new "friendlier" cham

[javsto]

I have had my first vieled cham since this past may and whenever I open his cage, either to feed, mist or clean up his surroundings he always runs away fast or stands his ground and hisses at me. I have no problem with that behavior but I also want to try to hand feed him either with my hands or with a feeding tweezer but he wont go for it.
I want to buy another cham in october at the NY reptile show but I want to get a species that is more tolerate when it comes to physical handling and feeding. What type of cham is more friendlier or more recommended by these standards?

 

[HerbsForMyChameleon]

I have had my first vieled cham since this past may and whenever I open his cage, either to feed, mist or clean up his surroundings he always runs away fast or stands his ground and hisses at me. I have no problem with that behavior but I also want to try to hand feed him either with my hands or with a feeding tweezer but he wont go for it.
I want to buy another cham in october at the NY reptile show but I want to get a species that is more tolerate when it comes to physical handling and feeding. What type of cham is more friendlier or more recommended by these standards?

Yoou should get a panther, they are generally more friendly but not always of course

 

[Pilotman800]

Yoou should get a panther, they are generally more friendly but not always of course

Agreed. They're generally more passive.


However, it depends on each chams personality. They can still easily be mean.

 

[thatoneguy]

i know everybody thinks gracefuls are boring but i have one and hes never gapped at me. hes very friendly and doesnt mind bein handled he even lets me hand feed him. just a suggestion lol

 

[flyty808]

i would have to say jacksons. all my jacksons 5 would rather hand feed then cup feed and i have one gravid female who wont cup feed only hand feed. i have one meller who dosent mind hand feeding. and most of my panthers only cup feed. unless i take there food away for a few days then most of them will hand feed as well. and as for friendly and low stress my jacksons seem to hang out with people with low to no stress at all the gravid female i was talking about will even hand feed from strangers whil being held by another stranger.

 

[Banders675]

they don't care to be held

they really don't like to be held they are more to look at. however i see more antisocial veileds then panthers I gave up on a veiled for acting like yours does he would go out of his way to bite me anytime i went near his tree ( he was not caged) I really regret giving him hip and as mean as he was some days he would let me hold him and take him out side and even eat out of my hand. work with him try and get down on his level and it might take time but he might eat from your hand. remember they react on instincts and instinct says that big thing is getting it's face closer to eat me.

 

[Banders675]

hiss or strike?

does he just hiss or try to bite? if he hisses call his bluff and pick him up or rather put your hand under him and pick him up. my veiled was mean but he ate out of my hand and also drank from the spray bottle when i would mist him i used this as the chance to rub his head and show him I was not going to eat him.

 

[javsto]

When I initially open his cage he starts to back away and if I even start to reach for him he puffs up and hiss/opens his mouth if I try to pick him up from above. If I stick my hand out from under him he will slowly go up my hand but still try to get away but at least from underneath he wont his and will eventually allow me to hold him with out any overt show of anger, but still tries to run away.

 

[Banders675]

afraid

He's afraid. Work with him try going under and getting him out if he comes out give him a worm or some kind of treat. They most always hate being grabbed from above. Are you trying open handed or with a fist try both ways he might just not like fingers.

 

[heartben]

if youre normally by the cage, just leave the door open. see if thatll chill him out a little bit. - also when you are home you could let him free range if you have a small space you could set up (doesnt have to be fancy at all)

getting him out of the cage might mellow him out. you could also hand feed him out of the cage regularly and maybe he would start to look forward to coming out?

 

[MrHarris]

My 3 month old panther is super mellow. He's shown no aggression twards me or anyone that he's been in contact with. May sound silly but I think Cesar Millan (dog whisperer) is right, its all about YOUR energy. I have been around chams that the owner will say how aggressive or angry it gets when you try to hold them, then it's super chill when I get my hands on it. I think if you expect them to be that way they will. Maybe I'm the Cham whisperer or something...

 

[Seeco]

Yeah I am not sure if anyone mentioned this but if the cham lives in a cage that is around head level it will generally be much less threatened.