Chameleon hides when I get to close. Taming questions.

[ZackTayl]

Hey guys!

Our chameleon is now an entire year old and doing great! The only issue we have is that he doesn't like to be held, touched, looked at, or really anything else. We'd love to get him used to us so that we can pick him up without fearing that he'll try biting us or jump out of our hands (something he does almost immediately).

Is there something we can do?

Currently we just let him have his space and enjoy him from afar.

Zack

 

[dshuld]

How long have you had him? Does he let you hand feed at all? One thing I let sink in when I got my first two months ago was you may get one that wants to be left alone. Of mine, I have one (only had her since 12-16 mind you though) that doesn't want to be held/ handled at all. She just started taking crickets and worms off my hand though so I'm still hopeful one day but if that's as far as I can get with her I'm ok with it. As far as the biting, when he strikes are you pulling your hand back or leaving it near him?

 

[jannb]

Welcome to the forums. It’s very sad to hear that your chameleon is so scared. That’s no fun for you or him? How long have you had him? I usually start working with mine a few weeks after I receive them. Have you tried handfeeding? Buy a small tree or plant and set it in front of his cage door and leave the door open. You need to watch from a distance the entire time to see if he will come out of the enclosure. They are usually much friendlier one out of the cage. Chameleons are territorial and can become cage aggressive if kept in a cage all the time.

Here’s a blog by one of our senior members about taming. Maybe you will find it helpful .
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/the-taming-of-the-chameleon.746/

 

[ZackTayl]

How long have you had him? Does he let you hand feed at all? One thing I let sink in when I got my first two months ago was you may get one that wants to be left alone. Of mine, I have one (only had her since 12-16 mind you though) that doesn't want to be held/ handled at all. She just started taking crickets and worms off my hand though so I'm still hopeful one day but if that's as far as I can get with her I'm ok with it. As far as the biting, when he strikes are you pulling your hand back or leaving it near him?

A year now actually. We move our hands away when he strikes.

 

[ZackTayl]

Welcome to the forums. It’s very sad to hear that your chameleon is so scared. That’s no fun for you or him? How long have you had him? I usually start working with mine a few weeks after I receive them. Have you tried handfeeding? Buy a small tree or plant and set it in front of his cage door and leave the door open. You need to watch from a distance the entire time to see if he will come out of the enclosure. They are usually much friendlier one out of the cage. Chameleons are territorial and can become cage aggressive if kept in a cage all the time.

Here’s a blog by one of our senior members about taming. Maybe you will find it helpful .
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/the-taming-of-the-chameleon.746/

A year now. I'll check it out!
We have but he doesn't go for the food.

 

[dshuld]

As odd as this may sound, try not pulling your hand back. He maybe to used to you pulling away now for this to work. I got my first in his teen attitude stage lol. @Matt Vanilla Gorilla told me to not pull my hand away. So I balled my hand up so he could strike but not really grab anything if I was in his cage and he felt like striking. After a couple weeks of him being here and doing that the striking subsided.

 

[kinyonga]

@dshuld said..."As odd as this may sound, try not pulling your hand back. He maybe to used to you pulling away now for this to work. I got my first in his teen attitude stage lol. @Matt Vanilla Gorilla told me to not pull my hand away. So I balled my hand up so he could strike but not really grab anything if I was in his cage and he felt like striking. After a couple weeks of him being here and doing that the striking subsided"...well put! This is exactly right....most of the time! I had one male veiled that never got past attacking me...but he was an exception! (I also had a male orehensiketailed anole that even after over 12 YEARS of handfeeding and not backing down always looked at my thumb and the food he was offered trying to decide which to bite!) Two untamed critters out of several hundred that I owned over the last 30+ years isn't bad IMHO.

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

Most pet animals react in a bossy way to our expressed fear. Be calm, feel confident, let love and happiness ooze out of every one of your pores! But most of all be patient! If every encounter with you brings your pet some bennefit (yummy food, a trip outside the cage, a trip in to real sunshine etc.) they will start seeing you as something positive and not something to fear or be angry towards! In doing so you will plant the seeds in their brains that your presence is a good thing! Enjoy your new scaly friend!

 

[kinyonga]

@Matt Vanilla Gorilla said..."let love and happiness ooze out of every one of your pores". Talk about being soppy! .
I agree with your post totally though!! Lol!

 

[dshuld]

@dshuld said..."As odd as this may sound, try not pulling your hand back. He maybe to used to you pulling away now for this to work. I got my first in his teen attitude stage lol. @Matt Vanilla Gorilla told me to not pull my hand away. So I balled my hand up so he could strike but not really grab anything if I was in his cage and he felt like striking. After a couple weeks of him being here and doing that the striking subsided"...well put! This is exactly right....most of the time! I had one male veiled that never got past attacking me...but he was an exception! (I also had a male orehensiketailed anole that even after over 12 YEARS of handfeeding and not backing down always looked at my thumb and the food he was offered trying to decide which to bite!) Two untamed critters out of several hundred that I owned over the last 30+ years isn't bad IMHO.

Not bad at all lol.

 

[kinyonga]

I didn't think so either!

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

Seriously, I love my chameleons and love being around them! I also feel 100% sure that they love being around me!

 

[kinyonga]

I don't doubt that for a minute! You know I'm teasing!

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

I love being teased! My youngest boy will be a year old on the 18th of this month. I decided to take paternity leave for the last 6 weeks till his birthday. Totaly worth doing it later, now that he is old enough to be spoiled rotten by dad! During this time off my incredible wife and I spent a lot of time in the kitchen cooking, baking and laughing together! The teasing each other while cooking together is going to be one of the things I will miss most once I go back to work! @kinyonga you are a precious treasure here on the forums! We truly enjoy and appreciate you and your invaluable input! You rock!

 

[kinyonga]

@Matt Vanilla Gorilla said..."you are a precious treasure here on the forums! We truly enjoy and appreciate you and your invaluable input! You rock!"...you just made my day! Thanks for your wonderful comments! You are definitely an a great asset to this forum and it sounds like a great father and husband too! Enjoy every second with your son and your wife...the time goes by so quickly!

We should all enjoy the critters too...they teach us new things almost every day!