If you are at all interested in chameleons, you might have heard that they could be cannibals. Now, you are wondering if that is true or not.
Well, I wondered the same thing when I heard one of my friends told me that. So, I did some research online, and here is what I’ve found.
Chameleons are not cannibals in nature, they usually eat small insects and worms. However, they would eat each other if they are given a chance with the right conditions. This happens more often in captivity compared to the wild.
It is not normal for chameleons to eat each other, especially in the wild where there’s plenty of food. This only happens in captivity where they are kept without proper care.
Reasons for Chameleons Eating Each Other
Chameleons do not eat each other as their food source. If not, then what could make them become cannibals? Well, there are several reasons as to why they might, read on to find out.
Mating
When mating, male chameleons can be very aggressive towards their female companions. It is not unusual for the male chameleons to eat the female chameleon if the mating goes wrong.
For example, if the female is done and the male is not, the male chameleon could become aggressive and eat the female chameleon. Yes, they will eat their girlfriend or wife if they get angry.
Curiosity & Hunger
Chameleons are very curious animals. They like to check out new things and try new food when possible, especially if they are hungry.
Chameleons in captivity can easily become cannibals if their owners feed them a smaller chameleon.
If you don’t feed your chameleon properly, they will eat whatever you put in their enclosure.
As long as the other animal is smaller in size, they will probably eat it without thinking much.
Competition
Territorial animals such as the chameleons hate competition. They are solitary animals, they don’t need any companion or friends.
Chameleons want all the food and have the whole space to themselves. Having another chameleon in the same enclosure is not a good idea especially if they are a mix of females and males.
Nevertheless, putting more than one chameleon inside one enclosure is never a smart choice no matter the gender.
However, I will say that male chameleons are usually more aggressive and territorial than females.
Therefore, cannibalism in chameleons usually happens with males and not females.
Can A Chameleon Digest Another Chameleon?
The chameleon that ate another chameleon will be able to digest but it will take quite some time.
Compared to their normal meals, this will of course be much harder to digest but there will not be any issues associated with it.
Preventing Chameleon Cannibalism
Seeing a chameleon eat one another is never a pretty sight. If you have more than one chameleon and don’t want them to eat each other, make sure not to put them close to each other.
This is especially important if one of them is male. Always put them in a separate enclosure even if one of the enclosures is big enough.
If there is more than one chameleon in an enclosure, there is a very high chance they will meet even if the enclosure is large. This could then lead to cannibalism.
Conclusion
Chameleons aren’t really cannibals but they will eat each other if given the chance and the right conditions.
If you have more than one chameleon, it is very important that you separate them into different enclosures to prevent cannibalism. There is no exception to this.
