My chameleon is a A**hole.

[Kerrie3]

So i have a Juvenile Chameleon after my last chameleon died i waited and found a breeder who I asked to send me a friendly chameleon who doesnt mind being handeled well i got a a**hole. He sees me or my family come near the cahen and he inflates, hisses and will some time lunge at us. My last chameoleon the kids where able to hold How can i get him to trust me and allow me to handle him? I have had him since she was a 4 week old.

Juvenile Veiled Chameoleon.

 

[Carlton]

First off, no, your cham isn't being an a**hole, your chameleon is in a new situation and afraid of everything. It takes time to settle in and understand what is a threat and what isn't. How long have you had him? The breeder can try to select for more social young but they can't guarantee it. No one can. Chams are smart enough to be individuals and their personalities shift with age too.

Give him time to settle into your home routine. Give him a cage that offers the correct temps, humidity, lighting, and give him the proper nutrition. Give him some hiding places in his cage so he can watch the activity around the cage without being seen. Limit the commotion around the cage at first too. Don't have kids crowding around watching him. That will make him more defensive at first. Once he's eating and drinking reliably, you can start teaching him to trust you. Put your cage-related chores on a routine so he learns what to expect. You can teach him that you are also a source of good things like favorite food treats. Offer them to him by hand or in a hand-held cup and let him come to YOU. Then you can start coaxing him to climb onto your hand or arm a little at a time.

The main thing is, understand why he's behaving the way he is and be patient with him, You are not going to force him into liking you so don't bother trying. It will just make him more defensive.

 

[Kerrie3]

Ive had him since November . his cage is Temps 70-80 heat wise and humidity is between 70-85.

 

[opheliaeatsbugs]

I have very limited experience with chameleons, so please read keeping that in mind I did have an iguana for over 20 years, though!
I recently acquired a 4-6 month old female veiled chameleon who had been in an small enclosure at a pet store her entire life. When we popped in to look around the store, the manager saw my interest and gave her to me on the spot - I was not prepared but have been doing my best to fill her needs. First thing was a bigger home. She seemed to be happy - as long as no one came near her. For the last month, I have been SLOWLY building trust and I feel your frustration - it is difficult especially when they are adorable and I just want to hold and love on her. But that is not what she wants. My kids are old enough to understand, but they were hoping for something they could hold and pet. Ophelia's enclosure is in my bedroom (I did not want her in the common areas of the house because there is too much going on all the time). First, I put the feeders in the enclosure, closed the door, then left the room. After a few days, I put the feeders in and stayed in the room. Next, I fed her but kept the door open and stood there. Next, offered her food from my hand. It has taken a month and she has no problem eating, drinking, hanging out with me or my kids in the room with the door open - she has started to become curious and today she left her enclosure and fell asleep looking out the window. I did the same process with my hand - first standing by the enclosure, then entering it, touching her and responding to her hiss or moving away, and now she will allow me to pet her (in the cage) and will "hold my hand" (see picture). She waits for me to wake up and then goes to her "I'm ready to eat" spot. I'm hoping that our friendship will continue to grow and we will build trust. It take patience, but I can do it - and so can you! Good Luck!
@opheliasmum
@opheliaeatsbugs

 

[Carlton]

- it is difficult especially when they are adorable and I just want to hold and love on her. But that is not what she wants.
@opheliasmum
@opheliaeatsbugs

This is what you need to understand. Its not personal. They want what they want and its up to us to understand and respect that.

 

[Remkon]

So basically someone is an a*hole if they don't like you..?

 

[Kerrie3]

first off hes not a person so we wont go there. Hes acting like a a** better. I have had other lizards, chameleons and have had them from either hatchlings or 4 weeks old like ive had him. I dont think its personal in any way shape or form. I did expect that the breeder handled him a little. but obviously not. i was looking more for way to get him to be more comfortable with me. I have him in the a cage where he can hide almost too well when i look and think he escaped. any thanks to Ophiliaeatsbugs I will try what hes done

 

[Andee]

Does basking range only reach 80? That is low. It should be 85. Honestly what have you done to try to gain some trust from you chameleon?

 

[Kerrie3]

Does basking range only reach 80? That is low. It should be 85. Honestly what have you done to try to gain some trust from you chameleon?

It gets higher near basking spot. I have slowly come near cage and when i open it i try not moving to fast. or bouncing around to hard. I put food in the bottom of set up or release the crickets and what not there.i feed at same time daily so that he can get used to me. when i clean his tank i move slowly so i a dont scare him. I will be moving his set up soon once i get my christmas boxes put away so that he has a more peaceful spot

 

[Andee]

I would strongly suggest to start investing hard to resist feeder insects and only give those during hand feeding sessions.

 

[Sarahloveshercham]

Your Cham is new and scared. Mine was an asshole when I first got it, he just had to get used to you. Mine still occasionally hisses and puffs at me but I grab him anyways and I guess hes all bark no bite because he has never bitten me and seems genially happy when he's actually in my hand. Just make sure you grab him below his belly and now from behind because that will frighten him. Also when you handle him bring him to a house plant or a sunny place so he associates you handling him with something positive

 

[alphakenc]

Time + patience + observations = non poophole cham,especially started from a new born baby cham
It all depends on the personality of the cham,some required less time to tame n some required longer time to tame,the more time u put in,the better opportunity for the cham to be calmer,and that doesn't just take 30min...2hrs...1day....1month...
Its never ending efforts u will have to put in ,once the efforts stop,then u will have to start all over again to win the trust back from the cham.

 

[Alexander1]

Your chameleon isn't an asshole. It's an animal, any research done before buying it would if saved you the trouble, get a dog.

 

[Phxboaa]

Chams all have different personalities, you just have to be patient and work with him. He will do that until he realizes he is not in a harmful situation. Make sure it's quiet and he can have some alone time as well, that will also make him chiller. He will work with you as well, not all chams are trying to be rude/a**holes, it's just how they react when they feel threatened.
~ (This is coming from a person who got a Chameleon from Petco and he was a bit grouchy, but he eventually realized I wasn't a threat)

 

[Zeppelin]

After a while with my chameleon, and a while I mean about two weeks when I had got him at 8 months old, he was hissing at me and trying to bite me but then a time when he was climbing on the top of the cage he was hanging, I came to the rescue and I believe that's when he began to trust me, and now he trusts everyone. Everyone feeds him meal worms from their hand, they will crawl on anyone I give him to, he's settled in to my home I always thought it was hilarious him biting me... he thinks he's tough or something lol