Ive had My vieled chameleon for about 3 months, spent over $500 on him but hes just too aggressive and just mean. Its one thing if he hisses when i attempt to hand feed him but now he hisses and shows spots when i just feed him and walk by his cage. Hes not friendy one bit, any ideas what my next step should be??
I think my chameleon needs a new home..
- Thread starter Shrimp15
- Start date
Olimpia
Biologist & Ecologist
These are the ideas that come to mind fro experience:
1. Make sure the cage is as safe for him as it can be. If you have an extra shy/scared chameleon, make sure the cage is very densely planted. The safer he feels (the better he can hide from you) the less vulnerable he should feel. And hopefully less defensive.
2. Don't look at him in the eyes, this can be threatening. When you go in to hand feed or do whatever to the cage, don't watch him intently, be relaxed and calm. Be patient. Animals can tell when you're tense, and it just tenses them up more.
3. Handfeed irresistible goodies! Associate yourself with yummy treats, like silk worms, butterworms, or hornworms. Whatever his favorites are. Mine go nuts for butterworms!
4. Take him out for good experiences if you feel he can handle it. If the weather permits, take him outside for some sunshine. Or let him roam a safe indoor plant for a little while. All these are good experiences for them and often work to get them warmed up to you a bit.
Some may never change, and I'm sorry that sometimes these animals are like that. They are solitary, secretive animals and aren't social by nature. We all wish they weren't but they are, and sometimes they will stay very mean forever. But you've invested so much, try working with him a few weeks and see how you feel then. Remember that he doesn't hate you, he's just really afraid of you. It's like the little toy dogs that act really aggressively, they do it because they're terrified. The hope is to change that perception of you and turn you into a good thing for him.
1. Make sure the cage is as safe for him as it can be. If you have an extra shy/scared chameleon, make sure the cage is very densely planted. The safer he feels (the better he can hide from you) the less vulnerable he should feel. And hopefully less defensive.
2. Don't look at him in the eyes, this can be threatening. When you go in to hand feed or do whatever to the cage, don't watch him intently, be relaxed and calm. Be patient. Animals can tell when you're tense, and it just tenses them up more.
3. Handfeed irresistible goodies! Associate yourself with yummy treats, like silk worms, butterworms, or hornworms. Whatever his favorites are. Mine go nuts for butterworms!
4. Take him out for good experiences if you feel he can handle it. If the weather permits, take him outside for some sunshine. Or let him roam a safe indoor plant for a little while. All these are good experiences for them and often work to get them warmed up to you a bit.
Some may never change, and I'm sorry that sometimes these animals are like that. They are solitary, secretive animals and aren't social by nature. We all wish they weren't but they are, and sometimes they will stay very mean forever. But you've invested so much, try working with him a few weeks and see how you feel then. Remember that he doesn't hate you, he's just really afraid of you. It's like the little toy dogs that act really aggressively, they do it because they're terrified. The hope is to change that perception of you and turn you into a good thing for him.
DekuScrub
Avid Member
ha!
i dont mean to laugh at your plight but its kind of funny.
anyone ever have a large male veiled who when he clamps down feels like an electric shock? i think they must vibrate their head. unless they have some undiscovered bioshock organ (like an electric eel idk what the appropriate terminology would be)
i mentioned yesterday in some other thread. i had this one big male whose bite trumped that of my big 4.5foot savannah monitor. word to the wise, dont hand feed a lizard that big a cricket, no matter how docile he was food is food. cracked my thumb nail vertically down to the cuticle.
i have some good news for you. aggressive behavior seems to be a good indicator of a healthy lizard XP.
ill take him if you dont want him. i would just stop handling him if he is that unmanageable. (PM me if you decide youre done with him)
as was suggested you might want to wear a thicker glove so he realizes his defensive behavior is ineffective. and then offer him the first feerder of the day out of a cup or you other hand so he associates being handled with food.
you may want to consider wearing camo too.... only sort of joking, brightly colored clothes may make you seem more threatening.
edit*
i got mine in after olympia, seriously consider number 3.
and like he said slow, and patient, if youre expecting him to bite and lunge you going to move fast erratic and jerky. get a think pair of leather gloves and if you have to let him bite you. dont pull away
i dont mean to laugh at your plight but its kind of funny.
anyone ever have a large male veiled who when he clamps down feels like an electric shock? i think they must vibrate their head. unless they have some undiscovered bioshock organ (like an electric eel idk what the appropriate terminology would be)
i mentioned yesterday in some other thread. i had this one big male whose bite trumped that of my big 4.5foot savannah monitor. word to the wise, dont hand feed a lizard that big a cricket, no matter how docile he was food is food. cracked my thumb nail vertically down to the cuticle.
i have some good news for you. aggressive behavior seems to be a good indicator of a healthy lizard XP.
ill take him if you dont want him. i would just stop handling him if he is that unmanageable. (PM me if you decide youre done with him)
as was suggested you might want to wear a thicker glove so he realizes his defensive behavior is ineffective. and then offer him the first feerder of the day out of a cup or you other hand so he associates being handled with food.
you may want to consider wearing camo too.... only sort of joking, brightly colored clothes may make you seem more threatening.
