How much can you handle your chameleon?

rachelk

rachelk

New Member
I just got my first veiled chameleon and I was wondering how much you can handle them? Right now he is not letting me touch him by hissing at me so I am respecting his area by staying away from him, will he eventually warm up to me? He was just shipped to me yesterday. I am going to have to clean the cage out in a couple of weeks and I don't want to stress him out by trying to coax him out. I am trying to hand feed him but no luck yet. Thank you!!
 
rachelk said:
I just got my first veiled chameleon and I was wondering how much you can handle them? Right now he is not letting me touch him by hissing at me so I am respecting his area by staying away from him, will he eventually warm up to me? He was just shipped to me yesterday. I am going to have to clean the cage out in a couple of weeks and I don't want to stress him out by trying to coax him out. I am trying to hand feed him but no luck yet. Thank you!!
Click to expand...

He may tolerate you better after he gets used to you but they are not known to be the friendliest of animals.
 
How about Carpets?

Not to threadjack - but I know that Ryan has Carpets, and I just had a pair arrive from The Chameleon Company this morning. Lil beauties! I am trying to give them plenty of space to acclimate, but I'm hoping I won't always terrify them every time I step into the room. What should I expect from them as they settle in?

Doug

1.1 carpets as of today!
 
Snarfit said:
Not to threadjack - but I know that Ryan has Carpets, and I just had a pair arrive from The Chameleon Company this morning. Lil beauties! I am trying to give them plenty of space to acclimate, but I'm hoping I won't always terrify them every time I step into the room. What should I expect from them as they settle in?

Doug

1.1 carpets as of today!
Click to expand...

I'll PM you
 
I like to treat my chams as fish, or as... I dunno, something like... "you can see but do not tocuh!" ;).

I usually just handle them for ocasionally inspection, a few minutes and put them back on their cages.
 
Hey Rachel,

All chameleons are different. I have a veiled male (from the same clutch as yours) and I have handled him only to do a DEEP cage cleaning. Otherwise I avoid handling him. (because he likes to try to eat my hand) I cannot guarantee that he will ever be nice and easy to handle, but most likely he will calm down and be less aggressive.
I have a male Panther chameleon who used to run and hide and hiss as a juvenile and now he stands at the front of the cage staring at me when im in the cham room and will wait there till I come over to let him rest on his favorite perch (top of my head)
The only advise I can give you is to try to have him associate you with good things such as food, and warm mistings. Also leave him alone as much as possible these first couple days... I am sure he will acclimate quickly. You were also saying you are going to clean the cage every couple weeks. That is good, but remove the poop daily. I do it as soon as I see it on the bottom of the cage that way the feeders arent crawling around in it.

Hope this Helps!

Todd
 
Thank you, that really helps! How often do you clean your cham cages? And I have 100% natural soft wood chips/bark that says it is safe for chameleons as the substrate but I am still a little worried whether or not it is not good for them, it holds in moisture really nice keeps my humidity levels up, let me know what you think!
 
NO substrate. It provides a place for feeders to hide and a place for bacteria to breed. a clean bottom of your enclosure is the only way to go. I deep clean mine every couple weeks (depending on schedule) and spot clean every day. Putting live potted plants in your enclosure will help keep up humidity, and if you are still struggling with keeping higher humidity you can put up plastic on a couple sides of your enclosure to help retain moisture.

See Ya

Todd
 
Go with a bare bottom to your enclosure, no substrate at all.
Substrate can cause deadly health problems for your chameleon, including impaction and upper respiratory infection. It is drastically easier to keep clean as well.
 
Agreed - no substrate

Your chameleon, in time, may be less frightened and less aggressive once its out of its cage/territory. I have one like this - she hates anything to enter her domain. But if I leave the door open, and wait patiently, she eventually will come out on her own and be quite willing for me to even pick her up (carefully, slowly) and put her elsewhere while I clean the cage (usually a plant that is nearby). I can come very near her, touch her etc while she is out of the cage without her hissing, gaping her mouth, turning dark colours etc. But Once she is back in her cage, she's back to devil girl attitude.
 
So no paper towels either? I've heard a lot of people recommend them for substrate.

Can someone post a photo of their cages? do you have the fake grass 'stuff' on the bottom or are we talking absolutely nothing?

(sorry to hijack)
 
It will depend on your chameleon, my female, hates me, and i only pull her out if im going to let her sit in the window, or if i am inspecting her. My male on the other hand, is not your typical cham, at the sight of me approaching the cage he runs to the front door and clings to it, then when i open the door he jumps on too my shoulder and proceeds to claw my face trying to get to the top of my head. But he isnt typical, and veileds are usually meaner than panthers. I like the goldfish analogy...
 
rachelk said:
I just got my first veiled chameleon and I was wondering how much you can handle them? Right now he is not letting me touch him by hissing at me so I am respecting his area by staying away from him, will he eventually warm up to me? He was just shipped to me yesterday. I am going to have to clean the cage out in a couple of weeks and I don't want to stress him out by trying to coax him out. I am trying to hand feed him but no luck yet. Thank you!!
Click to expand...

Have lots of patience and give him some time. He's been through allot the past couple of days, being shipped and now adjusting to a new home. Move VERY slow when you are around him. Later in a few days try hand feeding him some nice small silkworms or a superworm. Wear light green colors when you are around him. They seem to like green. In a few weeks when you are around to watch him leave his door open and put a tree in front of it and don't let him see you looking and see if he'll climb out on the tree. Don't rush him and he might come around. I have 2 veileds a male and female and they are both just little sweetie pies! Jann
 
Thank you!!

Good to know! I will remove the substrate as soon as I get home from work today!! And I know to never listen to the people in the pet store, most of them know nothing about chameleons anyway, and they should not even carry them in their pet stores! I feel bad for those chameleons...
 
Also, is it ok to feed them waxworms? and how many, i heard they are more like a treat, but the pet store I got to to get his food, they only carry waxworms, mealsworms, and crickets, so i just get the crickets and bought a thing of waxworms, I know meal worms are not a good feeder. I'm having a hard time trying to find silkworms and supers...
 
rachelk said:
Also, is it ok to feed them waxworms? and how many, i heard they are more like a treat, but the pet store I got to to get his food, they only carry waxworms, mealsworms, and crickets, so i just get the crickets and bought a thing of waxworms, I know meal worms are not a good feeder. I'm having a hard time trying to find silkworms and supers...
Click to expand...

Wax worms are ok for a treat but not all the time. I get my silkworms at www.coastalsilkworms.com
 
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