Tiny Tiny Baby Veiled

[CamoCham]

If i bought a tiny(1 1/2 inch snot to base of tail) veiled cahmeleon, would i be able to tame it to get used to handling, with treats.. and stresslessly?

 

[CamoCham]

and whats that cham in thetop left corner of the site (when using Dev style)

 

[AFH]

First, I know it was a typo, but "snot to base of tail" cracked me up!

To answer your question - Nope. It doesn't matter when you get them, they're reptiles and they'll never like you. They won't be your bud or wonder where you are when you're gone. They don't want anything from you except the food you bring and to be left alone. They don't want to be handled. Some don't even want you to look at them. Generally, YOU are the major stressor in their lives.

That being said (somewhat harshly, I admit, no offense intended), every cham has its own personality. Some are more "friendly" than others and more tolerant of you (don't mistake that for liking you).

Here's a rundown of my chams and their personalities. I've had all of them since they were three months old, with the exception of Xerxes, who was probably 5-6 months old.

Ray - 1 yr male ambilobe - Always runs to the front of the cage at feeding time. Likes to be feed by hand. Doesn't like to be touched.
Baltazar - 1.5 yr male veiled - mostly ignores me and will sometimes climb up my arm when I have my hand in his cage putting out silkworms. Bit the crap out of my hand the other day when he got freaked out over my ring.
Wendy - 1 yr female ambilobe - so shy I barely ever see her move. Won't eat or drink when I'm around.
Xerxes - 7 month male veiled - will eat out of my hand. If I don't have food, he lunges and tries to eat my hand.
Marie - 1 yr female veiled - pretty docile, doesn't like to be touched, but also doesn't try to eat me.
Lucinda - 6 month female veiled - very shy and retreats deep into her plant if I walk up
Linda Lee - 6 month female veiled - will eat out of my hand, then run away until she sees another food item in my hand, then she'll come back. Doesn't like to be touched
Rana - 4 month ambilobe female - haven't figured her out yet. I'm leaning towards Marie and Linda Lee like

They've all been raised the same way, pretty exclusively by me. But they're all different. There's no way I can change their inate behavior.

I know it's a long answer for a pretty simple question, but if you're looking for a cuddly, trainable pet, the chameleon isn't for you. But if you care for them correctly and don't expect your love to be returned, they are incredibly facinating and incredibly addictive!

 

[CamoCham]

if i happened to get a friendly one, couild i hold it without stressing it? now that i see snot to base of tail i laguh too

 

[AFH]

You won't know if you've got a friendly one until he grows up a bit. Generally, handling is bad. I'm not saying you can't do it at all, but less is better. Every time you handle them, it stresses them out. There isn't "stressless handling".

I'll get Baltazar out maybe once a week to let him roam around a little. Or if it's sunny out, I'll take them out in the sun individually for a little while.

 

[joefarah]

sounds like you'd enjoy a bearded dragon

 

[CamoCham]

whats that cute baby on the top left corner of the page? And, do you recommend getting one so small or lik e3 inches "snot" to tail?

 

[AFH]

Joe, I was thinking the same thing.

I'm not sure what that baby is, I think someone said it's a newborn Fischers, but don't quote me.

Camocham, if I were you and I decided I did want a baby veiled and I could refrain from handling him too much, I wouldn't get anything younger than 3 months old. Most reputable breeders won't sell them younger than that unless they know it's to an experienced keeper.

 

[CamoCham]

ow big are they when they are 3months?

 

[AFH]

3-4 inches snot to vent

 

[Julirs]

I needed the "SNOT TO VENT"-oh how I needed that laugh! Thank you.

That is a Veiled in the picture.

And AFH-that was most excellently put in your above post in reponse to the first one.

 

[AFH]

Thanks, Juli. I don't know why the Fischers popped in my head. Maybe the Dec photo winner (on the pencil) was one. Or maybe maybe I'm just having a brain fischer.

 

[Julirs]

Here is my Fischers-he is so proud because he is getting his big boy horns!

 

[AFH]

Juli, (sorry Camocham, for hijacking your post), I notice your young Fischer's feet have the same thing a couple of my younger veileds have. Kind of like the color doesn't go all the way down the top of the foot. I got mine from an unknown source, and I thought maybe they had burned or something. You have any idea.

 

[Julirs]

My guys feet definitely are not burned-he has no way to get near anything hot in his plastic cham condo. I guess I only notice that foot color thing in pictures. I have had him since he was a few days old, so I am not sure. I would guess it is just a baby foot color thing????

 

[AFH]

I got a PM from another member that said his veiled feet are the same way. Maybe it is a baby thing?

 

[dindy]

hey AFH im just wondering what kind of cham that is in your pic???(is he a veiled..and if he is god damn is he gorgeous!!!)

 

[stevereecy]

First, I know it was a typo, but "snot to base of tail" cracked me up!

To answer your question - Nope. It doesn't matter when you get them, they're reptiles and they'll never like you. They won't be your bud or wonder where you are when you're gone. They don't want anything from you except the food you bring and to be left alone. They don't want to be handled. Some don't even want you to look at them. Generally, YOU are the major stressor in their lives.

For the record, not everyone agrees with this. Some, like me, believe that if you adopt one earlier, you increase the odds that the cham will be more tolerant of handling. I believe the key is routine, but limited handling before it develops a fear of people. Others disagree. But I don't believe that either camp can say something definitive either way.

Steve