I brought home a veiled yesterday, I have his screened terrirum set up along with the proper lights and decor. Anyway when I bought him at the pet shop he jumped on to my arm and looked as if he enjoyed being handled, now that he's living here he seems to hate to be handled. Which is no biggie I get it he's getting used to his new enviroment, however he doesn't want to eat his crickets (he ate a few yesterday), and gets really hissy if I attempt to hand feed him. What should I do? He's four months by the way.
Beginner Concerns with new Veiled.
- Thread starter Antra
- Start date
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
I'd suggest giving him more privacy so he isn't as distracted by you or other activity around the cage...and so he feels secure enough to hunt on his own. He should be able to hide in the foliage easily to escape watchers. It takes at least a couple of weeks for a cham to settle in to a new home. You can put the feeder bowl a little out of view too so he can sneak over and hunt.
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
Yes, pretty much normal. He'll get used to you once he learns that your activity around his cage every day is normal. Chams like routine and hate change. Give him time, and when he tolerates your hands around the cage you can start offering him a treat (start first holding the treat in a container so he doesn't feel he has to trust your hands right off). He may or may not become more social. It varies a lot by individual.
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
I doubt he was "enjoying" the handling at the pet shop. More likely that he wanted to escape a small exposed cage to reach someplace high up...like the top of anyone's head. And your arm was a route to get there. It wasn't personal!
Ok thanks! Now I have one more concern. He hasn't been eating the entire day, even with crickets crawling right in his face. Also he's moving around weird. Like he's struggling to put one foot in front of the other, and when he tried to eat yesterday his tounge barely came out. Like he had to move right in front of it, any idea why that might be?
Thanks Janb, here is a close up on him and his enclosure. He's eating a bit (5 out of ten crickets) and his tounge looks normal. But still the walking is concerning me.
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TheAmbulatingFerret
New Member
Is the walk sluggish and clumsy or just jerky? Chameleons have a rather unique way of walking along branches swaying/jerking back and forth to imitate a branch/leaf in the wind so predictors don't notice them. When my Jackson eats I noted that he has a higher success rate when he is closer to his food, and while he can still catch food at maximum tongue stretch he will many times let the food get as close as possible before trying to get it. As long as you chameleon is getting and eating the insect you shouldn't really worry.
jannb
Chameleon Enthusiast
He doesn't look bad...just a little skinny. I'd leave him alone for a few days and allow him to adjust to his new home. A large variety of well gut loaded feeders is highly recommended. Here's my blog for how I have had success raising young veileds. https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html
More great info here: https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/chameleons/
More great info here: https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/chameleons/
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
He's still preoccupied by his new surroundings probably. If there are too many crix moving right in front of him at once he's a bit distracted. Think about why many animals live in herds, flocks, etc. All the combined motion confuses predators as its harder for them to single out and focus on one of them. More crix available all at once isn't necessarily better.
TNChameleon
Member
I agree with all of you. More branches and foliage. Let him get used to his environment. What are you Humidity Levels ? Make sure he has plenty of water. Follow a good gut-load regimen for your feeders. He will come around. The best thing you can do is follow all advise in this thread. 
brownie64
Avid Member
He looks a little dehydrated to me, are you sure he's getting enough to drink. They won't drink from a bowl they have to see the water moving. His veil should look full and puffy especially from the back.
As far as handling him goes, from my experience aside from the rare few most Veileds are a little cantankerous. I would be careful handling him too much, they're about 90% bark however 10% of the time they will light you up. Don't under estimate their bite, don't ask me how I know. But after you let him settle down, and get used to you when you get him out of the cage try to let him be in charge, let him come to you and climb on you. They like to climb up and a lot of times he will climb on you to go up that way he isn't all ticked off at you. When you go in over top of him and pick him up he thinks you are a predator trying to hurt him. Something to try, But if you do have to coax him out do it from under him slowly, not from over top of him. You should keep the handling down to a minimum because it could cause undo stress, and shorten the life of your cham. Out of 16 years of raising veiled chameleons I had two who tolerated handling well, and that was only on occasion.
I also agree he needs more plants. I would get real ones if you don't already have them, like a panthos, or ficus, just make sure it's not poisonous to him, and wash it real good to make sure there is no pesticides on them.
As far as handling him goes, from my experience aside from the rare few most Veileds are a little cantankerous. I would be careful handling him too much, they're about 90% bark however 10% of the time they will light you up. Don't under estimate their bite, don't ask me how I know. But after you let him settle down, and get used to you when you get him out of the cage try to let him be in charge, let him come to you and climb on you. They like to climb up and a lot of times he will climb on you to go up that way he isn't all ticked off at you. When you go in over top of him and pick him up he thinks you are a predator trying to hurt him. Something to try, But if you do have to coax him out do it from under him slowly, not from over top of him. You should keep the handling down to a minimum because it could cause undo stress, and shorten the life of your cham. Out of 16 years of raising veiled chameleons I had two who tolerated handling well, and that was only on occasion.
I also agree he needs more plants. I would get real ones if you don't already have them, like a panthos, or ficus, just make sure it's not poisonous to him, and wash it real good to make sure there is no pesticides on them.
PoshPenny
New Member
In the pet shops they are so stressed out they are literally trying to escape on everyone. Feel happy he wants to stay in his new enclosure you made him. He feels safe in there. That should be a huge pat on your back! He likes his new digs and is like "heck no I don't wanna come out of here!"
ChamAllen
New Member
Hi Antra, did you buy him at Prehistoric Pets? If so, I was there when you bought the little gal. Enjoy!
Yea I've noticed that he will sometimes look past a cricket that's in his face and move towards one farther away, have you had any success feeding out of a bowl?
Yea from what the pet store owner said I had a feeling he barely gave him water. I mist him 4 times a day just to be safe and to keep the humidty up. And yea I'm leaving him be for the rest of the week so he can get a good handle on everything. Thanks for the advice!
