All animals need to sleep. Sleeping helps the body recover from daily activities. Some animals sleep just a couple of hours a day while others needing a lot of sleep. As for chameleons, how long do they sleep?
How long do chameleons sleep? How long a chameleon sleep will depend on the species, their age, and the time of the year. On average, a chameleon will sleep around 12 hours per night.
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How Long Do Chameleons Sleep?
Each chameleon is different and their hours of sleeping will vary. This is due to many factors such as their age, the season, and how active they are.
Typically, a chameleon will sleep for about 12 hours each night. Some will sleep less and some will sleep even more.
In the wild, chameleons will sleep for as long as there are no lights. This means that once the sun goes down, the chameleons will find a place to hide and sleep. They won’t look for food, move around, or do anything that could get them noticed.
Chameleons are at the bottom of the food chain, and they have many predators, both day and night.
Also, chameleons have bad night vision, so they’ll rather sleep at night than go out and risk their lives.
How Long Do Baby Chameleons Sleep?
When it comes to baby chameleons, they will sleep for about 12-14 hours each night. It’s basically the same hours as an adult.
Baby chameleons will sleep depending on the season. During the summer when there is more daylight, they tend to sleep around 12 hours per night. When winter comes, the day will become shorter, and they will sleep longer, 13-14 hours each and sometimes longer.
Like an adult chameleon, the baby chameleon does not sleep during the day as well. Sometimes, they may close their eyes for a few seconds, but never any longer than that.
What Time Do Chameleons Sleep?
In the wild, the time chameleon goes to sleep will depend on when the sun goes down, and it gets dark. This is due to instinct since these creatures have a bad vision at night. The only way to keep themselves safe at night from predators is to stay still and sleep.
On the other hand, chameleons kept in captivity will sleep when you turn off the lights. If their cage or the room light is on all the time, your chameleon may not go to sleep at all.
Therefore, it’s a good idea to mimic their natural environment when there are light and darkness.
Do Chameleons Sleep During The Day?
Chameleons are diurnal creatures, which means they are active during the day and inactive at night. Therefore, chameleons will not sleep during the day.
During the day, you may notice they stay at one place for a long time. These lizards are not very active and will spend most of the time resting, but they will not sleep.
If you notice your chameleon’s eyes are closed, it’s normal for them to close their eyes for a couple of minutes or so.
On the other hand, if the chameleon is closing their eyes for a long time, it could mean they are starting to get sick. Pay close attention to how long their eyes are closed.
Anything over 5 minutes will usually mean a problem. If you’re unsure what the problem is, it’s best to consult with a veterinarian.
Do Chameleons Sleep With Their Eyes Open?
Chameleons may sleep with one of their eyes open just a bit. This helps them detect any danger that is nearby. If they feel secure, they will close both of their eyes to sleep.
When they are asleep, the center of their eyes will look like a little slit. It could be hard to tell unless you really look at their eyes really close.
If you’re unsure if your chameleon is sleeping by looking at their eyes, another way to tell is by their display of colors. When a chameleon sleep, they will display their most beautiful colors. The color will be vibrant and change different colors often.
Where Do Chameleons Sleep?
In the wild, when it starts to get dark, chameleons will usually move up higher up the tree. They will look for a spot under large leaves, branches, and plants to hide under.
Chameleons kept in captivity will do the same. They will move up higher in the cage to look for a place to sleep. If you have plants, they will go hide under them for the night.
Sometimes, if a chameleon feels safe, they’ll sleep out in the open on the branch of the tree. Some people have seen their chameleons sleeping vertically on the cage.
Moving higher up at night will help keep them safe from predators. Also, they’ll have a better view of their environment from higher up.
Helping Your Chameleon Sleep
Chameleons that don’t have enough hours of sleep could start to develop health issues.
Therefore, it’s important to create a proper environment for the chameleon, so they can sleep well.
Creating an environment that’s similar to their natural habitat is the best way. This means placing plants, shrubs, trees, and rocks in their cage. The closer their cage environment is to their environment in the wild, the safer they will feel. The safer they feel, the better they will sleep.
Also, lighting is important to help your chameleon get a good night’s sleep. There should be at least 12 hours of darkness and 12 of daylight.
During the day, if the cage is far away from a window, you can turn on the light. Also, make sure the heat lamp is on as well.
In the evening, you can turn the lights in their cage off and leave the room lights on.
When you’re about to go to sleep, turn the lights in the room off. Chameleons are used to the darkness so them being in total darkness is fine.
Conclusion
How long your chameleon sleep will depend on many factors. In the wild, chameleons sleep for about 12 hours. The important thing is to replicate the natural lights outdoors. This means, when outside gets dark, you should turn the lights in the cage and the room off. Chameleons that get enough sleep will be happier and healthier.
