Advice needed for my aggressive chameleon!

[Sensistar_87]

hello everyone I really need some advice right now for my chameleon! I have had him since a he was a hatchling and he is currently about 5 months old or so. As a hatchling I barely attempted to handle him since I read a lot that it stresses them out, but still periodically took him out of the cage. When I would take him out of the cage I would wait until he came to me, Never forced him out. Once he started maturing and shedding he started to get more aggressive and the times I would hiss, puff up, and lunge at me. More and more I believe I went wrong with giving him even more distance since I think he realized he would do that and I would leave him alone. Just about a month ago I felt as if his previous terrarium was starting to be too small I decided to purchase a new larger one. This is when I feel like he snapped. He did not want to leave his old cage whatsoever. I had to use some of the hydra balls out of his old set up so I had to get him out. So I pretty much had to glove up and get him out. He bit me a few times and I got him out and set up in our bathroom on a large new log for him while I west up the rest of his tank. Once I got him set up I have not attempted to handle him. I started to hand feed him more to try to make him realize my hand is not to harm him, I would feed him horn worms and crickets. I want to be able to occasionally take him out so he can get natural sunlight and I want to start showering him once a week or so to help improve his hydration. As of right now the moment I even walk by his tank he will either attempt to hide from me, but more often he gets deffensive. When I clean his tank he gets really pissy. Even now when I hand feed him crickets he pounces at my tongs. I try to hold out my hand for a long time after feeding him with my tongs and he will never try to come towards me he just goes the other way. More and more he just continually gets more aggressive. I understand you are not to handle them much at all, but I want to be able to get him out of his cage from time to time. Please some one help me! First picture is his set up. Second picture is me next to his tank, last is with the door open with some distance between us.

 

[brownie64]

Well he is in his teen years remember your teen years? They get real territorial at that age. they usually don't bite though they normally just bark. he probably bit you because of the gloves, and the way you man handled him. Give him some time they normally mellow with age. However they each have there own personality so only time will tell. Try getting him to come out on a branch while coaxing him with a feeder.

 

[oneillchameleons]

One reason (among many) that people use screen cages is because chameleons can act aggressively toward their own reflection. Could be he thinks there is another male constantly in his territory and he can't calm down.

 

[brownie64]

Not saying it wouldn't happen, but I would think that would be a rare occurrence. If his first enclosure was a terrarium why would it just start to bother him now? Not my intention to be contradicting, but I would hate to see the OP throw away a perfectly expensive enclosure if it weren't necessary.

 

[jpowell86]

I suggest muzzles and a tranquilizer gun!!

Just KIDDING!!!

Don't be discouraged. There are a few factors going on here.

First, you recently took him out of his well known environment and put him in a completely new one. This is always a stressful change for chameleons.

Second, his age really dictates this kind of behavior. As he matures he will really begin to show territorial responses to his areas. This, for the most part, tones down eventually....for most chameleons.

Third, and some may disagree, but your enclosure needs three times the amount of foliage that you are offering him right now. I would suggest getting some Schefflera arboricola to fill in the gaps in his enclosure. Being that he is in a new environment, being exposed makes a chameleon feel very uncomfortable and vulnerable. The extra foliage may help him settle in quicker.

Four, there will always be debates as to whether glass or screen enclosures are better. There are pros and cons for both. But, reflections can cause issues. I agree with both sides presented above, but for the chameleons sake, I would do a little experimenting. Try getting some poster board or something that is similar and cheap and cover the insides of the enclosure. Just tape them to the inside panels. If you notice a complete change in behavior, then you might deduce that reflections are playing a part in his aggravated state.

But, my first attempt would be filling his enclosure with more plants. I attached a picture of one of my exo terra enclosures as an example of what I am meaning about more plants. Just as an example...not saying that my enclosure is in anyway perfect.

 

[Gavinsons]

I have a veiled that just turned 1 year old this past week. He has been evil for the last 8 months. Has bitten my hand several times. He hates anyone being in his cage. It's so bad he actually comes after me when im cleaning his cage. Thought about using a stun gun on him next time

 

[bryantt]

The process of gaining a chameleons trust isn't a fast one.

