taming
- Thread starter aaron1
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blackbetty
Guest
I am not sure about "taming" but you could just get lucky and find one that is laid back enough to deal with being handled, although its still probably highly stressful.
mdsponge21221
New Member
My cham comes right up to me when i open the door to my reptile room. Almost like he's glad to see me, if he could talk he'd be saying Food Man is here.
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Typically handling is discouraged. Some will demonstrate their stress at being handled more than others, some will appear to even "like" being handled. But generally speaking, they do not get tamed and do not want to be handled.
SpikeTheVeiled
New Member
PardalisGirl
Avid Member
Let them be your guide....
Most don't like being handled and will let you know it. It's not good to force it. Royden in this group has a good way of letting his cham Yoda out for walks on a sturdy vine that is attached near his cage. Yoda enjoys taking a stroll like that but is allowed to make the move to the vine himself. I have one clutch of Ambanjas that I raised (two were recently sold on this forum) who were exceptionally tame and love climbing onto my hand to sit on my shoulder. They reach out to me when I open the cage door. But they developed that behavior. I did not do any kind of training program to get them to be like that.
Most don't like being handled and will let you know it. It's not good to force it. Royden in this group has a good way of letting his cham Yoda out for walks on a sturdy vine that is attached near his cage. Yoda enjoys taking a stroll like that but is allowed to make the move to the vine himself. I have one clutch of Ambanjas that I raised (two were recently sold on this forum) who were exceptionally tame and love climbing onto my hand to sit on my shoulder. They reach out to me when I open the cage door. But they developed that behavior. I did not do any kind of training program to get them to be like that.
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blackbetty
Guest
Leo was like that until he attacked me after a shower..Ever since then he doesnt want to be removed form his cage so I try not to unless I have to.
dodolah
Retired Moderator
To me, a healthy chameleon is a pissy one 
If they don't react, when you bother them, I would be worried instead..
When your chameleon claim his cage as his dominion, that means he enjoy living in it. He will try to defend his territory from invaders including you.
If your chameleons seem too eager to get out of his cage, probably there is something wrong that make him not comfortable inside.
Plus, I do not per se 'tame' my chameleon.
I make him associate my presents as positive things such as food, water, and a trip to the outside world for sun light basking.
All with the exception of the last one does not require handling.
even with the last one, I only handle him a bit to get him in and out of his indoor cage.
Correct me if i am wrong..
If they don't react, when you bother them, I would be worried instead..
When your chameleon claim his cage as his dominion, that means he enjoy living in it. He will try to defend his territory from invaders including you.
If your chameleons seem too eager to get out of his cage, probably there is something wrong that make him not comfortable inside.
Plus, I do not per se 'tame' my chameleon.
I make him associate my presents as positive things such as food, water, and a trip to the outside world for sun light basking.
All with the exception of the last one does not require handling.
even with the last one, I only handle him a bit to get him in and out of his indoor cage.
Correct me if i am wrong..
DeFishy
New Member
No you are not wrong, it depends on how much effort and stress you want to put on the cham. For example, my two Chams, Bruce and Arda are both extreamly calm chameleons. They do not mind being handled and seem to enjoy it at times. Now, they were like that when I got them, and though I don't handle them too often, I do handle them on a regular basis (at least twice a week) to keep up this bond, as well as hand feeding.
On the other hand-or rather off-at the store I work at there is a veiled chameleon female who hates people, or did at least, with careful work my co worker and I have gently coaxed her to accept being handled for a short period of time. She used to bite and snap at everything, and over the weeks she has calmed and now lets us hold her for short periods of time. But it took the two of us a long time and we probably wont ever have her as gentle as my chams. I think it is important to be able to handle the cham if there is ever an emergancy, or you need to clean something that an angry cham wont let you near-like a cut or something. But there was a cham at chromachameleons, at the reptile show, who wouldn't be handled without leather gloves. It just goes to show that each one is slightly different. You can try to teach, but in the end it will come down to the chams personality.
On the other hand-or rather off-at the store I work at there is a veiled chameleon female who hates people, or did at least, with careful work my co worker and I have gently coaxed her to accept being handled for a short period of time. She used to bite and snap at everything, and over the weeks she has calmed and now lets us hold her for short periods of time. But it took the two of us a long time and we probably wont ever have her as gentle as my chams. I think it is important to be able to handle the cham if there is ever an emergancy, or you need to clean something that an angry cham wont let you near-like a cut or something. But there was a cham at chromachameleons, at the reptile show, who wouldn't be handled without leather gloves. It just goes to show that each one is slightly different. You can try to teach, but in the end it will come down to the chams personality.
moody232002
New Member
mine is starting to calm down nicely.
like others said, in his domain he is one fiesty lil monster and will strike if you get to close.
if he wants to come out he climbs up the mesh door and sits in the corner and waits for me to open the door.he will climb on top of his enclosure and this is where he changes into his nice persona and you can handle him fine.
i like to get him out so he can walk about unrestrained but he's getting to know when i pick him up it's to put him back in to warm up
like others said, in his domain he is one fiesty lil monster and will strike if you get to close.
if he wants to come out he climbs up the mesh door and sits in the corner and waits for me to open the door.he will climb on top of his enclosure and this is where he changes into his nice persona and you can handle him fine.
i like to get him out so he can walk about unrestrained but he's getting to know when i pick him up it's to put him back in to warm up
