Hey all, got my Cham three days ago and it seems to be going well to me. I'm a first time owner but have been taking precautions. He drinks at least a few times a day and since the second day i got him he has been eating at least 8 crickets a day. Is it bad to crowd the cage a lot ? It has plastic covering on three sides due to low humidity in my area in winter But it helps. He does not like when I must the cage and I never spray him directly. He always runs as I mist, and whenever I open cage to put in feeding cup (which he caught on quick to) or any other reason he does not like it and backs away or hides. I haven't even made an effort to handle cause I dont want to stress him out. But he is my first Cham ad I'm get eager to try and make him friendly. Help me !
Handling or well... Looking?
- Thread starter Kushkilla
- Start date
The first thing you need to know is that it will take time. You cannot expect miracles and this will taken a while. Be gentle, slow and conscientious of the the fact that you look huge and your Cham thinks you're going to eat it. Try putting a cricket/worm in your hand and keeping your hand still in the cage for a while(like 10 minutes). See how the Cham reacts. It may take interest or it may not trust you enough even to come over. If it doesn't trust you, just work with it gently by doing work--spraying, feeding, etc--*without* you trying to grab it or do anything besides your work. It may never be your friend, but you *can* get it to the point that it won't be terrified every time it sees you.
(Other can offer better advice than I can, but this has worked enough for me)
Good luck!
Solid Snake
Avid Member
Patience!
I know its hard
IMO you should observe the cham as much as possible!
That way you start to get a feel for "normal" behavior, and can spot a problem if somthing goes wrong.
Its good to keep tabs on them.
Most chameleons shy away from a mist. IMO its the temp of the water(which will never be the same as their internal temp) and just a natural response.(to not drowning)
Somtimes mine love it, and sit right in front of the mister, somtimes they dont want any part of it.
If they dont want to be misted, I dont mist them. If they do I do. I still mist the cage how I please though.
Its for their own good darn it!
Thats great your having success with cup feeding!
Next time you feed, offer him a cricket by hand first. If it spooks him, try again the next day.
When you do finaly handle him, have a cricket in the other hand, and offer it to him. This is how I got my guy to drop his defenses and learn that Im not a risk to his health.
I know its hard
IMO you should observe the cham as much as possible!
That way you start to get a feel for "normal" behavior, and can spot a problem if somthing goes wrong.
Its good to keep tabs on them.
Most chameleons shy away from a mist. IMO its the temp of the water(which will never be the same as their internal temp) and just a natural response.(to not drowning)
Somtimes mine love it, and sit right in front of the mister, somtimes they dont want any part of it.
If they dont want to be misted, I dont mist them. If they do I do. I still mist the cage how I please though.
Its for their own good darn it!
Thats great your having success with cup feeding!
Next time you feed, offer him a cricket by hand first. If it spooks him, try again the next day.
When you do finaly handle him, have a cricket in the other hand, and offer it to him. This is how I got my guy to drop his defenses and learn that Im not a risk to his health.
Both. Answers are great advice! Thanks for the input. I hope he comes around, and I wish I could keep my hand still for ten minutes but whenever I attempt It won't lol but I'm not going to try for a while. He hadn't had worms yet so I was thinking of first hand feed as wax or meal worms singe can associate hand with awesome ? Good idea?
Solid Snake
Avid Member
Yes. But if they havnt been introduce to a worm, it can take alot of staring at it before they decide its somthing they want to eat.
Yes. But if they havnt been introduce to a worm, it can take alot of staring at it before they decide its somthing they want to eat.
Okay thanks! I'm going to go get some soon. He didn't catch on to cup feeding wen I started but I moved the cup higher and he def saw em and was intreged. I also hot glued black plastic to the outside of the bottom of the cup so he can notice the white crickets easier and it seemed to work!
