Handling your Chameleons?

[strawberryfielity]

I tend to hold my my veiled chameleon once a day. Once I get her out of her enclosure she is really mellow and falls asleep on my arm but she usually hisses and puffs up and sometimes snaps at the air next to my hand untill I get her out. I plan to try to get her to eat mealworms out of my hand and see if that will help change the way she veiws a hand coming into her territory a little more.

 

[DeviousMike]

I tend to hold my my veiled chameleon once a day. Once I get her out of her enclosure she is really mellow and falls asleep on my arm but she usually hisses and puffs up and sometimes snaps at the air next to my hand untill I get her out. I plan to try to get her to eat mealworms out of my hand and see if that will help change the way she veiws a hand coming into her territory a little more.

Like literally fall asleep? That might be bad...

 

[Julirs]

I tend to hold my my veiled chameleon once a day. Once I get her out of her enclosure she is really mellow and falls asleep on my arm but she usually hisses and puffs up and sometimes snaps at the air next to my hand untill I get her out. I plan to try to get her to eat mealworms out of my hand and see if that will help change the way she veiws a hand coming into her territory a little more.

What you consider to be really mellow could be a stress response where they close their eyes. Mealworms should only be used as an occasionally.

 

[strawberryfielity]

well i think she falls asleep. she closes her eyes for a few minutes and then starts walking around again. I don't know much about chameleons and this is my first 1. what do you mean it could be bad?

 

[Julirs]

You do not want to stress these animals, and if it does that it is undoubtedly stressed. Since this is your first, we can help make sure you are doing things correctly, which will also make YOU less stressed. Fill this out and we will make suggestions:

Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
* Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
* Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
* Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
* Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
* Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
* History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.


Cage Info:

* Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
* Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
* Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
* Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
* Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
* Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
* Location - Where are you geographically located?

 

[Syn]

well i think she falls asleep. she closes her eyes for a few minutes and then starts walking around again. I don't know much about chameleons and this is my first 1. what do you mean it could be bad?

Stress = bad. Closing her eyes is a stress response, possibly. Chameleons aren't like dogs or cats.

If she is falling asleep, that too could be bad. Chameleons shouldn't sleep during the day unless they are sick. They don't nap like we do.

 

[strawberryfielity]

I have only had her for a few months, and at first her diet has just been small crickets, but now that she is big enough to eat large crickets I was going to start giving her a few mealworms from my hand to try and make her more friendlier. Do you think this is a bad idea?

 

[strawberryfielity]

I only hold her once a day for about 5 minutes in the evening.. I would say usually around 4 or 5 in the afternoon, when it starts getting dark.

 

[DeviousMike]

I have only had her for a few months, and at first her diet has just been small crickets, but now that she is big enough to eat large crickets I was going to start giving her a few mealworms from my hand to try and make her more friendlier. Do you think this is a bad idea?

You can't really make them friendlier. They just are how they are. My ambilobe male is mean. I tried free ranging him once in a while and he enjoys it, but it's not a 180 degree turnaround. He can still be mean, but since I've done it, he's calmed down a tad.

Also, you are sorta interrupting their sleep cycle by holding her that late in the day, especially if it getting dark. That can be very stressful for them as well. My chams are getting ready to sleep around that time.

 

[strawberryfielity]

Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? veiled chameleon. female. juvenile.
* Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? once a day for about 5 minutes in the evening
* Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? so far just crickets thinking of adding meal worms.What amount? 10/day. she usually has 1 or 2 left over. What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?flukes.
* Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?zoo med reptivite and calcium powder every other week
* Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? spray bottleHow often and how long to you mist? once a day Do you see your chameleon drinking?yes
* Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. white and brown Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
no

Cage Info:

* Cage Type - screen. It's by zoomed.16X16X20*
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using?
15w Uvb 10w heat/ both zoo med
What is your daily lighting schedule?
I leave the heat & uvb on during the day untill it gets dark and then I turn them off.
* Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
During the day the enclosure is 85 degrees, at night 72-74 degrees. I have a digital thermometer.
* Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? Not sure of the humidity, I spray the enclosure three times a day.
* Plants - Are you using live plants? a small pythos plant, a wooden branch, and some fake vines.
* Placement - In the livingroom. At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? It is well off the floor, on a countertop.
* Location - Where are you geographically located? america. georgia.

 

[Julirs]

That sounds really good! The only thing I would say you need to fix pronto is your supplementing and gutloading. Gutload your crickets with fresh dark leafy greens like Kale and a variety of fruits and veggies like sweet potatoes, apples, carrots, etc. You should be using a calcium without D3 5-6 times weekly, one without D3 2X monthly, and a multivite twice a month until your cham is 6-8 months old and then you can drop down to once a month on the multivite. I don't think you meant 10watt basking-so I am assuming 100 watts, which is a little much for that cage size-but if you are measuring temps with a digital thermometer your temps look fine.

 

[SonTigerPantherCham]

My panther always comes to me and I have him out when I'm home. Im a newbie to this particular animal, but just today we were out on the patio and along came a fly, landed on my forearm and got gulped down fast!. It was really cool for me but old hat for everyone else here
of course the newbie paranoia set in wondering if it was ok for him to eat a ac!