First Time Hand feeding!

[NvC Dex]

So tonight, One of my boys took a mealworm from my hand! I'm like a little school girl at a One Direction concert right now... Lol He still doesnt like my hand because as I was removing it from his enclosure, he puffed up and tried getting my finger... Little turd. But still... I am happy at this moment!

 

[jcarlsen]

So tonight, One of my boys took a mealworm from my hand! I'm like a little school girl at a One Direction concert right now... Lol He still doesnt like my hand because as I was removing it from his enclosure, he puffed up and tried getting my finger... Little turd. But still... I am happy at this moment!

I know exactly how you feel! My 6 mo panther hand fed from me for the first and second time last week. Took a hornworm from some tongs I was holding.. First time my shoulder was sore as hell and he puffed up as soon as I moved away, but the second time he got it quicker and didn't run away.

Now he doesn't seem as wary of me and doesn't rotate away on his branch, even when I open the door. Now I just have to get some more enticing treats to hand feed him.

 

[NvC Dex]

Well been trying everyday since I got one of them to hand feed but they didn't take them... Until today! Both of them hand fed. One ate 2 mealworms and one ate 3... I'm hoping they are warming up and not just doing it because they are hungry... I feed them 5 crickets a day. the smaller one of the two eats around 2-3. I take the uneaten crickets out after about 15 min. But I am going to put today up as a success!

 

[jajeanpierre]

Well been trying everyday since I got one of them to hand feed but they didn't take them... Until today! Both of them hand fed. One ate 2 mealworms and one ate 3... I'm hoping they are warming up and not just doing it because they are hungry... I feed them 5 crickets a day. the smaller one of the two eats around 2-3. I take the uneaten crickets out after about 15 min. But I am going to put today up as a success!

Just make sure you are holding them fairly far away from their faces. It is easy to forget that even a little chameleon has quite a long reach. It is natural that we think like a mammal and offer the food an inch or so from their faces which of course only stresses them if they are afraid of you. I still get too close even though I know better.

NvC Dex, I understand your excitement. My spooky wild caught (imported 6 months ago) ate from my hand the other day and I was so excited. She's the one who would try to commit suicide, diving for cover if I even looked in her cage from across the room. I haven't done anything to try to tame her; in fact, I've done the exact opposite by worming her many, many times (giardia). If she can become a lot tamer without any effort on my part, a little effort from you with your captive-bred animals should pay off.

 

[SocialNumb]

Congrats! I can't wait.