My veiled would hide just ar the sight of me. But now its a very different story!

I started by getting a chair and sitting at his vivarium with the doors open for at least 10-15 minutes before feeding. (for a few weeks)

Then would continue to sit at his viv but would introduce my hand into the vivarium at the same level as my Cham but the opposite side. (again few weeks)

Once I could see my cham was at ease with my hand being in his environment I would put my hand closer to him (in his path way) and spray the vivarium with warm water. This usually got my cham moving, naturally he'd try walk across his cage but my hand would be in his path which after a few hesitant attempts eventually hed walk over. * AT THIS POINT I DID NOT ATTEMPT TO HOLD HIM*

After a week or so of doing this very other day, eventually I would raise my hand once hed walked across it and then put him back almost instantaneously. Once I could tell he knew I was no threat I practiced the same method and took him out of his vivarium slowly building up the time I would hold him only being a few minutes or so...

To ensure being taken out of his viv seemed like a positive action, I brought him a safe plant/tree to perch on in my living facing the window so he could watch the world go by.

This seemed to do the trick as now hes incredibly tame, even waits at his doors to be taken out to roam.

Even now he's very friendly and would quite happily perch on my shoulder for a long period of time contently. But I usually only hold him to take him out of his viv and put him back!

Hope this helps it worked for me! sorry for the long winded message lol

 

[Mikesyring]

He's a teen and they are territorial animals I've had magoo for 10 months and he's still an ass lol sorry about the language lol

 

[Sensistar_87]

I suggest muzzles and a tranquilizer gun!!

Just KIDDING!!!

Don't be discouraged. There are a few factors going on here.

First, you recently took him out of his well known environment and put him in a completely new one. This is always a stressful change for chameleons.

Second, his age really dictates this kind of behavior. As he matures he will really begin to show territorial responses to his areas. This, for the most part, tones down eventually....for most chameleons.

Third, and some may disagree, but your enclosure needs three times the amount of foliage that you are offering him right now. I would suggest getting some Schefflera arboricola to fill in the gaps in his enclosure. Being that he is in a new environment, being exposed makes a chameleon feel very uncomfortable and vulnerable. The extra foliage may help him settle in quicker.

Four, there will always be debates as to whether glass or screen enclosures are better. There are pros and cons for both. But, reflections can cause issues. I agree with both sides presented above, but for the chameleons sake, I would do a little experimenting. Try getting some poster board or something that is similar and cheap and cover the insides of the enclosure. Just tape them to the inside panels. If you notice a complete change in behavior, then you might deduce that reflections are playing a part in his aggravated state.

But, my first attempt would be filling his enclosure with more plants. I attached a picture of one of my exo terra enclosures as an example of what I am meaning about more plants. Just as an example...not saying that my enclosure is in anyway perfect.

View attachment 150050

I do have to agree about the foliage I do need to get more for him. We did have a few other chameleon friendly plants that were in his old cage that ending up dying on us and I am going to get him one of the umbrella trees here soon like you have in your cage.

Now when it comes to the glass and his reflection I can see where people say that but if I sneak into my room with him seeing me he is always fine. It's the moment he sees me or my wife he normally will start to get all pissy at that moment.

 

[Carlton]

Not saying it wouldn't happen, but I would think that would be a rare occurrence. If his first enclosure was a terrarium why would it just start to bother him now? Not my intention to be contradicting, but I would hate to see the OP throw away a perfectly expensive enclosure if it weren't necessary.

Consider that reflections can depend on the angles of the lights. If he's being moved to a new glass sided cage the light arrangement is probably different and it could become an issue there. Not saying it is the problem based on the OP's description, but it does happen that way. Case in point: my first male veiled lived in the usual glass terrarium while a hatchling. He wasn't overly concerned with any reflections. When I moved him to his larger adult cage he started displaying to one particular glass panel. I taping cardboard over it but he had learned that his "rival" was there, so he pulled the cardboard loose in order to peek behind it, certain the other cham was lurking behind it. I finally had to replace the glass with coated screen so he'd quit stressing himself out.