Quality Time!!

CalaMala

Member
So it seems at night when Sayid's lights go off, he loves to be held. He stays a happy green and rest his head on me. So tonight I got good quality time. I went in my room with a very dim light and lied on my bed, he was on my pillow but he climbed over to my arm and rested on my hand, then I put him back on the pillow. He climbed up my face and lied across my forehead, which felt very funny. I waited a few put him back on the pillow and he climbed onto my chest with his head at the crink on my neck and slept there for about an hour. I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!!! I figure if we do this every few days, then every other, and work to everyday...maybe he will not mind being held anytime. At least that is what I hope...
Here is a photo just before we lied down...
 

Attachments

  • 190191_1897764734944_1566405800_2078497_156046_n.jpg
    190191_1897764734944_1566405800_2078497_156046_n.jpg
    17.2 KB · Views: 118
I hate to rain on your parade, but disturbing them at night after lights go out is actually not good for them at all. From your perspective it was a lot of fun, but Sayid probably saw it very differently...

He wasn't snuggling with you because he likes you, he was looking for someplace to sleep since it was night time and it's very distressing for a prey animal to not be in a safe place at night when they are very vulnerable. He doesn't love to be held, he's doing his best to avoid being obvious to this giant predator (you) that may see him when he can't get away because they don't see well at night. Him moving around was him looking for higher ground because being on the ground is not safe for them. That's how your cham is looking at this situation. You are disturbing his sleep cycle and probably really stressing him out by moving him around. He was being still because that's what they do when they are scared.

I know it's fun to have them crawl on you, but this is not a healthy thing to be doing and it's not going to make him like you any more than he does already. You're just pulling him out when he is too scared to fight back because you're a strange thing grabbing him the dark when he should be safe and sleeping. You should really reconsider how you handle him and enjoy him during the day when he won't be as stressed by your presence.

Sorry to burst your bubble...I know it's fun when they sit on you, but you have to consider the best thing for him. We all wish they were friendlier on their terms. :)
 
Last edited:
I appreciate your input, and I do want to do what is best for Sayid. But to clarify....his lights go off at 7pm....he is in front of a window where the sun does not go down til about 8:15ish. I did the timer that way so he has gradual darkness intead of instant lights out. So it was not dark nor "night" I did not wake him, he was actually just done eating and prancing around his vines. I have held him other times and when he is scared he turns a dark hunters green and tries to hide behind my hand or suicide dive to the floor.
The dim lights in my room was a light on the dresser vs the ceiling fan light that has 4 bulbs, and he did not climb up he climbed over and stayed the same heigth, with the exception of my forehead.
I read in an older post (2007)where someone had a very aggressive cham, that hissed and bit, even when the person was 2 feet from his enclosure. This was a suggested method. It stated that there are studies that cham can sensse your heart rate and if you hold them when the house is quite and your calm they will reconginize being held with a calmness not a danger.
I feel like if he was stressed or scared he would not have been so calm nor green. BUT I COULD BE WRONG.
I should also clarify that I am a newbie with veileds but I am not to reptiles. I had two iguana, pygmy pair, and some beardies.
 
i like your story. my Veliled Camo is exteamly friendy and loves to be held or just sit on my shoulder, they are very complicated little creatures. LOL
 
I noticed that you have a feeding before lights out. Most suggest to not feed them so late and give them a chance to bask for at least 4 hours as it aids in digestion.

I somewhat agree with Ferrit. Even 1 hour before my chams' lights out, they are already in the spot where they will be sleeping, even though the sun will not be down for almost 2 hours after that. I know every cham is different, but it does sound like you are handling your cham at one of its most vulnerable states.
 
Back
Top Bottom