Handling my chameleon for the first time

GarethSmyth88

New Member
hi everyone, for the first time today i tried to handle my male veiled chameleon (Chara) here's the problem.... when i offered him my hand he was still for a while until he plucked up the courage to get on to my hand (no hissing), however when he got onto my hand he tryed to escape running away from his viv grabbing on to the sides and the curtains near the viv and hissing when i was trying to stop him. when i was trying to put chara back into the viv he continuously was trying to get out and run away and hissing! does anyone know why he would be doing this and how i could stop this?

he is approx 8 months old if that helps
also he is almost always scratching at the front of the viv
photo.php
photo.php
 
I can't see the pictures either. It could be he just didn't want to be held? I haven't had my chameleon very long so that's really all I could think of. Have you tried hand feeding him?

Is this the first time you've ever tried to handle him? Maybe he sees it as a threat somehow. My chameleon won't come to me/hides if I'm wearing a particular blue jacket that I have, so it could be as simple as that.
 
anyone know how to upload pics? he has only ever been handfed thats why im concerned, i think his viv may be to small but a new one will be here this week, anyone know how to age a male cham, i know he is used to me because he even walks over to get a drink and eat?!
 
It could be that you panicked. It's amazing how animals, in general can sense when people are nervous and panicky.

Seems as if, when I am holding my little dude, if I am calm 9/10 times he will be calm as well.

Also, it seems as if they do not like eye contact. This could just be my theories, don't take my word on it, but it is something to try. It seems as if that 1/10 times that he is panicky, though I am calm, and I do not make eye contact with him, he calms down much faster.


Like I said, don't take me 100% on that but something to try!

Hope this helps bud,

-Travis
 
thanks for the replys, ill try to be more relaxed and make as little eye contact as i can.
the viv is 24x24x24 but in two days chara will be moves into a 36x19x48 custom viv, does anyone have any advice on what to put in the viv or what it needs to be like, i live in ireland so it needs to be wood to hold in heat and humidity.
 
Instead of a new viv, could you switch him to a screen cage? It will be better in the long run, especially with a veild
 
thanks for the replys, ill try to be more relaxed and make as little eye contact as i can.
the viv is 24x24x24 but in two days chara will be moves into a 36x19x48 custom viv, does anyone have any advice on what to put in the viv or what it needs to be like, i live in ireland so it needs to be wood to hold in heat and humidity.

Let me get a photo of my enclosure here soon.

Ill post within the next day or so
 
i would say he probably just got nervous when you pulled away from the viv. getting on your hand might not have stressed him out, but when he saw you were taking him away from home and not knowing where he was going, probably freaked him
 
Back
Top Bottom