My panther has turned aggresive (suddenly)

Hello
My panther has suddenly become aggresive and will lunge and hiss at me. What could be the reason for this sudden change?

He is roughly 8 months old I think - I've had him about 4 and the guy hatched him and had about 4 months too. When I had to change the paper on the bottom, he would happily walk onto my hand if I put it infront of him and he would never flare up. For the last couple of weeks though he makes himself really big and opens his mouth and lunges at me if I go near him.

I don't try and pick him up unless I have to - the other day his basking light went, so I needed to change it but he was right in the way and wouldn't move for ages. Other than things like that he is left alone and the viv is only open to mist and put in his food. Nothing in his viv has changed since he has been like this.

He is eating and shedding fine too.

Will he get past this? Is it their mating season (even though I'm not sure he's even sexually mature yet) and that's why he's being aggresive?

Thanks

He may be going through his teenage years, he may revert to being nice, or he may be just typically chameleon territorial and aggressive forever.

Sounds like another argument to keep those lights out of the inside of the cage!

You never know it could just be a phase but just dont force things still just give him time

As Julirs said, he is going through his teenage years. Some go through it, while others not. Usually it is a phase and a very majority grow out of it.
You can try to correct this behaviorally. Have him learn to associate a door opening and a hand entering the cage = food. So try to hand feed him a cricket or two(or whatever you feed him) every couple days. Eventually he will learn that a hand in the cage is going to be a good thing.
He may be reluctant at first to eat the cricket, but give him time. Also, if he is hungry enough, he will eventually eat from your hand.

I have tried hand feeding him even when he was calm but he weren't having any of it. Will give it another go though and see how I get on.

He doesn't flare up when I go near him or open the door. It's only if you go to touch him and then he gets really angry and lunges for me.

If it is just his teenage years, how long can you expect them to last? Hopefully he'll grow out of. He used to be such a pleasant chap.

Simple solution. Don't try and touch him when it isn't needed. Most chams don't like that anyways (mine freaks out whenever I get within 5-8 inches of him) I use a stick when I need to handle him I get him on a stick and pull him out. Once he is out he stops being agressive.

Both of my males went through this at that age. Songbird comes out openly on my hand but Ernie only wants out when he sees sunshine.
Every Chameleon is different, just have to wait and see

Yes indeed he is becoming an adult and territorial...he should calm down thru time...

DaveyB said:

IHe doesn't flare up when I go near him or open the door. It's only if you go to touch him and then he gets really angry and lunges for me.

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That sounds like normal behaviour to me.