handling veiled chams
- Thread starter tryme
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Justin Carl
Avid Member
yea, they dont like your hands inside of their home.
once you get tem outside of the cage they usually calm down quite a bit.
once you get tem outside of the cage they usually calm down quite a bit.
Treetop Chameleons
Established Member
my male wont let me tuch him at all and if i do get him out he just trys to jump out of my hands so i dont try to take him out except for when i have to clean the cage. but my female has no prob with me. i think it all just depending on the cham.
Brad Ramsey
Retired Moderator
The bottom line (in my opinion) is that if you want a "pet" that you can handle .... pick something other than a chameleon.
Handling is occasionally necessary, but for the most part these animals should be left alone.
-Brad
Handling is occasionally necessary, but for the most part these animals should be left alone.
-Brad
They should be considered "Display Animals" - much like having a fish tank.
Mine would tolerate being taken out for short periods during cage cleanings, but its clear that they don't like it and anything you can do to reduce the stress on your captive animal will increase both the length and quality of its life.
Just my opinion
Mine would tolerate being taken out for short periods during cage cleanings, but its clear that they don't like it and anything you can do to reduce the stress on your captive animal will increase both the length and quality of its life.
Just my opinion
Kent67
Retired Moderator
I agree with not handling chameleons. Most do not handle it well.
There are, however, exceptions to every rule. I took in a 4 year old male pardalis in September that had not been receiving the nutrition he needed. For the first month he was here, he ate an astounding amount of food. Approximately 20 crickets and 10 superworms per day. Usually all at one time, taken from my hand. Then all of a sudden he stopped eating. I let him go for a week or so then started occasionally making him gape at me and inserting food into his mouth, which he ate. It went like this for a while. What is important is that this animal is "tame." One afternoon, when I was bringing the warmer climate animals inside, my neighbor was sitting outside supervising our dogs and I just walked up, put the panther on her arm, and silently walked away. She thinks all animals are great, but doesn't know anything about reptiles. She kinda freaked and I just walked away. Long story short, she now calls him "my boyfriend" and comes over every other night or so, to take him over to her place for "chameleon massages." She walks around with him clutched to her neck, vertically, petting him. She said he literally goes limp and she freaks out and has to play with his tail to make sure he's still alive. About a month ago, he was next door for a couple hours of this treatment by the neighbor and her 10-year old nephew. Very soon after she brought him home, I tried to do the assist-feeding routine with him but he snatched the first cricket out of my hand as soon as I got close and continued to eat a large meal willingly. He eats well again now, but in the last month has only done so once (three days ago)without a round of "chameleon massage" first.
There are, however, exceptions to every rule. I took in a 4 year old male pardalis in September that had not been receiving the nutrition he needed. For the first month he was here, he ate an astounding amount of food. Approximately 20 crickets and 10 superworms per day. Usually all at one time, taken from my hand. Then all of a sudden he stopped eating. I let him go for a week or so then started occasionally making him gape at me and inserting food into his mouth, which he ate. It went like this for a while. What is important is that this animal is "tame." One afternoon, when I was bringing the warmer climate animals inside, my neighbor was sitting outside supervising our dogs and I just walked up, put the panther on her arm, and silently walked away. She thinks all animals are great, but doesn't know anything about reptiles. She kinda freaked and I just walked away. Long story short, she now calls him "my boyfriend" and comes over every other night or so, to take him over to her place for "chameleon massages." She walks around with him clutched to her neck, vertically, petting him. She said he literally goes limp and she freaks out and has to play with his tail to make sure he's still alive. About a month ago, he was next door for a couple hours of this treatment by the neighbor and her 10-year old nephew. Very soon after she brought him home, I tried to do the assist-feeding routine with him but he snatched the first cricket out of my hand as soon as I got close and continued to eat a large meal willingly. He eats well again now, but in the last month has only done so once (three days ago)without a round of "chameleon massage" first.
Last edited:
reyesjoshuacruz
Established Member
I dont know about you all, but chams calm me down. They are relaxing to me just as a fish tank. I have 1.2 and neither mind being handled. I wonder why no one has brought up WC vs CB or CH. Doesnt that play a role in this issue? On any given day i can reach in and remove them from the cage with them hissing (between the three of them) once outta 50 times. My WC fem and cb Fem will even reach for me and climb onto my hand right away if i havent handled them for a week or so. Now this is the interesting part, when im stressed, mad, upset, or anything other then calm and happy then do hiss and do get on the D as soon as i stick my hands in the cage. But when im calm and not stressed they dont mind my hands doing what ever in the cage. anyone else experience this? i know some species comun through vibrations, if im calm my heart rate, my breathing everything is mellow maybe they can sense that? If im stressed or upset my body works diff maybe they can sense that? lets put it this way, when ever i try to put them back into their cages, they dont run back into the cage like ive heard from others, then try and crawl back up my arm to my head.
davemailcall
New Member
I'm going to consider myself lucky with Clyde. Although he doesn't like to be handled he does tolerate it better than most of the other chams I hear about. I think my daily presense near his cage (2-3hrs a day) has gotten him to relax a bit. I don't bother him unless I really need to.
dodolah
Retired Moderator
They will simply tolerate your existence nearby them. But, as far as associating an affection, IMHO, chameleon is just not that kind of an animal, especially veiled.
