Handling Training

[Mijah139]

Hey everyone. I've had my cham for about 5 weeks now and I'm interested in starting to handle him. First, let me say that my intentions are not to have him as a "handle-able" pet like a bearded dragon, but just to get him comfortable with me for when I have to take him out to clean his cage (or take him to the vet). Right now he is still pretty shy when I'm around, and is VERY good at hiding in his lush enclosure.

Has anyone had success training shy chams to be more comfortable with handling? How did you do it?

I understand that all chams are different, and that I just have a shy one (which I am totally happy with, I love the little guy). But I would hate to have to take him to the vet and add any additional stress if he is already sick.

Right now, he is willing to snatch crickets and dubias out of tongs, and will eat delicious wax worms off of my fingertip.

 

[Hakai]

I gave up on handling my cham a while ago as he is a jerk, and puffs up and hisses even if I just walk by sometimes. But, I believe that you have some hope. If you are able to tong/hand feed, that means he's already somewhat comfortable with your presence. Food is the best motivator for a cham. With that in mind, try to hand feed as much as possible. He will eventually start to associate your hand with food. At some point try to put a worm further up your arm so he has to walk onto your hand in order to get it. Pretty much just try to make every experience he has with your hand a positive one. None of this is from personal experience, this is just what I've heard/read on the forums. I did quite a bit of research trying to make my guy more comfortable with me but he hates everything and everyone...but I still love him!

 

[jmwhitel]

I just use food to train them. Try and get them so focused on food, that they crawl right onto your hand. It takes loooooots of time, but usually works.

However some chams (like my old female veiled) will always hate everyone and everything.

 

[KWALA]

hand feeding and maybe putting him on a plant next to your desk might help him get used to the bigger world

 

[Olimpia]

Here's what I've done for mine which has worked: http://muchadoaboutchameleons.blogspot.com/2012/04/to-handle-or-not-to-handle.html

Conditioning a chameleon to not fear your hands with hand feeding is a good start. With time and patience I haven't had a chameleon yet that wouldn't eventually respond to positive reinforcement.

 

[xcrystalx]

free ranging him with just a small plant outside his cage to come out onto whenever he wants is also a good idea as well as handfeeding.many chams are more chilled out when there out of there territory.ive heard many success stories doing this

 

[Psychobunny]

Check out my taming blog.
You may find it usefull

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/psychobunny/746-taming-chameleon.html

 

[bluechameleon]

Patience patience patience!! That's the best advice really! it took me a year to get my panther tame, at first he hated me, now he wants to walk around the house with me on my head, hand feeding is also good, not took much thou, letting the Cham explore while you maybe clean his cage gives then the feeding of a bit more trust and that outside the enclosure is safe, also I started talking to my chameleon and that kinda helped abit he got to used to my voice and presence hope these tips help! Here's a pic on my Cham top is a year ago and even when I took the photo outside the cage he puffed up, bottom is a month ago, the camera is 3cm from him haha