How to get a Tame chameleon?

[ChameleonClem]

Long story short when i was younger living with my parents i had chams the first two were very friendly not afraid, the second i had would hiss and puff and get colorful just if he saw you any closer than 4 ft. Feeding him was very stressful for him and me because he would puff and get angry bc a person was nearby, and i would get stressed because i felt like i was doing more harm than good.
(I was feeding correctly and tried multiple dif methods thats not the point).

Im a big believer that pets of any kind are going to have to be handled at some point for some reason. So best make it as least stressful as possible.

How can I get a chameleon i know will tolerate me to the point i can handle him if i need to? i dont wanna feel like im abusing an animal by trying to provide basic care.

(i dont currently have a chameleon, im considering getting one for the first time as an adult. I had some as a teen)

I got this chameleon as a baby, and from the second i opened the mailer and accidentally woke him he was very angry.

 

[jannb]

I would recommend buying from a very small breeder that only breeds their pets every now and then. Leigh at Cloud9 Chameleons normally has very friendly chameleons.
https://www.cloud9chameleons.com/#/

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi and welcome back. It sounds like you must have had a veiled. Lol. While each chameleon has its own personality and there are always exceptions to every rule, veileds have a well earned reputation for being hissy/bitey. Panthers tend to be more tolerant of us. I’ve noticed that those whose chams live full time on a free range area (no cage) are calmer and ‘friendlier’. No cage aggression to deal with.
Building trust with them is very important. https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/building-trust-with-your-chameleon.2396/ While my veileds still don’t like me and will do everything from run away to bite first, they do know in their beautiful little casques that I can be trusted. My panthers have never hissed or lunged and will willingly walk onto my hand. One comes running to me when he sees me and the other - depends on her mood. I love and accept them all and love the sassiness of my fierce veileds. I don’t let it bother me and I just do what I need to, whether it’s enclosure maintenance, feeding or interacting with them. While I may not always be able to hold my veileds, I do at least gently stroke their chins or paws several times a week, usually as I‘m feeding them. Plus I hand feed every time I have silkworms (don’t like holding other bugs).