edit*
i got mine in after olympia, seriously consider number 3.
and like he said slow, and patient, if youre expecting him to bite and lunge you going to move fast erratic and jerky. get a think pair of leather gloves and if you have to let him bite you. dont pull away
Last edited:
ChameleonFan1989
New Member
Veileds generally aren't the friendslist chameleon and personally I wouldn't get rid of him because he's aggressive, its just how they are. But try some thick gloves. When I had my veiled and I needed to get him out, I'd hold one hand out and stroke his back and that seems to slowly ease them forward without tempting to grab him or anything.
whereswaldo
New Member
maybe the cage is to small that does seem little how big is he how old was he when u got him? that could be a big part of your problem. i got a thought try running a vine out and up give him som more roaming room when you feel like you can be around and know nothing can mess with him ive noticed just doing that made my boy happy if you cant afford a new cage now its a cheap way to see an attitude adjustment plus a little more room to roam. i know they say seclusion but i feell and my vet felt that maybe him being in our room may have heped him get used to seeing us we dont poke and prod him or even handle him each day but when we do he knows we arent here to hurt him.
DekuScrub
Avid Member
GAH! stroke his back? ive never had a chameleon that likes that even nice ones.
if im going to "pet" a chameleon its under the chin.
as far as actually picking one up in the first place, you go under the chin and toward the chest where their legs are attached. kind of force them to put their feet on you. if they pull away try again with your other hand under the base of their tail, then they dont feel like they can back up and if they do the back up onto your other hand.
all in all it sounds like hes probably just growing up? how old is he? if you got him at 3 month and have had him for three hes truning into a hormonal teenager.
laurie
Retired Moderator
If you want his to hopefully settle down a bit, he needs a cage that is about 24x24x48. But if you aren't sure you are keeping him, I would make my mind up before investing in a new cage. But please do it soon. That cage is way to small for an adult male veiled. jmo
D
DavidBuchan
Guest
It's all been said already, but just to back it all up..........
I don't know how old he is, but from what's been said it's pretty obvious he's just going through his terrible teenage phase. He only needs a bigger cage, gentle and less frequent handling and some treats (just don't make the mistake I did and give him extra waxworms because it's the only time he's pleased to see you).
Now he's a grown up you need to do all the 'taming' work again, good luck
Reptile Man Mark
New Member
Hello,
There will always be some worse than others but with the particularly nasty ones I would recommend the following:
How have you been going in to handle your chameleon? I would recommend using your right hand to SLOWLY move in underneath, but show a slant with your arm, Chameleons will always want to climb upwards. If you notice your chameleon sighting you out and you think it does not want to move, or is showing signs of aggression, with your left arm SLOWLY go behind and underneath the chameleon and tap its tail lightly while distracting him with your other other arm, sure enough it will run onto your arm and away from the danger behind. Once out of the vivarium give your chameleon a lot of space to climb etc.. Generally most chameleons will be fine once out of their territory but I have seen a few who proceed to be nasty. If he does this I would recommend holding him for a few minutes before putting him back. The procedure will be a slow one but over the next few weeks (depending on how aggressive he is) he should start to get better behavior wise as long as you show him the respect and patience deserved. Getting into a procedure like this helps a lot
There will always be some worse than others but with the particularly nasty ones I would recommend the following:
How have you been going in to handle your chameleon? I would recommend using your right hand to SLOWLY move in underneath, but show a slant with your arm, Chameleons will always want to climb upwards. If you notice your chameleon sighting you out and you think it does not want to move, or is showing signs of aggression, with your left arm SLOWLY go behind and underneath the chameleon and tap its tail lightly while distracting him with your other other arm, sure enough it will run onto your arm and away from the danger behind. Once out of the vivarium give your chameleon a lot of space to climb etc.. Generally most chameleons will be fine once out of their territory but I have seen a few who proceed to be nasty. If he does this I would recommend holding him for a few minutes before putting him back. The procedure will be a slow one but over the next few weeks (depending on how aggressive he is) he should start to get better behavior wise as long as you show him the respect and patience deserved. Getting into a procedure like this helps a lot
Rottsko
Avid Member
Don't have any experience with veileds but my panther, noki was a firecracker when I first got him. He was 3 months old when I got him and he eventually loosened up. I hand fed him, took him out only for a few minutes once or twice a week and I recently started putting him on a temp free range. He was really nice before the temp free range but now he runs down the cage to come out when I go near his cage. He was def the meanest of the group and now he can't get enough of me!
Captive Creations
Member
reptile man mark you use the same method i do for my guy terrance who is 11 months or so and also a veiled with a small man complex dont like us big people works great for my guy and my old man rango who is like 5 now with grumpy old man syndrome lol i use the hand in front and kinda pet his spine he walks on my arm everytime
Captive Creations
Member
and yes at first a thick glove just incase you can loose the glove after a while lol
hes 4 months old lol. its pretty good for his size.
chameleongirl2
New Member
i would not show that i am bothered by the hissing and bites, which should calm her down... and also show that you mean no harm to her, she might be feeling threatened, and its completely normal for a cham not to like it when you pick them up.. my cham however loves it
