I try to get my panther out everyday for about 10 to 15 minutes. But he's still kinda young and taking him out and holding him is a new concept to him so he's not completely comfortable with it so some days he's a complete grump about it and puts up a fight. I just leave him alone on those days. So I end up handling him about 5 days a week.
How often you hold your chameleon?
- Thread starter Anitec21
- Start date
justjumpit621
New Member
You can try hand feeding for a bit so he gets used to you and a lot of them will willingly come running when they see you after because you mean treats 
But my male panther is pretty good. When I first got him it was like war trying to get him out of his cage He would jump around and flail and run for his life. Then I started cup feeding him, then hand feeding, and them free ranging. Now he will willingly walk right onto my hand, sometimes unexpectedly, and sometimes he wants his space which I can respect.I did find it really funny though when I had one of my friends come over for the first time, as soon as she walked in the door he came sprinting from across the porch and went to a branch right next to her face and just stared at her. I think he was in love HAHA
But my male panther is pretty good. When I first got him it was like war trying to get him out of his cage He would jump around and flail and run for his life. Then I started cup feeding him, then hand feeding, and them free ranging. Now he will willingly walk right onto my hand, sometimes unexpectedly, and sometimes he wants his space which I can respect.I did find it really funny though when I had one of my friends come over for the first time, as soon as she walked in the door he came sprinting from across the porch and went to a branch right next to her face and just stared at her. I think he was in love HAHA
justjumpit621
New Member
Yes but be very careful because they are so tiny. I would be afraid I would smoosh them or they would fall so maybe hold them with your hand in the cage.
Rango05
New Member
ASublimeDay
Member
I've had my two veileds for about a month, they're both still young (3-4 months) so they see me as a major threat. The male has hissed and bit at me, flared up his beard and colors once. Female is coming along a little better.
One thing I'll never do again is open my mouth around them. I yawned while holding him once and he freaked. Guess he thought "this monster is finally going to eat me!"
One thing I'll never do again is open my mouth around them. I yawned while holding him once and he freaked. Guess he thought "this monster is finally going to eat me!"
lysinlight87
New Member
I hold my cham a few times a day, but today he's been a bit hissy & I get nervous I might break him!
Carol Borthwick
New Member
I have never held my chameleon! But it has only been 7 weeks
when they young is the best time to start to hold them.I hold my Cham every day,sometime he is grumpy but i distract him with 1 hand and put other underneath him,he is so loving and calm when he is out
Sounds ok and is it ok to gently pet them on the tail or back?You can try hand feeding for a bit so he gets used to you and a lot of them will willingly come running when they see you after because you mean treats
justjumpit621
New Member
unless they don't like it. If it doesn't bother them go ahead but generally most don't so much like petting.
Olimpia
Biologist & Ecologist
I may hold my panthers every day if I have the time. Sometimes I'll stick my hand in the cage just to do something and they'll crawl right out. I also take them outside for some sunshine or for supervised house roaming.
My carpets not so much lol I will handle them but less often, they are much shyer and are too little for me to let them roam at all. So they only get outdoor time. And same thing for my transvaals, they are too little! We'll see when everyone gets full grown.
My carpets not so much lol I will handle them but less often, they are much shyer and are too little for me to let them roam at all. So they only get outdoor time. And same thing for my transvaals, they are too little! We'll see when everyone gets full grown.
vangarret2000
New Member
I always heard that you shouldn't really handle chameleons. And that they are more just a display animal. By this thread it seems everyone does and daily at that. Is it just certain types of chams are better to handle then others? Or is the don't handle them more of an old rule people used to think you had to follow but nowadays it doesn't seem to be true?
justjumpit621
New Member
MOST chameleons are intolerable of handling at all, but a lot are and do seem to enjoy it.
Olimpia
Biologist & Ecologist
As a general rule it's better not to mess with them. I've had a few that really couldn't have liked me less, and I tried to leave them alone as much as possible. I would take them to the outside cage for sun and that was it, not a lot of handling. But I've had others that were much "friendlier" so those will get taken out often. It depends on their personality, some are way more tolerant that others.
However, I will say that even if you can get an aggressive chameleon to hand feed, I think they'll be happier for it. If you were terrified of even the sight of humans (like one or two I've had), think of what it must be like living in a home where you're trapped in a little cage, and the big scary thing can open and enter your cage at will. It would be like living in a shark diving cage, and the sharks have the key! But if you can at least make them comfortable with the sight of you I think it makes for a more tranquil animal, since they at least tolerate you as a normal part of their every day. So, in my opinion, if you can get them to at least hand-feed comfortably I think that's a good thing.
However, I will say that even if you can get an aggressive chameleon to hand feed, I think they'll be happier for it. If you were terrified of even the sight of humans (like one or two I've had), think of what it must be like living in a home where you're trapped in a little cage, and the big scary thing can open and enter your cage at will. It would be like living in a shark diving cage, and the sharks have the key! But if you can at least make them comfortable with the sight of you I think it makes for a more tranquil animal, since they at least tolerate you as a normal part of their every day. So, in my opinion, if you can get them to at least hand-feed comfortably I think that's a good thing.
Psychobunny
Avid Member
I hate it when that happens! thats gratitude for ya!!!
Psychobunny
Avid Member
I think the main thing is for them to understand that you are not a threat.
In the wild, they live in harmony with animals much larger them themselves and know they are not preditors, so a human should not be much different.
They are rather defensless creatures and need to be super cautious to stay alive.
My male veiled is just now starting to 'communicate" his wants to me.
When he sees me, he will walk close to the front of the cage, stair at me a bit, then walk over to his cricket feeder and stair at that. Sometimes he even climbs inside the feeder.
So then I say to him; oh Smeagol, I get the idea, you want some food.
When I bring the tube of cricks to him, he comes running from whereever he is as soon as he sees it in my hand.
He barely gives me a chance to dump the cricks into the feeder!! like he is starving to death!!
I think that is a form of communication.
He also will no longer hesitate to eat from my hand, even if it means having
to walk onto my finger to reach.
He does not want anything to do with being held though.
I approch him from the front and try to slide my fingers under him and slowly lift.
He just slowly turns and walks away, keeping an eye on me all the time!! LOL
Miss Lily
Chameleon Enthusiast
Monty gets handled several times on most days. He lets me know if he wants to come out. When I reach in to feed him or to mist his cage he will often launch himself at me and give me no choice! Also when I come home from work he could be anywhere in his cage but as soon as he sees me he runs to the front and will come straight out onto my hand if I open the door. I have had him since he was 7 weeks old so it probably helped with having one to one contact with me every day. He will happily go to anyone else too, he's so friendly and chilled out with people. He has always showed his happy greens when he is out, even before his colour changed to his adult green.
When I reach in to feed him or to mist his cage he will often launch himself at me and give me no choice! Also when I come home from work he could be anywhere in his cage but as soon as he sees me he runs to the front and will come straight out onto my hand if I open the door. I have had him since he was 7 weeks old so it probably helped with having one to one contact with me every day. He will happily go to anyone else too, he's so friendly and chilled out with people. He has always showed his happy greens when he is out, even before his colour changed to his adult green.
Miss Lily
Chameleon Enthusiast
They usually find that to be a threat gesture if you touch their backs. It is far better for them to hold onto you than you grabbing them. It has to be on their terms or they get very stressed with things. If I ever touched Amy's back she would 'buzz' me and the same if my hair ever touched her, yet she was fine to walk on me and sit on my hand, they just don't like you getting too close.
