He can’t like me…can he?

MissSkittles

Chameleon Enthusiast
Among all of the many things I first learned about chameleons is that they do not like us. They learn to have some trust in us, associate us with food and free range (if we have one) and otherwise tolerate our intrusions into their homes...somewhat. Usually, if a chameleon is very eager to come out of it’s enclosure, there has got to be something wrong with the enclosure…right?
Well, Jack has me stumped. It isn’t every time that I open his enclosure, but it is most, that he comes running down and immediately climbing up my arm. I’ll sit in the chair next to his enclosure with him and he’ll just calmly sit on my hand. Sometimes he tries to climb up to my face and about 1/4 of the times that I’ve let him, he looks like he’s ready to strike out at my eyeballs. The rest of the time he just sits and looks at me, looks around and just seems content. Then it gets even stranger…sometimes I’ll sit on the floor while my beardie is running around exploring the room. It just happens that the best spot for me to sit is in front of Jack’s enclosure. Jack has climbed all the way down as low in his enclosure as he can, wedging himself between the root pouch and screen in his attempts to get to me. The other day he wedged himself so tightly that he couldn’t get back out on his own and I was afraid of hurting him while getting him out.
He’s always been calm and had no problems with being handled and used to come to me when he was in his previous smaller enclosure, but I don’t recall him being so very eager. I can’t even get his food in his feeder before he’s on my hand and climbing up me. He’s walked right over the silkworms I had on my hand to hand feed him. So, here’s a pic of his enclosure. Does anyone see anything at all that he may not be liking? Basking temps are 82-84, humidity mid 40’s (have to compromise here for my veileds). Uvb is 12%, but is nearing a year old and only on one side of the enclosure…waiting for his 2nd light to be delivered. Once it is, will have 6% bulb on left/basking side and 12% on denser foliage side. (hard to see, but tree covers a lot)
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You said..."if a chameleon is very eager to come out of it’s enclosure, there has got to be something wrong with the enclosure…right?"...I actually think there are some that "like" to be out with us. I've had a few that behave that way and they live in cages identical to siblings that wouldn't ever dream of coming out like that.
 
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Usually, if a chameleon is very eager to come out of it’s enclosure, there has got to be something wrong with the enclosure…right?
I'm not so sure.

Well, Jack has me stumped. It isn’t every time that I open his enclosure, but it is most, that he comes running down and immediately climbing up my arm.
Likewise with Ol' Grumpypants. It's gotten to the point that he seems to prefer charging over eating. Used to be he'd perch while I put crix in his feeder, then "run" over and chow down. Now he ignores the crix, and charges my arm instead. Yesterday he moved up my arm so fast I had trouble getting control, and the little barstad [sic] bit my thumb and drew blood.

Now I'm in REAL trouble; he's tasted man-flesh and acquired a thirst for human blood! :eek:

I’ll sit in the chair next to his enclosure with him and he’ll just calmly sit on my hand. Sometimes he tries to climb up to my face and about 1/4 of the times that I’ve let him, he looks like he’s ready to strike out at my eyeballs. The rest of the time he just sits and looks at me, looks around and just seems content. Then it gets even stranger…sometimes I’ll sit on the floor while my beardie is running around exploring the room. It just happens that the best spot for me to sit is in front of Jack’s enclosure. Jack has climbed all the way down as low in his enclosure as he can, wedging himself between the root pouch and screen in his attempts to get to me. The other day he wedged himself so tightly that he couldn’t get back out on his own and I was afraid of hurting him while getting him out.
He’s always been calm and had no problems with being handled and used to come to me when he was in his previous smaller enclosure, but I don’t recall him being so very eager. I can’t even get his food in his feeder before he’s on my hand and climbing up me. He’s walked right over the silkworms I had on my hand to hand feed him.
All GP has ever done outside his enclosure is climb to the highest point above the plant table, and hang by his back feet for a few hours at a time.

I'm thinking we may be dealing with something else... something that rhymes with "hormones". 🤨
 
I think some are just wired differently. I also think Panthers tend to be more accepting of their humans unlike Veileds. Beman the first year and a half he would come to me without issue. Always on his own and without food bribes. His cage was set up correctly like yours is and he still came out to me. Granted this has become more of a I may bite you thing lately. But he still crawls out onto me but he goes into full territorial display, colors, and full mouth open when he does. Once out he settles. He just hates me near his space now.
 
I think we talked earlier about this but Lily is the exact same way! She is always eager to come out, even if I have treats (screw the horn worm mom I want you) and it’s kind of nice when you know it’s not common. Her brother on the other hand doesn’t like to come out anymore now that his favorite tree is in his enclosure. We keep them in separate rooms so they don’t see each other 😛
 
Carly has now gotten into the kinder
Stage. She keeps sticking her tongue out and we don't know why. She might be scared.
 
My first two Jackson’s, Jack and Isaac, from 25 years ago both loved to come out on my hands and walk around with me. I also had a free range spot for them with 3 ficus trees on a table and Isaac loved it. Fast forward to Eustis and he does not like my hands or to come out of his enclosure at all! He’s very shy but not aggressive at all.
 
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