Chameleons are one of the coolest pets to have around but how active are they? This is one of the most common questions asked by people before they buy a chameleon.
I remember asking the same question before I bought my pet chameleon. After all, a pet that is active is way more interesting to have around. So, I did a lot of research online regarding this question, and here’s what I’ve found.
Chameleons are not super active but they do move around quite a bit both in the wild and in captivity. They are used to moving back and forth on a branch all the time. This is how they hide from their predators in the wild.
When compared to other common pets like dogs, chameleons are not so active. They spend most of their time on top of tree branches hiding from predators and hunting for food. However, there are times when chameleons get extra active, read on to find out why.
Reasons for Chameleons to Be Extra Active
Sometimes, chameleons can be extra active and move around a lot more. When this happens, it doesn’t mean something is wrong with your chameleon. Chameleons becoming more active all of a sudden is quite common and here are some of the reasons why.
During & After Shedding
It is very common to see chameleons start to become more active during and after shedding. When this happens, you shouldn’t be surprised to see your chameleon walking all around the cage.
During shedding, they want to move around to try and get the old skin off as quickly as possible. It probably makes them feel uncomfortable.
On the other hand, chameleons will also become very active after the old skin is completely shed off. The reason for this is because they feel good that their old skin is off. Chameleons want to move around and feel their body with the new skin.
After their shedding process is completely done, they should get back to their normal activity level pretty soon.
Looking For A Mate
When chameleons hit puberty, they might want to start looking around for a mate. Hence, they become more active during this time.
This usually only happens with male chameleons. In fact, they might even want a bigger place to roam to satisfy their desire.
Letting a chameleon out and roam in a room is not a bad idea. Putting your chameleon in a room to roam for a whole day should be enough to fill it with satisfaction.
You don’t have to do this but doing so will definitely make your chameleon happy.
If you do let your chameleon free roam, make sure that area is set up well with the living conditions it needs.
Looking for A Place to Lay Eggs
This only applies to female chameleons. When they are about to lay eggs, they will walk around their enclosures to find a suitable place to lay their eggs. They will not stop until they do.
Not Getting What It Needs
When you are not providing something your chameleon needs, it would walk towards the cage and put its feet on it. This is a sign that your chameleon telling you that it wants to get out.
If you do not provide the things your chameleon needs, it will want to get out and find them by itself.
Here are some of the most common things that people fail to provide for their chameleons.
Spacious Enclosure – Small enclosures can really stress your chameleon out. Do the responsible thing and make sure that you are using an enclosure that is a comfortable size for your chameleon.
Lack of Foliage – Chameleons love to be hidden just like how they are in the wild. They do this to prevent predators from catching them. If you do not provide enough foliage, your chameleon might feel unsafe as it’s not hidden.
Branches – Having enough branches for your chameleon to climb all over is also very important. They love climbing and being high up. If chameleons don’t get that, they could be stressed out.
Heat – Make sure that you have your chameleon cage set up to the right temperatures. Chameleons are cold-blooded and they need the heat in its surroundings to keep it warm. If you don’t provide your chameleon with the right temperature, it will try to find another place that has it (out of the cage).
There are many other things that are crucial for chameleons but these are the most common reasons why chameleons are more active, especially near the cage.
If you see signs of your chameleon wanting to get out of the cage, make sure to check your set up. Even if something is slightly off, your chameleon can get sick.
Chameleons are not the easiest to take care of, so you MUST provide everything they need ALL the time, there’s no grace period.
When Chameleons Aren’t Active
One of the most common reasons why chameleons aren’t as active as they should be is because they feel sick. It is extremely easy for a chameleon to fall sick if something is slightly off.
When they are sick, they feel weaker and won’t be moving around as much. There are so many ways you can make your chameleon sick.
However, I will share with you the 3 most common mistakes I see people make that cause their chameleons to be inactive.
Wrong Supplementation – The key here is to feed your chameleon just enough supplement to keep it healthy. Not too much, not too little. On top of that, you also need to select the right supplements that your chameleon needs.
The Wrong UVB Lighting – UVB is extremely important to chameleons to synthesize calcium and form strong bones. Without the proper UVB (set up and strength of UVB), your chameleon can get very sick to a point where it doesn’t feel like moving.
Lack of Humidity – Most common chameleons kept as pets require a high humidity level. With low humidity, your chameleon will start to develop a lot of problems associated with dehydration.
There could be way more reasons as to why your chameleon might be sick and not moving. If you are not sure, please bring it to your local vet to find out why.
Remember, chameleons are extremely good at hiding their illness when they are sick. It could be a while before you figure that something is wrong.
Paying daily attention to your chameleon is a must, so you can easily notice when something is off.
Conclusion
Chameleons are not super active animals but they do move back and forth on a branch a lot of the time.
However, there are times when a chameleon gets extra active. Don’t freak out if you notice this with your pet chameleon, it is probably nothing bad.
On the other hand, chameleons could also become inactive. This usually happens when they are sick. You should provide everything your chameleon needs to prevent this from happening.
