Can chameleons be handled?

[swan092]

Okay so I have been hounding my boyfriend for a chameleon and I have been researching them up and down and all around. I have had bearded dragons, turtles, frogs, geckos, so this is not my first herp. Anyways, I have read and seen (in pics) that people handle their chams, and just like any other herp that if you handle them from thetime that they are a baby you can continue to handlethem through adulthood. Isn't it that way with most animals? I mean one time I had a rabbit that wasnt handled often and after two years, pulling it out of its cage was a nightmare! Anyways my BF went to talk to an "expert" an he said absolutely no way are they ever handled. Prove him wrong people! Let me know you handle your chams, maybe not all day everyday, but that its not unheard of. MAybe you can add a picture for extra persuasion???

 

[jannb]

My daughter has keep chameleons for seven years and they have always been handled. Her male Nosey B lived to between 7 and 8 years old. I have had my own chameleons for 4.6 years and handle them daily and my vet says they are some of the healthiest chams he ever sees. I'm attaching a blog by Csrol, one of our most helpful members here on the forums. I'm also attaching a blog for new keepers so you can do even more research before buying a chameleon. They are a pleasure to keep and very rewarding but very time consuming and quite expensive to keep.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/carol5208/450-ah-handle-not-handle.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html

 

[thephotoprincess]

I handle mine as well. We have 8 chameleons. One of our veileds is a bit cranky but the others are very laid back and easy to handle. Even the cranky girl is okay once she's out of her cage.

I started with handfeeding so they recognize me and my hands with something good. They are very comfortable walking right out of their cages to us.

Jann is right - they are time-consuming and expensive! Especially when you have more than one.

 

[Ekproject]

I take mine out every other day or so. And my fiance literally just reaches in and kinda pets the side of them. I used to tell her not to but shes stubborn. They usedto puff at her. Now they just let her do her thing. They see her comin an sit there. Lol. I think like said before if you leave them they wont like it. If u expose them to it they realize ur not harmful.

 

[Hoj]

my veiled gets angry if i dont take him out daily, hes a loving cham.

 

[dodge]

my veiled gets angry if i dont take him out daily, hes a loving cham.

mine sort of taps the glass to come out,

 

[Psi]

Anyways my BF went to talk to an "expert" an he said absolutely no way are they ever handled

Don't ever talk/deal with that person ever again lol.

 

[sdheli420]

the advice here should be considered expert opinion (especially with all of us weighing in on it)

I hold my chams when they feel like beeing held..just because someone hasent seen somthing with their own eyes..doesent mean its not possible


also..yes some chameleons hate it..mine seems to like it...if your cham hates it..just hold it alot less..no matter what you do , as long as your cham stays healthy, eats good, drinks, and stays nice light colors..they are happy..

heres my cham that loves people..shes a special one tho..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD2KwG7vLVA

 

[Ozzie2011]

It depends for me because sometimes Ozzie lays back and hisses at me and that is my que to leave him alone that he doesn't want to be bothered and other times he is perfectly fine to let me handle him. I just go by his emotions and I never force hold him.

 

[Stanly]

It depends on the chameleon, my panther will often come to me wanting a ride, however my jacksons is very shy and will try to hide behind a branch when I put my hand in his cage (and sometimes when I'm just looking at him outside his cage)

So I only handle the jacksons when I MUST, the panther is more frequent, how ever some times he doesn't seem interested (never hides just doesn't come to me when I offer my hand) in which case I leave him alone unless there is a reason to handle him.

I say try to build trust but go at their pace, if they are showing stress, fear or aggression, then back off.

If he/she will try hand feeding, then just try holding your hand (non-threateningly) very still near the threshold of the cage, then perhaps try to bribe him/her onto your hand using food.

 

[SonTigerPantherCham]

I have said here many times, I hold my Cham all the time. It is to the point Krash is a big a pest as a dog!. If im home, he wants out and on me. We spend an hour everyday outside together for sun.

 

[carol5208]

I handle my chameleon many, many times a day, moving him from outdoor cage, indoor cage, and patio free range. He is a big teddy bear!

 

[Thompson]

I use to handle my nosy be Neptune all the time. He was the nicest chameleon ever. My sambava and my new nosy be are both really aggressive but I've been taking them outside a lot and free ranging them on a large ficus and already my Sambava doesn't hiss when my hand is near him to pick him up. My nosy is a little slow to catch on.