baby veiled hissing and biting

[Bazzle]

I've had my baby veiled for a week now and have taken him out of his cage everyday since I've had him. For the first three days I only took him out for a short period of time. But the past two days hes been coming out for about 15 minutes. And I think my wife takes him out while I'm at work for a little bit too, she says two minutes but I'm sure it's longer.

Well today when I got home from work I took him out and let him climb on a string in the bedroom and I changed his cage around while he was out and cleaned up his poop. Well, I put him back in when I was done and gave him some food. Two hours pass I go back to him and try to take him out and he runs from me and hisses and snaps at me and also chirps a lot. I also put a piece of banana in there for the crickets to eat while they're waiting to be eaten.

I must be doing something wrong, right? Oh, and he's only about 2-3 months old.

 

[dabears51]

I must be doing something wrong, right? Oh, and he's only about 2-3 months old.

Yeah, you're buggin him too much. I haven't been on here much but I do know chameleons aren't really the "handling" type. Each cham has it's own personality and tolerances for handling though. He probably got sick of you holding him that day. He should be fine tomorrow.

 

[vegas shooby]

well i think u r picking him up too much...i think u may cut back on picking him up...just give him is space...

 

[Jonah S]

As the prior two have said, it comes down to being handled too much. It is good to let them settle for at least a week when you first get them. Moving can be stressful and you don't want to add to it by handling the chameleon more than you have to. If it gets too stressed out, it will stop eating and it will die. Let it be for a week and take it from there.

 

[lizziloo]

I think it would be good to not handle your chameleon at all. My male veiled is aggressive and extremely stressed out by any sort of contact. When he was a baby he put up with occasional, necessary handling, but now I have to dance around him and distract him just to get him out of his cage with all my fingers intact (just kidding...but getting bit is NO FUN!!). I've heard of the occasional gregarious chameleon, but unless your chameleon seems to enjoy the contact or seeks it out, I would recommend leaving him alone. Unless you need to pick him up to take him to the vet, clean his cage or shower him, of course. Veileds are to my understanding not at all the handling type. Good luck.

 

[Bazzle]

How long should I leave him alone for? Being that age and only spending five days in the house? and whem I am able to take him out how long should that be for?

 

[vegas shooby]

How long should I leave him alone for? Being that age and only spending five days in the house? and whem I am able to take him out how long should that be for?

well i havent picked mine up since i had him and i got him last month on the 16 and still havent tryed to pick him up...but me i say for like 2-3 weeks..and picking him up like 5 mins max...that me other people might say different..good luck

 

[gaxmode]

How long should I leave him alone for? Being that age and only spending five days in the house? and whem I am able to take him out how long should that be for?

If you want to handle something I suggest buying a bearded dragon. Really, chams should not be handled "for fun" all that often.

 

[Olimpia]

Yeah, you're buggin him too much. I haven't been on here much but I do know chameleons aren't really the "handling" type. Each cham has it's own personality and tolerances for handling though. He probably got sick of you holding him that day. He should be fine tomorrow.

I think this is probably what happened. If he seems fine with you holding him usually, he probably just got a little tired of it that day. They have their moods, like any other creature.

You have to respect his moods though. It's what I try to tell people - I'm not against handling at all, but you have to respect how much each chameleon is open/accepting to it and give them their space if they aren't. Out of my 6, 4 let me hold them regularly and 2 are just not having it at all. So I leave those two alone except when necessary. So if yours seems fine, and maybe even scratches at the door to come out, let him be out. He can be out for short periods of time at first (less than 5 minutes) and increase that slowly if he seems comfortable, or put him back if he starts getting dark, fidgety, or anxious. You might want to look into free ranging him a little if you want him to be out (something like putting a plant on your desk and letting him chill on it while you work. This way he's out with you, but not on you, which is less stressful.) But if he seems scared of it or aggressive, give him his space.

Congrats on the new cham and good luck!

 

[Silkyslim]

Looks like everyone hit it right on the head.

I saw you said you use bananas in the cage. This link might be insightful for you

https://www.chameleonforums.com/bananas-peaches-safe-gutloads-44848/

 

[JaxyGirl]

he runs from me and hisses and snaps at me and also chirps a lot.

I pretty much agree with everyone about handling..
But, Now I'm really curious! Did you say he was chirping??? Chams are pretty much non-vocal..so I thought. I was just curious what it sounded like because I think I would be shocked if mine started chirping...Thanks in advance for sharing!!!
Nat

 

[Bazzle]

thanks for the info on the bananas ill be sure to lay off of it for a while.
Yes he was chirping it sounds like a baby bird. Is that normal?

 

[Cainschams]

I was just curious what it sounded like because I think I would be shocked if mine started chirping...Thanks in advance for sharing!!!
Nat

What about whistling? https://www.chameleonforums.com/trioceros-goetzei-cry-34693/:eek:

My opinion is also not to handle your chameleons unless necessary. None of mine come out only when I need to take everything out of the cage and deep clean everything. If I want to shoot photos it is usually at this time. I will snap some while they are in the cages once in a while, too. None of the chams I keep are "outgoing" but I have had a few that were,. in a sense. They were kept the same way.