Chameleon drinks out of my hand

[damien.alistair]

so I was spraying down my cham's cage tonight and I wanted to see if he would drink out of my hand. So I sprayed some water in my hand and he went at it. Could this potentially be dangerous for my cham even if my hands are clean? or is this okay to do? Because I feel like it could be a great way to bond with my chameleon if it is safe.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

Is it safe? How clean are your hands. . .

While I don't say much anymore on the forums, I do speak up a little if I think somebody night be reading too much into an animal's behavior. If the chameleon is drinking water from your fingers, I find that odd. If anything it makes me think the animal is pretty dehydrated if it is willing to go to a human for the water. Normally chameleons want nothing to do with our hands.

 

[damien.alistair]

Is it safe? How clean are your hands. . .

While I don't say much anymore on the forums, I do speak up a little if I think somebody night be reading too much into an animal's behavior. If the chameleon is drinking water from your fingers, I find that odd. If anything it makes me think the animal is pretty dehydrated if it is willing to go to a human for the water. Normally chameleons want nothing to do with our hands.

I wash my hands every time before I go to spray, clean, or feed him, or any other reason I would need to go into his cage or handle him. As far as him being dehydrated, his urates are mostly white, but I will spray his cage down more often and see if he wants to drink from my hands. Thank you!

 

[ERKleRose]

If you want to fill out a husbandry form to make sure everything is 100%, let us know!

 

[MissSkittles]

That is odd. You obviously must not have a veiled cham.
I would suggest instead to hand feed silkworms or other tasty treats to ‘bond’ with your chameleon.
To enhance hydration, you could/should run a fogger for a few hours at night when temps are cool to boost humidity way up to 80-100% which simulates natural fog and provides morning dew.

 

[Beman]

What you are being told is that it is very odd and more of a desperate measure on your chams part to get water. He must really want the water if he is willing to drink willingly from a hand. This is something you would not want to continue to do. Rather you should figure out what is off in the husbandry and correct it. Either you need to add a dripper during the day dripping on his live plants or you want to time your mistings and see how long your really misting for. Typically it can take 2-5 minutes to trigger a drinking response in a healthy chameleon. Adding a cool mist fogger at night when your temps are below 67 can be beneficial as well.

 

[damien.alistair]

That is odd. You obviously must not have a veiled cham.
I would suggest instead to hand feed silkworms or other tasty treats to ‘bond’ with your chameleon.
To enhance hydration, you could/should run a fogger for a few hours at night when temps are cool to boost humidity way up to 80-100% which simulates natural fog and provides morning dew.

he is a veiled chameleon

 

[skywes13]

This is very unusual behavior for a healthy chameleon. Most likely he is dehydrated which is causing this behavior. Can you please copy & paste this form so we can help you provide the best possible care for your little guy?

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

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Please Note:
The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
Photos can be very helpful.