Handling

[TheGreenMachine67]

I was wondering what is the proper way to start trying to handle your chameleon. I've had mine for almost a week. I'm not going to attempt the handling until at least 2 weeks. I understand handling can endanger their health, and stress them out. However, I have seen many friendly chameleons. I know all chameleons have their own personality, but I want to try to possibly train mine to be able to handle him. So any tips or ideas on what the best way would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Daniel266jz]

I was wondering what is the proper way to start trying to handle your chameleon. I've had mine for almost a week. I'm not going to attempt the handling until at least 2 weeks. I understand handling can endanger their health, and stress them out. However, I have seen many friendly chameleons. I know all chameleons have their own personality, but I want to try to possibly train mine to be able to handle him. So any tips or ideas on what the best way would be greatly appreciated.

You don’t necessarily “train” them. Not a thing with chameleons. What does happen is they learn to trust you and see you as being safe to them, as in you won’t harm them and you are the good bringer lol. Anyways what I did is leave mine alone. All I did is hand feed and give treats and cup feed. Took me about 4 months to earn my panther chameleons trust and whenever he feels like coming out to explore he’ll walk right up to my hand and size me up and the surroundings and he either chooses to come out or he just waits for a treat. NEVER force one out it’s very bad for them. Just let him warm up using treats and hand/cup feeding and depending on his/her personality they’ll come out on their own will to explore and whatever else chameleons do.

 

[Daniel266jz]

You don’t necessarily “train” them. Not a thing with chameleons. What does happen is they learn to trust you and see you as being safe to them, as in you won’t harm them and you are the good bringer lol. Anyways what I did is leave mine alone. All I did is hand feed and give treats and cup feed. Took me about 4 months to earn my panther chameleons trust and whenever he feels like coming out to explore he’ll walk right up to my hand and size me up and the surroundings and he either chooses to come out or he just waits for a treat. NEVER force one out it’s very bad for them. Just let him warm up using treats and hand/cup feeding and depending on his/her personality they’ll come out on their own will to explore and whatever else chameleons do.

Food***

 

[TheGreenMachine67]

Thank you so much, Daniel, for the reply! I will be sure that I take it slow and try to hand feed more often. My chameleon has started to eat crickets from my hand and has started to show brighter colors. He seems rather peaceful. He hasn't shown me any signs of aggression. He has hissed once when I was putting a feeder cup in for him. However, I could tell that was more fear then anger.

 

[Daniel266jz]

Thank you so much, Daniel, for the reply! I will be sure that I take it slow and try to hand feed more often. My chameleon has started to eat crickets from my hand and has started to show brighter colors. He seems rather peaceful. He hasn't shown me any signs of aggression. He has hissed once when I was putting a feeder cup in for him. However, I could tell that was more fear then anger.

Yea the hissing is more of caution and fear just try to move slowly it doesn’t mean he’s being defensive I noticed that when I move a bit too fast he’ll get a little cautious and a bit scared.

 

[TheGreenMachine67]

What do you think is the best time to start attempting to handle? Also the best way? I've seen people sticking their hand out towards them or under them.

 

[Daniel266jz]

What do you think is the best time to start attempting to handle? Also the best way? I've seen people sticking their hand out towards them or under them.

What I would do is wait until every time I brought him a treat he’d get closer and closer until I saw he was comfortable enough to get close to me without being scared and eat his treat. Then I would stick my hand out very slowly and leave it in front of him for a while everyday so he’d sort of get a feel I meant no harm and he eventually just sprinted on my hand on his own. He likes to come out occasionally and crawl all over me lol. I also would try to be around him and beat his cage for a bit without looking at him or moving too much so he’d get used to me being around him.

 

[Daniel266jz]

Near*** not beat don’t beat his cage lmboooooo

 

[TheGreenMachine67]

Thank you so much for all the help. I've been keeping his doors open and just sitting on my bed watching videos on my free time for the past couple days. He even tried to come out of his cage just about 10 minutes ago. Once again thanks for all the help!

 

[Daniel266jz]

Thank you so much for all the help. I've been keeping his doors open and just sitting on my bed watching videos on my free time for the past couple days. He even tried to come out of his cage just about 10 minutes ago. Once again thanks for all the help!

That’s good let him know the outside is safe!

 

[Tattersb]

Near*** not beat don’t beat his cage lmboooooo

That just made me spit water on my computer!

 

[Tattersb]

My Jackson's likes to roam and he will take the quickest exit out of his cage he can find. I take advantage of that and just hold my hand out to assist in his "exit". He scoots up my arm, and gets a few bug treats, then I put him on his jungle gym. Sometimes he just wants to be out of the cage so he'll sit on my head while I read. He has the option to climb down and get to his gym, but some days he just hangs out on my head. (Not the whole day, just a short time. )