Taming your Panther?

IAmCarl

New Member
I've had my Panther for three week and he about 4 mos old. He is still very aggressive when I try to get him to come onto my hand. He eats from my fingers but is much more aggressive when it comes to try and get him to come on.

I'm not expecting miracles and I know it takes a while but I was wondering what anyone else's experience was?

Do some get less threatened as they get larger or is an individual thing?

Thanks in advance :)
 
My guy used to get defensive around that age. Like yours he would eat from my hand but wanted nothing to do with climbing on it haha
Around the end of 4 months I think he took his first steps "willingly" on to my hand. Now at 8 months I can't open the cage without seeing those little taco grabbers reaching for me ;)
 
I open the cage door at first and sit in the room doing something else like reading or sitting on the computer. Eventually they get curious and climb out. I usually have a vine going to a plant on the outside. At that point you are not in their turf anymore and they usually are more likely to be open to the option of climbing on your hand. I have had more success with that method- I am another tree instead of the "giant hand coming to kill me".
 
I open the cage door at first and sit in the room doing something else like reading or sitting on the computer. Eventually they get curious and climb out. I usually have a vine going to a plant on the outside. At that point you are not in their turf anymore and they usually are more likely to be open to the option of climbing on your hand. I have had more success with that method- I am another tree instead of the "giant hand coming to kill me".

Around the 4-5 month age, my Panther was getting 'cage aggressive'. I handled him only about twice a week on the weekends and left him alone during the week. Although, my kids and I all hand fed him and he was not at all shy. When I would try to take him out he wouldn't strike at me but would flee or back away defensively.

I continued the same routine and found that when he was out of his cage on his tree, he was much more willing to climb on my hand. So I started putting him on his tree more and in the next month or two the 'cage aggressiveness' seemed to disappear. Now, he will often try to climb on my hand when I'm feeding him to come out.

They see us as predators so it's understandable that there is a learning curve to getting them used to being handled. When you invade their safe place they get scared. It will take time. Be persistant and gentle and don't overhandle to compensate would be my advice.

Good luck!
 
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