Hi, I'm new here with my new 2 baby Ambanjas. They are very tiny, in a plastic tub for now, eating fruit flies and 1/8" crickets. I'm starting these very differently than I did with my Veils I had about 13 yrs ago. Back then, I took everyones advice and gave them alot of privacy and stood way back when they fed, because I knew they were scared, so they grew up and didn't want their territory interrupted, consequently, as they matured, they did not willingly climb on my finger as they had as 3 inchers, and my presence near the cage was tolerated, but they did not learn to take a cricket from my hand, etc. But on the few occasions where I actually had to grab or remove them, I quickly learned that a snapping adult Veil can rip little shreds in a finger, if you flinch, so as I had learned from trying to tame birds in the past, never grab, never use gloves. Once they learn you are only entering the cage to clean or remove droppings, or arrange something but not needing to remove them, they will cautiously tolerate that, then from a distance where they cant strike and bite, just steadily hold out your hand, fingers together, or better, offer the back of your hand, and they probably wont strike a solid back of hand and if they do, they wont connect like they will with a finger or two..and if they do grab that finger, dont jerk back, and you probably wont get cut..but stop, try again the next day, dont force them. Also, just open the cage, many will want to come out to explore and climb higher if you are not close, and they are always more receptive out of the cage, but like a bird, dont handle, let them climb on your hand, hold it higher and no fingers out, and push to them, they will get on...but you have to get them trusting, to eat from your hand etc..Some will freely eat from your hand, etc if they have been doing it from early age, and if you never grab or force them out, other than gently encouraging them to move toward the door and exit on their own, then push your hand in their path, they will climb on and up, never down...so,now with these babies, when I feed them, I know there is no way they will eat or shoot to my hand or even from a long tweezer, etc, but I just stare down at them, they eye me, I dont move away, and they get use to me being close, and even putting my hand in the cage near them or arranging leaves, and they are willingly climbing on my finger, even a bit scared but they see Im not going to hurt them, so its brief, just a minute or two a day, and if they should fall down to the bottom, or something, never pick them up, but let them climb on you and up, they will. I do hold a tiny cricket if I can, but so far, they only look but dont get it, but they will eat others with my face right there close, so, I know that soon,they will eat from me, etc. but they are never going to be your shoulder pal, or like being moved around the house on your arm, etc...but just like a parrot that will strike and bite a finger, a back of hand where its flat and nothing to grab, they won't strike, but if you are patient but persistent, they learn you want them to move, etc.If mine were stubborn and backed off, but I needed them out, and they wouldnt come out on their on if I moved back and opened the door, then I used a short stick and they learned what it meant and climbed on..but if you want them out to view, they will be more comfortable if you let them off your hand and on back of chair, etc..and be calm, and little by little, its less stress, but they never really want to come out and "play", lol...but I got my male and female, where they only gave me a quick hiss or gape or a sway, but saw that I was not going to fall for their bluff..so I eventually got both those adults to take worms or crickets if they were hungry...only from the normal shooting distance and being very still and quiet and letting them concentrate on focussing both eyes on that bug, and not me. Another easy way to train, is lure them out, with a treat, like a super worm or something you dont give regulary, but save that treat for when you want them to come out on their own, then they grab the treat, and will climb on your hand, if they are outside of cage, then you can move them to another perch or comfortable place to stay while you do whatever. Several times, with that male, he did grab a fnger, I just let him hold on, they clamp down, and the little razor teeth may make some some tiny cuts, and it hurts, and scares you, but wait til they let go, and if you dont fight, they will let go, but if you try to pull it out, you will get nasty long cuts...and that stress for you and him, is bad, but they will bully you and win...but as I learned from that Parrot that wanted to kill me sometimes, or bite my finger off, and I was afraid, but the "bird Psychologist", lol, showed me that a back of a hand with no appendages flailing, they cant get that beak to clamp down, so same with the chameleon...they will respect you, but you should respect their home and not make it an "invasion", just a visit with a treat. Once my guys learned that I wasn't going to get them out all the time, or make them do something, but only was there close to feed or spray or give an ice cube or a treat, they were calm, but I didnt make them eat more than one item and only a couple times a week from me, and just let them enjoy their food as was normal. They will walk on your arm, climb up on shoulder or head, but not because they love your head or shoulder, its only to go to a "higher place, as in the wild, they always want the top perch, and should always be in cages as adults, where they are looking down at you, not you looking down a them....sorry for the "book chapter", lol, and "one sentence, bad grammar"..maybe it will help some of you having problems, but chameleons are not like puppies or even bearded dragons..but time and patience and consistency may pay off...good luck guys
