Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am new to owning chameleons. As I watch my male panther chameleon Monty, I notice that he does not use his back legs much. He will climb up the plant with his back legs spread, and pull himself up with his front legs. I do think he is starting to use them more, so I think he will out grow it. I was just wondering if anyone else has had this happen before?

Thanks Mark

Mark,

Well that is a new one! We have never experienced anything like what you are describing. Chameleons use all their limbs and tail to move around normally.

How old is your cham? How long has he been doing this? Can you get a picture of him doing this?

My male veiled has been like this for several years. He uses his back
legs, but they are weak, and don't move very well. When he moves, he
uses them, but not so much. He'll use his tail as a fifth leg, bringing it
forward, coiling it around a branch, just like a monkey - very interesting
that he adapted his movement since his injury.

That's how it happened. He got severe burns on his side and on his leg.
Down to the bone in some areas. Since the healing process, scabbbing
and scarring, he's had nerve damage, and hasn't been using his legs very
well.

I have heard that rear leg weakness can be attributed to vitamin A
defeciency. Does your animal get vitamin A, or does he only get beta
carotene?

Well I do think my chameleon is getting over not using his back legs. But I was just wondering if anyone else had seen this before. I will give you a little back story. He would fall off the sides of his cage, and when I would hold him he would just reach up for something to grab. I did see that some times he would grab his own leg or tail thinking that it was a branch and not let go and would fall off what he was climbing.

I asked the person that I got him from if they noticed if he had a coordination problem. They wrote me:

“He has led a pampered life and has never been in a cage before. I kept him in a rubbermaid container with foliage and supports. He had learned to climb out and climbed all over the room. Soooo....give a little time to learn. But of course if he doesn't please don't hesitate to let me know. I never thought about teaching him to climb...it sounds so stupid but it is true that it is a new experience for him.”

I have not seen him fall off the sides of the cage in a few days and I see him using his back legs more.

Cage: Home built 4’ x 4’ x 2.5’ ( 6 live plants )
Lights: 3 spots for basking & one Repti Glo 5.0
Cricket dust: T-Rex Chameleon Dust (Vitamin A, D-3, Calcium, Fiber, Fat, Protein )
Water: 2 Drips and Spray bottle

The picture just shows one leg not being used, but before he would have both out like the one in the picture. Then climb to the top with out using them.

Weird. I raise all of my animals (and keep some of the really nervous females) in rubbermaid containers. Never had such a behavior result after trandferring them to larger screen cages. Some veields will be very shy for a while, being used to feeling safe and surrounded in their plastic jungle, but that just seems weird.

Maybe he just wants to work out his arms. After all, buff upper bodies are all the ladies look at.

Good luck with him. He seems to be in great health otherwise.
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CANADIAN CHAMELEONS