The color-changing ability of the chameleon is one of the many reasons people find themselves bringing these incredible reptiles into their homes. Fortunately, for pet lovers who have opened their lives to these tiny creatures, there is quite a bit more about the chameleon that makes them intriguing. These unique creatures are much more fascinating than you may think, but the real question here is, can a chameleon see in the dark?
If you’re wondering if a chameleon is nocturnal, the answer to that question is no. So, if you’re considering a chameleon as a pet, you won’t need to worry like other reptile owners about being kept awake at night by your pet. Chameleons are most active during the day and this is largely due to their poor night vision. Let’s learn more about the chameleon and why seeing in the dark isn’t their strong suit.
Chameleons are amazing lizards that are loved by reptile enthusiasts all over the world. One of the most frequently asked questions about chameleons is whether they can see in the dark or not. In this article, I’ll provide a detailed explanation on chameleon vision and their ability to see in low light conditions.
How Do Chameleon Eyes Work?
To understand chameleon vision, we first need to understand some basics about eyes and how different animals see Vertebrate eyes contain two types of light-sensing cells – rods and cones.
- Rods detect brightness and motion but not color. They allow vision in low light.
- Cones detect color but need more light to function. The more types of cones, the better the color vision.s have both rods and cones. We have rods to see in dim light but color vision with cones that detect red, green and blue light. Many mammals only have two cone types and can’t distinguish red from green.
Chameleons have a high density of cones which gives them excellent color vision. In fact, they have four cone types compared to our three! This extra cone detects ultraviolet light, expanding their color spectrum. However, chameleons completely lack rods. This means their low light vision is very poor compared to humans and other animals.
Do Chameleons Have Night Vision?
The simple answer is no. The lack of rods in chameleon eyes means they cannot see well in darkness. Their vision is adapted for daytime activity, not nighttime hunting.
If you turn off the lights on a chameleon’s habitat at night, the sudden darkness will leave them unable to see their surroundings properly. This can cause disorientation and unnatural behavior as they blindly stumble around their enclosure.
Chameleons do not have good night vision compared to cats, owls and other nocturnal creatures. Avoid leaving chameleons in complete darkness at night. A low level nightlight is recommended to allow basic navigation if they wake up at night.
Why Don’t Chameleons Need Night Vision?
Chameleons are diurnal lizards meaning they are active during the day. At night chameleons simply sleep. Thus, there is no evolutionary pressure for these daytime lizards to develop good night vision.
Nocturnal and crepuscular (active at twilight) animals rely on night vision to hunt food and navigate in darkness. But for chameleons, night vision would provide little benefit. Their cone-rich eyes are adapted to their daytime niche.
Can Chameleons See Infrared Light?
Chameleons can detect infrared wavelengths through their parietal eye. This unusual third eye on the top of their head is connected to the pineal gland. It allows chameleons to perceive brightness and motion of infrared light.
However, there are some important things to know about infrared and chameleon vision:
-
Their parietal eye has poor resolution compared to the normal eyes. It can’t form sharp images, only detect changes in infrared levels.
-
Being diurnal, infrared light at night can disrupt their circadian rhythms and sleep-wake cycle.
-
Infrared heating lamps or night lights are not recommended for chameleons. It can cause sleep deprivation and health issues long-term.
Tips for Chameleon Vision at Night
Here are some tips to support a chameleon’s limited night vision in captivity:
-
Use a low wattage incandescent bulb or non-light emitting ceramic heat emitter to maintain temperatures at night. Avoid intense light sources.
-
Place their habitat in a room with windows to allow natural light transitions at dawn/dusk.
-
Use a timer for daytime UVB/basking lights that matches natural photoperiods. Turn off at night.
-
Provide some dim ambient light at night if possible. Absolutely dark conditions are unnatural for them.
-
Make sure they are settled on a perch before shutting off daytime lighting. Avoid sudden light-to-dark transitions.
In the wild, chameleons are not active at night so lack true night vision. Their eyes are adapted to see color and motion during the daytime hours when they hunt insects and interact with others. Complete darkness causes disorientation, so low level night lighting should be provided for captive chameleons. Their eyes are fascinatingly adapted to their specific niche in nature!
They Have Those Amazing Eyes
The eyes of most vertebrates are made up of light-sensing cells called rods and cones. The chameleon has cones, which are used for distinguishing and seeing color. Chameleons have an extra cone in comparison to humans. Their cones are also packed more densely. These cones are what give the chameleon the ability to see ultraviolet light. An ability we humans simply don’t have.
Rods are the cells that help with light sensitivity and light levels. Unlike us, the chameleon doesn’t have rods in its eyes. This is why they cannot function in lower lighting levels. With their genetic makeup lacking these rods, and evolution deeming them unnecessary, chameleons in the wild choose to spend their days hunting while the nights are spent resting up for their next adventure.
Chameleons Are Daytime Reptiles
While most reptiles are nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night, the chameleon is diurnal.1 A diurnal animal spends the daylight hours on the prowl for food, interacting with other creatures, and basically living the best life possible. If you’re a chameleon owner, you’ll notice your scaly pal is awake the same hours you are. But why are they different from so many of their reptile relatives?
While chameleons have evolved over the years, especially when it comes to the ability to camouflage themselves, night vision was never part of the process. The reason why is due to their daily activities. With chameleons active during the day and spending their nights resting up for the following day’s activities, there was never a reason for them to develop night vision.
In all honesty, the chameleon’s night vision is worse than that of humans. If you and your chameleon find yourselves awake at night, you’re most likely seeing better than he is.
The World Through the Eyes of Animals
FAQ
Can chameleons glow in the dark?
(These animals glow for science.) On January 15, a team of German researchers published a paper showing that the bones of chameleons glow under UV light. They tested the light rays on 160 specimens that spanned 31 species of Calumma chameleons, which are endemic to Madagascar.
Can chameleons see in the dark?
If you’re wondering if your pet chameleons can see in the dark, continue reading to find out more. Human eyes allow light through the pupil, while the lens inside the eye focuses on the image. The retina, which comprises of rods and cones to detect light, detects the image, sending it to the brain.
Are chameleons nearly blind in the dark?
Despite their impressive eyesight, which allows them to focus each eye separately, switch between monocular and binocular vision, and move their eyes in different directions at once, chameleons are nearly blind in the dark.
Do chameleons have night vision?
Their cones are packed densely without rods, which are used for low light vision. Chameleon’s night vision is poorer than humans and other nocturnal animals. Chameleons are able to see color, better than humans. While many animals don’t have color vision, chameleons are able to see the colors we see, but with the added benefit of ultraviolet light.
Do chameleons have color vision?
Not exactly. Like birds, chameleons seem to have tetrachromatic color vision, meaning they not only sense the 3 typical color wave lengths we do, but also a short wavelength in the ultra violet range. That means that they do detect the colors of visual light, similar to our vision but also have the ability to detect UV wavelengths in their vision.
Do chameleons see better than humans?
Chameleons have one more cone than humans, which enables them to view an ultraviolet range. Their cones are packed densely without rods, which are used for low light vision. Chameleon’s night vision is poorer than humans and other nocturnal animals. Chameleons are able to see color, better than humans.
Do chameleons need light at night?
You simply hang the light close to their sleeping area and turn the light on for the night. Since it’s red-colored lights, it won’t affect the chameleon’s sleep. Most of the time, chameleons don’t need heat lights at night when they are sleeping. Like other lizards, chameleons are cold-blooded and their body adjusts to the outside temperature.