A lot of people seems to associate a "bond" happened when the veiled automatically run to your hand when you open the cage.
but, i think it is far from affection and more likely the veiled see you as a mean to escape from the cage.
Another "affection" thing that people often talked about is when the chameleons rub their nose, head, or eye on the owner.
But, one member in this forum (i think her name is Kristina) brought up a very interesting theory that the chameleon simply sees you as a mobile tree.
Some chameleons also practice "death" bite on their owner.
Just like they do to trees sometimes.
my point is be very aware when you try to associate your chameleon with human emotions (or even worse, try to teach them human emotions)..
I do agree that veiled (or chameleon in general) is not a touchy feely animal
like dogs and cats.
but, I am not going to go to extremes saying that handling them is absolutely forbidden.
But be4 doing that, you should know some of the facts:
1. Chameleon do not enjoy such kind of affection. Handling regimens are
stressful to them. I always tell people to try see it in their chameleon's
perspectives. Chameleon sees every moving thing that is larger than them as
predator.
So, their feeling of a "handling regimen" will probably be the same like
yours when you are fondled by a big tiger
.
Some junior member once said "The handling will happened very rare
and it's just as a show and tell to all my friends."
That will probably stresses the chameleons even more.
the only thing worse than being fondled by a tiger is being fondled by a
tiger in front of other tigers.
2. Eventually your chameleon will get used to you. But, to reach to that point,
you don't exactly need to train them via handling regimen.
just the fact that you always show up to feed him and clean his cage is
sufficient enough.
3. Understand your chameleon's behavior. They are "programmed" to flee or
bite. Chameleons will try to run away until they are cornered.
Know the "i'm gonna bit you, if you don't back off" warning they exhibit.
Know these signs and you will be a happy chameleon owner.
I'll let you be the judge whether you still want to implement handling regimens.
hope that helps.
A lot of people seems to associate a "bond" happened when the veiled automatically run to your hand when you open the cage.
but, i think it is far from affection and more likely the veiled see you as a mean to escape from the cage.
Another "affection" thing that people often talked about is when the chameleons rub their nose, head, or eye on the owner.
But, one member in this forum (i think her name is Kristina) brought up a very interesting theory that the chameleon simply sees you as a mobile tree.
Some chameleons also practice "death" bite on their owner.
Just like they do to trees sometimes.
my point is be very aware when you try to associate your chameleon with human emotions (or even worse, try to teach them human emotions)..
I do agree that veiled (or chameleon in general) is not a touchy feely animal
like dogs and cats.
but, I am not going to go to extremes saying that handling them is absolutely forbidden.
But be4 doing that, you should know some of the facts:
1. Chameleon do not enjoy such kind of affection. Handling regimens are
stressful to them. I always tell people to try see it in their chameleon's
perspectives. Chameleon sees every moving thing that is larger than them as
predator.
So, their feeling of a "handling regimen" will probably be the same like
yours when you are fondled by a big tiger
.Some junior member once said "The handling will happened very rare
and it's just as a show and tell to all my friends."
That will probably stresses the chameleons even more.
the only thing worse than being fondled by a tiger is being fondled by a
tiger in front of other tigers.
2. Eventually your chameleon will get used to you. But, to reach to that point,
you don't exactly need to train them via handling regimen.
just the fact that you always show up to feed him and clean his cage is
sufficient enough.
3. Understand your chameleon's behavior. They are "programmed" to flee or
bite. Chameleons will try to run away until they are cornered.
Know the "i'm gonna bit you, if you don't back off" warning they exhibit.
Know these signs and you will be a happy chameleon owner.
I'll let you be the judge whether you still want to implement handling regimens.
hope that helps.
Brad Ramsey
Retired Moderator
"Won't this build a bond with them like it does with Leos?"
Not necessarily.
In fact most of the time ... No.
-Brad
Not necessarily.
In fact most of the time ... No.
-Brad
JDunkz6501
New Member
My Male Veiled Chameleon always lunges and snapps at me when I stick my hands near him in is cage. "Unless I have food" But a couple times I have left the cage open and he got out. "By the way, try to avoid leaving enclosures open as much as possible. It was definately not a problem for like 7 months and then he finally found out that he could get out that way. Now he takes every chance he gets if im not in the room and his cage is open." But anyway, he got out a couple times but when I go to pick him up to put him back in his cage he doesnt flatten up and snap at me. He is pretty calm
JDunkz6501
New Member
I almost forgot! I am pretty sure that chameleons definately get used to their owner. As I said, out of the cage my Cham is very calm and lets me handle him. But when my girlfriend tried to touch him he flattened up and hissed at her, but then seconds later let me touch him
Just be sure you do all your research before purchasing...Their not like any other reptile as far as their care is conscerned. Spend a couple of hours a day on this forum for a few weeks before purchasing and listen to what people are telling you. Many of the people on here have dozens of chams and decades of experience. As far as your question goes...a friendly veiled is an oddity. Most are very territorial in their cage. One of mine is down right nasty until you get him out. The other is just hatefull. They usually calm down outside the cage though.
Good luck
David
AFH
Avid Member
When I feed my male panther, I always give him the first by hand. Sometimes when I open the cage and stick my hand in, he puffs up and gets defensive, then he sees the cricket, sucks in his chin, and comes running for it.
The rest of the time when he knows it's feeding time, he usally sits as close to the door with his tongue slightly sticking out.
AFH
