anyone know what i can do?

[sterling archer]

Hey guys so a couple weeks ago i got my new 4 month old ambilobe... i gave him time to adjust to the cage ( he prolly still needs more) but he is getting along well. eating drinking etc...
anyway i took him out today and he is so affraid of hands that he will LITERALLY jump off of me (no matter how high) and slam on the ground?! even after i get him out of the cage! i understand hes a skittish one but he doesn't flare up he is just so afraid! it scares the crap out of me watching him fall to the ground and it takes every bit of my self control not to try and catch him so i dont squish him!
anyway has anyone encountered these problems?
will he grows out of it in time?
or is he always just going to be a skittish one?
does anyone know any tricks to get him accustomed to me better?
thanks in advance

 

[Meow Kitty]

He is a baby and he may never adjust give him time wait a little longer try not to handle him and when you do be really carefull of those sudden sprints

 

[Miss Lily]

You need to take things slowly. Start by offering a food item on your hand. Be prepared to stand there for a while though! Once he learns to associate you with food then you can move the food item further away so he has to step on you to reach it. When my last Veiled was small she ran off my hand in an effort to get away from me. Eventually she would come to me and walk right out onto my hand when she was in the right mood. You need time and patience. Wear neutral coloured clothing and don't make any sudden movements or it will freak him out!

 

[sterling archer]

You need to take things slowly. Start by offering a food item on your hand. Be prepared to stand there for a while though! Once he learns to associate you with food then you can move the food item further away so he has to step on you to reach it. When my last Veiled was small she ran off my hand in an effort to get away from me. Eventually she would come to me and walk right out onto my hand when she was in the right mood. You need time and patience. Wear neutral coloured clothing and don't make any sudden movements or it will freak him out!

awesome thanks for the tips! ill try this. so if i takes those steps, you think hell learn im not a threat?

 

[Lancecham]

Yes, that is exactly what Miss Lily is saying.

 

[rsepiphyte]

I can honestly say i have never treated chameleons as "cuddly pets". Again my opinion only but i do not believe nature made them that way. I have had a few over the years that will crawl onto my arm but i never made any attempt to "tame any". Trying to do so in my opinion causes stress on the animal. Most of my chameleons will eat out of my hand and when i do handle them i never reach from above. (too similar to being preyed upon) but rather lift from underneath their bellies and encourage them to crawl onto my arm. I enjoy watching them and their interaction with their environment. Again, just my thoughts and experiences with working with many species of chameleons since the late 80's. Stress is stress is stress no matter how well intentioned to chameleons and in some species stress equals their demise. Enjoy your chameleon for the beautiful creature that it is. Ruth

 

[sterling archer]

I can honestly say i have never treated chameleons as "cuddly pets". Again my opinion only but i do not believe nature made them that way. I have had a few over the years that will crawl onto my arm but i never made any attempt to "tame any". Trying to do so in my opinion causes stress on the animal. Most of my chameleons will eat out of my hand and when i do handle them i never reach from above. (too similar to being preyed upon) but rather lift from underneath their bellies and encourage them to crawl onto my arm. I enjoy watching them and their interaction with their environment. Again, just my thoughts and experiences with working with many species of chameleons since the late 80's. Stress is stress is stress no matter how well intentioned to chameleons and in some species stress equals their demise. Enjoy your chameleon for the beautiful creature that it is. Ruth

Believe me im not trying to force anything.. Its just hard to clean the cage and what not... Not to mention it would b nice to hold him if possible. In anycase im gonna try and give it time and offer treats from the hand maybe hell come around

 

[rsepiphyte]

When i go to clean my Mellers enclosures , these are WC chameleons and are not at all happy with human contact. I lure them out onto a branch and then transfer them onto a large ficus tree outside of their enclosures. Then when i am finished i transfer them back into their respective areas using the branch. Perhaps something like this will work with you chameleon. Ruth

 

[sterling archer]

When i go to clean my Mellers enclosures , these are WC chameleons and are not at all happy with human contact. I lure them out onto a branch and then transfer them onto a large ficus tree outside of their enclosures. Then when i am finished i transfer them back into their respective areas using the branch. Perhaps something like this will work with you chameleon. Ruth

Ok thx for the tips

 

[Lathelia]

I know what you feeling, my new addition (young ambilobe ) is exactly the same way. I learned to clean the cage with him in it, I just do things slowly. I would recommend not to take him out unless necessary, until he gets use to you.
Associating you with food is the best way (IMO) to make him like you more. I started using new "technique" with my new guy. I put my hand in his enclosure and slowly move it toward him. When I notice he is starting to move, hide or run away I take it out. Once I even touched him for a second, but I don't recommend to try it if he is still settling in. My guy already eats from my hand his favourite food. I'm not sure if it's a good technique, cause it stresses him out a bit, but I hope it will give some results in the future.

Good luck and remember patience iis the key

 

[sterling archer]

I know what you feeling, my new addition (young ambilobe ) is exactly the same way. I learned to clean the cage with him in it, I just do things slowly. I would recommend not to take him out unless necessary, until he gets use to you.
Associating you with food is the best way (IMO) to make him like you more. I started using new "technique" with my new guy. I put my hand in his enclosure and slowly move it toward him. When I notice he is starting to move, hide or run away I take it out. Once I even touched him for a second, but I don't recommend to try it if he is still settling in. My guy already eats from my hand his favourite food. I'm not sure if it's a good technique, cause it stresses him out a bit, but I hope it will give some results in the future.

Good luck and remember patience iis the key

Thanks for the advice ill try as he settles in... Its nice to know im not the only one who is having this issue!

 

[azgnoinc]

Thanks for the advice ill try as he settles in... Its nice to know im not the only one who is having this issue!

It's not really an "issue" per say - it is the nature of any reptile to fear something that is our size compared to them - it is their built in instinct to think that we are a predator that is going to try and eat them just due to our size.
Give him some time, and follow the advice of doing some hand feeding - it is a tried and true regiment that many of us have used with great success, and before long (though this varies with each individual cham) he will look forward to seeing you as he will know that there should be a treat coming his way when you show up.

 

[biochemnerd808]

Can you tempt your little one with a nummy mealworm or something wriggling on your hand? That would seem like it would be irresistible to a young cham...

 

[FrankTheTank]

My chameleon did the same thing last time I tried to pick him up. I have been giving him his space for the last month or so to "gain" his trust back. He doesn't like handfeeding with crickets b/c he likes them to move, and hasn't been eating in front of me a lot lately. I would do what others have suggested and use a branch and give him as much space as you can. I had to do the same thing with my iguana. You don't want to stress them out to the point where they fear everytime you walk in the room that you are going to grab them out of their cage. You want to wait until THEY want to come out. Every cham/iguana/lizard/reptile is different. Some you can handle with no problem and others you can't. I know it's frustrating, and it sucks when you've been holding them for months like I had and all of a sudden they freak out on you. Good luck though! I hope you get yours to be comfortable with you soon enough!