How to make sure a chameleon doesn't stress?

[brittanymeyyyers]

Recently got my veiled chameleon. He is approximately 4 months of age.

I know you shouldn't handle them too often, but i want to be able to make sure he is used to being handled..... but without being stressed

which is the best way to achieve this without stressing him out too much

 

[Carlton]

Recently got my veiled chameleon. He is approximately 4 months of age.

I know you shouldn't handle them too often, but i want to be able to make sure he is used to being handled..... but without being stressed

which is the best way to achieve this without stressing him out too much

First, different chams react to handling individually. I'd start off keeping your daily cage chores to some sort of routine (chams hate change or surprises) and watch how he reacts. If he hides or tries to get away from you or bluffs you, he's stressed. You can do a lot to ease his mind by making sure he has a lot of places to hide from you if he chooses.

He may not mind you working around the cage. Hard to predict.

Teach him you are the source for treats by offering him favorite feeders in a hand held cup or your hand. When you do need to pick him up you want to coax him to climb on to you, rather than forcibly pick him up. If you need to, offer him a stick to climb on rather than your hand, and gradually shift him onto your hand once he's out of his cage.

 

[Loadout]

Try hand feeding him first to gain his trust and make sure you give him time to settle in since he's new. I believe there's nothing wrong with handling every so often. Some chameleons will never get used to it, others might appear to want to come out of their cage. Generally speaking chameleons don't enjoy just being handled, but they do like to explore. To get him used to it you should give him some food or access to a nice plant or two when he's out. Once he associates coming out with food and free range you might find he wants out more often.