Why is my chameleon black?

If you are housing a chameleon then you might be aware of the fact that they have the ability to change into colors. The colors can range from being bright to vivid as well. But there is one color which on seeing might terrify the people, and this is the black color.

The color black is not regarded to be a normal color for the chameleon and if your pet is turning into this color there might be some reasons for it.

So, read ahead and know exactly why your pet is changing its color into black.

Contents

1 Why Chameleons Turn Black?

Why Chameleons Turn Black?

If you are finding your chameleon changing its color into black then there might be few reasons behind it. Basically there are three reasons for it which might be due to stress, cold or scared nature.

There are some situations in which you will not be able to prevent your pet from turning into these colors like black, but you can prevent it from happening very often. If your pet does turn black there are various things that you can do to take care of it.

Stress

The first and the most important thing that you need to see f your pet is turning its color into black is that to know if it is stress.

If you are housing another chameleon juvenile or adult in the same cage as of this one, then surely it is going to be scared or feel stressed. Also, if one is younger the elder might even eat the other. The main cause of stress for the chameleon would be due to the fear of the adult one and of being eaten.

If you find that the baby chameleon is black in color for most of the day then it is mainly because of the stress. So, if you find such conditions it would be better if you place one chameleon in other cage.

Enclosure

Chameleons are the creatures who wish to move around freely, and want more space. Well, for this case if you have a cage that is small enough then your pet might be changing its color.

The chameleons usually change their color 3-5 times in a day. And, in case they sense any danger they quickly move near the plants or the trees in there enclosure. Usually the chameleons prefer to be at a place that is higher and from where they can escape easily. Now, you need to see that if there is not enough space in the enclosure then they will get stressed.

If you find that your pet is changing its color into black, then you should see if the space is too less. Also, see if they are sitting near the top of the enclosure all the time, it is due to stress and being the owner it is your duty to make efforts.

In case you have a baby chameleon then you can absolutely go for the small enclosure. When they are young they feel secure in small enclosure of Chameleons but when they get older it is important that you bring a bigger enclosure so that there is more room for them.

Not enough plants

These creatures spend most of their time in the wild and with the plants, so the plants are very important part of the habitat. If there are not enough plants and trees in their enclosures these creatures get stressed. This is because the chameleons use the plants for the purpose of hiding, hunting as well as for sleeping.

If you cannot provide them with large trees make sure that you provide the habitat with small plants and trees. These plants might be small but chameleons love to be around these.

You can read our guide on Best Plants for Chameleons Review

Lesser Hiding places

These creatures move slow and find a hiding place in the enclosure where they can keep themselves safe. Also, they hide themselves around the plants and animals. They also prefer hiding as doing these they can easily catch their prey.

Also, for this purpose they would need a lot of hiding places and will avoid sitting in the open as they fear of being eaten. Also, they feel safe to sleep in a hidden place. And it will be difficult for the predators to locate them.

Make sure you have lots of plants in the enclosure and go for plants with bigger leaves. These creatures love to hide themselves under these leaves. Some best plants can be croton, jade and hibiscus plant.

Insects

If there are certain insects like the cricket or the locust, your pet might get stressed and change its color. Some insects like these which are left uneaten may even bite your pet at the night. This will cause stress among your pet and it will change its color.

Getting scared is also seen as being stressed but there are certain different things that would come under this section.

Crowded place

Now, the number of people that live in your house might also affect the way your pet is going to respond. Those owners who live alone are not going to face any problem as their pet will get used to seeing them every day.

But, in case a new person enters the room then your pet is likely to change its color into black or something dark. Also, if more than one will visit your place then it will get scared to see so many people.

Cornered

This is usually seen in case you put your hand in the cage for any purpose and the chameleon is at a lower place than you. In this case either they will turn black or they will transform into extreme bright colors.

Other pets

If you have other pets at your place like the dog or cats then if these get too close to your pet, it will get scared. Also, this is the case with other reptiles as well. Housing a chameleon if you have any other pet won’t be a good idea because your pet will get scared.

Other chameleon

If you are housing more than one chameleon in a sae cage then it is a problem. This is because your pet will feel scared and will change its color. Unless you want breeding never house two chameleons. This will cause stress. Moreover, if one of them is younger then is risk of it getting hut. This is because the elder one might even bite it.

There is definitely no reason for you to house two chameleons together.

Cannot explore

If you have placed the enclosure near a window and your pet is not able to see through it then it will get stressed and will change its color.

Also, if it is able to see out of a window and there are birds around, it might get stressed on seeing them as well. This is because, birds are predators and your pet will see it as a risk.