There are numerous reasons a chameleon will come into contact with water, one is falling or mistakenly slipping, second and more frequent is in search of a nearby female that’s scent is come across open water.
https://www.reptilekingdoms.com/can-lizards-swim/

Some sources claim they don't actually swim, but float. ?‍

can chameleons swim? (Google search)

It doesn't surprise me that they might go after small fish. If the fish is making a movement that stimulates the feeding response... ZOT—YOINK! ? Mmmmmm...

 

[CasqueAbove]

I'm still trying to figure out what I'm looking at (OP photo)!

FWIW, most (not all) reptiles can swim. Regarding chameleons specifically, I found this:


Some sources claim they don't actually swim, but float. ?‍

can chameleons swim? (Google search)

It doesn't surprise me that they might go after small fish. If the fish is making a movement that stimulates the feeding response... ZOT—YOINK! ? Mmmmmm...

He does not have a tongue. So he is trying to catch with his mouth.
The tank was in where my female was, she would occasionally try, but not go in the tank, just wonders why her tongue doesn't stick lol.

 

[DeShawni Green]

So, for a while my cham was having a hydration issue, and i thought maybe I could put a few crickets in small bowl of water and he can tongue them getting some extra liquid. The water dish was only about a inch or two deep, and it actually worked ok. But, I would catch him doing a sort of pelican scoop of sorts once in a while when he couldn't tongue get a cricket because of its location or too much moisture. It was the oddest thing, but it didn't seem unusual for him. He did it easily, and gracefully. He mostly shot the crickets in the water dish with his tongue, but I did see him do this a few more times. Just thought I would share.

 

[Ramrod]

I'm still trying to figure out what I'm looking at (OP photo)!

FWIW, most (not all) reptiles can swim. Regarding chameleons specifically, I found this:


Some sources claim they don't actually swim, but float. ?‍

can chameleons swim? (Google search)

It doesn't surprise me that they might go after small fish. If the fish is making a movement that stimulates the feeding response... ZOT—YOINK! ? Mmmmmm...

Very interesting. If they float wonder if they could use thier casque as a sail?
Good info, I didn't think I was going to learn anything today until now. Thanks.

 

[kinyonga]

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

He does not have a tongue. So he is trying to catch with his mouth.

Yeah... I guess that could put a hamper on the old "ZOT—YOINK!" maneuver...