Holding your Chameleon

[k9monkey]

Hi there,

I was wondering what the best way to get my chameleon comfortable being held? Right now he is a little guy (around 6" nose to tail). I tried to reach in to touch him the other day and he did not like that for sure.

Any thoughts on how you get them to the point where they will allow you to touch them or climb on you??

Thanks,
CmB

 

[pssh]

You can't. They choose if they want to be handled or not, not you.

 

[carol5208]

Mine does not like to be approached in the cage at all, but I open the door and he climbs out and then I put my hand up to him and see if he wants to be held which he usually does. I would never grab him out of the cage. One, he might bite you and two it will definitely stress them out. Give him another spot to go to(I have a tree on my patio for him) and maybe he will associate being held with you taking him to another change of scenery. Also, my breeder told me to try using a stick at first to get him to climg onto to get him in and out of the cage.

 

[kinyonga]

Carol is right...let the chameleon either walk onto a stick or walk onto your hand. If you grab it and pull it off the branch you might injure its feed or ankles.

 

[k9monkey]

Thank you for the feedback. I was not reaching in to grab him more to let him climb on my finger. I will try the stick idea. That seems like a good idea.

 

[Stephikins]

I have a little guy too and I found that if you make his top brack a loose circle on top of his other branches you can then open up the cage from the top (if you an Eco Terra) & then I pull up the entire top branch that he usually on. by the movement he gets a little scared and runs right on my hand from the branch once it's out of the cage. Just an easier transition from in cage to out on familiar branch to on you. Obvisouly doesn't work if he is somewhere on a lower level in cage or if you can't open the top of the cage. Hope this helps