Enemies

If even their camouflage fail to deter a predator, a chameleon is nearly helpless. Almost any carnivore smaller than a lion or larger than a gerbil considers the chameleon edible. Once it is spotted, there is no running away. As a final solution, some species feign death by flopping on their sides, letting their tongues loll, and shifting to their drabbest colours. This tactic works against animals that disdain carrion.

Rats and shrews dine on smaller chameleons. The tiny nastus - the smallest chameleon at about two grams, occasionally fills the tummy of the praying mantis and the orb-weaving spider. Inactive at night, chameleons are easy prey for nocturnal animals prowling the branches, including birds and snakes. The venomous boomslang snake is a predator that often feeds on Jackson's chameleons. Some species save themselves from nocturnal predation with a drop reflex. If a vibration disturbs the branch where they sleep, feet and tail relax, and the chameleon drops to the ground.