Handling question

AwpsAhoy

New Member
So I would like to be able to buy my approximately 4 month old veiled a plant to free range on and sit next to a window in my apartment. The question I have is if it would be wise to attempt this? He is very very shy about me coming in and around his cage...usually leaving his basking spot and running for cover. He never turns dark to show he is stressed when I clean/feed every day. I have only handled him twice before, and both times was over a month ago. Also, is there a plant you all prefer for your free range that is both small enough for apartment living, and easy to manage?
 
I would wait to free range until he's not so shy. He may try to run away from your free range spot, if he's that shy. Give him some yummy treats until he opens up and be patient.
Ficus trees are pretty small and good. You can buy them at home dept for like 10-15 bucks.
 
Ficus are fantastic for the FR, they are very easy to take care of, are not too big but tall enough for them to run around on. Are you going to get him out each time and put him on the FR or open his cage and allow him to come out when he wants? I would not take him out yourself if it stresses him out, then he will see his FR as a stressful activity. You might work daily on hand feeding him to get his trust up first.
 
How would you recommend taming him if he is very shy as far as hand feeding. I have held crickets to his face before and he has not been interested when I present them. I noticed the other day that as long as I sit next to his cage for a few minutes after misting/feeding that he relaxes a little bit. I managed to get him to drink from the spray bottle yesterday however, so there is hope hah!
 
Treats! Offer silkworm, hornworms, or what ever. Sit back and be patient.
Once he knows your the one giving yummy stuff, he'll open up.
 
How would you recommend taming him if he is very shy as far as hand feeding. I have held crickets to his face before and he has not been interested when I present them. I noticed the other day that as long as I sit next to his cage for a few minutes after misting/feeding that he relaxes a little bit. I managed to get him to drink from the spray bottle yesterday however, so there is hope hah!

I'm not against people who don't handle their cham, but I have been one that has handled mine since he was little. I NEVER made him do anything that he didn't do on his own. I did it very slowly and in very small incriments of time. I started with putting a plant near the front of his open cage and let him come out on his own, and then I would hang out in the room with him by reading a book or something so he would get used to me and know I'm not going to eat him I would very slowly put my fingers under his chin and let him crawl onto my hand. If he didn't want to, he would turn around and climb away, and if that happend, I would leave the room for a while and come back and try again so I wouldn't stress him out. Now he comes out onto my hand all the time! I have a free range for him to come out on, so he knows that coming out of the cage onto me either means free range or going outside for some sun. I also made a travel cage that I bring him in the car (with no stress that I can see) with us to my mother in law's place and he hangs out by the pool with us. The great thing about handling in my oppinion is that less stuff stresses them out once they start wanting to come out and it lets them experience more things without stress. (which comes in handy if you have to go to the vet and be handled by someone else). Again, this is all my oppinion! hope this helps! Oh, and I DO NOT "play" with my cham ever. I only become a moving tree for him
 
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