Zubi
Established Member
lol mine does that all the time too, although when he is outside he will gladly walk onto my hand it makes no sense
How often you hold your chameleon?
- Thread starter Anitec21
- Start date
lol mine does that all the time too, although when he is outside he will gladly walk onto my hand it makes no sense
kaity
New Member
It depends on what Cham. All my panthers I have ever owned I held daily. My Jacksons when I had free time usually once or twice a week and my Veilds probably once a month really quick for deep cage cleaning and a up close look over.
Every panther I have ever owned woukd beg at the door to come out and when I opened the door they will dart out on my hand and crawl happily all over me. I even have plants in the living room I let then enjoy for several hours a day so I have alwalys made a point to get them out because the desire attention.
My Jacksons alwalys seem to not get stressed out when I handel them but they don't seen to seek out attention so I hold them fairly frequently for short periods of time and let then explore a bit but only closely supervised because they won't just hang out on the plants like my Panthers they will crawl everywhere as fast as they can go.
My Vields have all been super mean and will get stressed and gape whenever I try to hold them so I only hold them when I need to for the shortest time possible.
If your Cham seems to enjoy human interaction hold him/her!
Every panther I have ever owned woukd beg at the door to come out and when I opened the door they will dart out on my hand and crawl happily all over me. I even have plants in the living room I let then enjoy for several hours a day so I have alwalys made a point to get them out because the desire attention.
My Jacksons alwalys seem to not get stressed out when I handel them but they don't seen to seek out attention so I hold them fairly frequently for short periods of time and let then explore a bit but only closely supervised because they won't just hang out on the plants like my Panthers they will crawl everywhere as fast as they can go.
My Vields have all been super mean and will get stressed and gape whenever I try to hold them so I only hold them when I need to for the shortest time possible.
If your Cham seems to enjoy human interaction hold him/her!
sdheli420
Avid Member
mine chase me down to hang out..they are more or less "holding" me instead is what i think they believe.. lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb8-JpvzGiM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb8-JpvzGiM
PantherEnvy
Avid Member
I love to read all the posts on this thread. I have had chams that enjoy being handled, and chams that make you feel like your pulling teeth to get them to climb onto your hand.
Its all a wonderful experience having chams as companions.
Its all a wonderful experience having chams as companions.
misstrixie
New Member
Which kind of chameleon should I get if I want to be able to get it out and hold it from time to time-Is there a type/species that is better suited to this over another species?
Also, What type is best for a beginner - I hear veiled but, then that they don't like to be held- though I am sure most don' t like to be held as they are wild animals; But I see so many pictures on this site of people holding /playing with their chameleons- I'd like to get one that doesn't mind it -at least from time to time...
Any suggestions? I live in Ohio also -in case climate matters, and I was going to go to a retiple show to get a chameleon soon.. just getting things researched & set up currently in advance of purchase
Thanks in advance
Also, What type is best for a beginner - I hear veiled but, then that they don't like to be held- though I am sure most don' t like to be held as they are wild animals; But I see so many pictures on this site of people holding /playing with their chameleons- I'd like to get one that doesn't mind it -at least from time to time...
Any suggestions? I live in Ohio also -in case climate matters, and I was going to go to a retiple show to get a chameleon soon.. just getting things researched & set up currently in advance of purchase
Thanks in advance
It all depends I guess the way you show them is that your no threat and handle them certain days like like my carpets its cool to handle but I dont over do it.
Zubi
Established Member
Thats freaking awesome, you are so lucky
Not to sound like a expert but try the carpets,Senegal and of course panther chameleons
I saw them at expo in my area and they were chilled this lady was holding her panther and it was beautiful red colors
I handled my baby Senegal chameleon no problemok, thank you
reptilover
New Member
lol mine does that all the time too, although when he is outside he will gladly walk onto my hand it makes no sense
That's funny cause I can get my out of his cage with ease... Most days.. putting him back in a severally different story.. evil comes out of him.
Niels Pedersen
Established Member
I don´t understand why any one would handle their chameleons, its just not natural for them....period.
If you want to do something good for your chameleon, then built a LARGE cage and don't mess with it.
If you built a large natural enclosure, then I guarantee that your chameleon will by all time prefer to be in the cage.
If you want to do something good for your chameleon, then built a LARGE cage and don't mess with it.
If you built a large natural enclosure, then I guarantee that your chameleon will by all time prefer to be in the cage.
reptilover
New Member
I fully agree with u.. AND if I didn't live in Washington I'd have a huge cage, half indoor.half outdoor. But since its cold 80 percent.of the year I must manually put my cham outside for sun. I never answered the question before.. I handle my cham on the rate sunny days or during cage maintenance.. his free.range.is attatched.
I agree not touching a chameleon could greatly extend its life and a happier life at that.
bluewuta
Established Member
I do not make a point to handle my chameleons, but I have a 12' x 10' x 8' walk-in inclosure that i keep my Mellers chameleons in. I do go in and sit down and sometime hand water everyone making sure they are all cared for properly. During this several of them will come to me and climb over to me looking to see what is happening. Some will even eat out of my had so I am not sure that they mind human contact, but will admit that some have no interest in me at all when I am there and move to the more covered areas to get a way.
Psychobunny
Avid Member
People love their pet chams, and it's natural for people to express that by touch.
Everyone is different in that regard.
Personaly, I agree with you, but I also understand why cham owners desire contact.
Some people can simply not; not touch
justjumpit621
New Member
If you look in the case of JannB and misslily, some chameleons actually DO enjoy attention and being loved on. JannB's louie will even give her kisses back
Some just have evolved to be much more tame, like dogs or cats, and some just prefer to stay with their natural instinct. Personally, my chameleon only gets handled when he wants, and I know when he wants it because he will climb right onto me and not get off 
Other times he could care less. But he free ranges so he is free to do what he wants.
Olimpia
Biologist & Ecologist
Nor is it for pet birds, or hamsters, or ferrets, or bearded dragons, or iguanas, or rabbits, or nearly all the pets we have in captivity. So what's the difference if you have a chameleon that enjoys coming out?
pinkpigpps
New Member
I really like to hold mine, but im affraid to do it offten becouse the guy at the pet store said that it stresses them a lot and they could die. I would hate that to happen. I bough my cham for me and mostly my 3yr old son. He loves the cham. he likes to hold her but i only do it once a day.
Niels Pedersen
Established Member
If you look in the case of JannB and misslily, some chameleons actually DO enjoy attention and being loved on. JannB's louie will even give her kisses back
I just don´t agree on that one. I dont belive any chameleon enjoys attention. Im not saying that they are dying of stress as I know some species are more tolerant to stress, such as F.pardalis, but their is a diffrence in accepting a human and enjoying a human. If it was up to the chameleon, im pretty sure what the chameleon would choose.
If you just have a little knowledge about chameleons, then you would know that they suffer from stress much easier then many other animals. Thats just a fact.
I also think its wrong to handle other animal species in a certain degree, but some animals are less tolerant to stress and you really can´t compare a rabbit to a chameleon. You have to know what kind of animal you are working with and how each animal species have their own behavior. Wolves/ dogs lives in packs and are more social animals. Chameleons are solitaty animals that depend on their camouflage to avoid predators.
Their is also a huge difference in "wild" animals and domesticated animals.
I can understand WHY people have the "need" to handle them, as a zookeeper my self, I would love to handle all the cute tiger, wolf, giraff etc. babies that I am working with, but Im not. All people who keeps animals should study animal behavior and it goes for dogs, fish, birds, chameleons etc.
I love chameleons for what they are, the way they look, their natural behavior and how they have adapted to live they way they do.
