When Can I Start Handling?

[PrettyInInk87]

When can I start handling my baby Cham regularly... I have had him for 4 days and I am itching to get my hands on him. I would really like to pull him out and interact with him but he runs away everytime he sees my hand go into his cage. I know he's a baby and of course is in a new home but when is a good time to start and how should I go about doing it?

 

[morpheon]

Handling regularly should never happen! But if you handle him once a week, for a small time (15 to 30 mins max), it should be fine. How old is he??

 

[PrettyInInk87]

Aw, really? Lol! He is a little over 3 months. I have been reading lots of people handle their Cham's but I guess it's all up to them and not us. Oh well, I guess as he gets older and more accustomed to me and my presence. I guess i'll try and find his favorite food and spoil him with that. Kind of like winning over a little baby with candy.

 

[pssh]

I always suggest letting them figure it out on their own terms. Wait another week and then start trying to hand feed (short periods, you don't want to scare him too much.) always try to keep your head lower than the chameleon. Once a week is fine if you aren't trying to gain trust (he probably won't tolerate handling if it's just 'the scary time that the giant grabs me from my home!') after he gets used to your hands in the cage and what not, try leaving the door open while you're in the room doing something else. He might wander out onto the door. See if he will readily walk onto your hand. If he doesn't don't push it. You can also try associating handling with something nice like free range and special treats. . It's not a sure-fire thing, but it seems to help.

With my very tolerant panther, I pretty much never handled him. Once he stopped running away (6 or so months after I got him) he decided on his own that he liked my hand as a method of transportation! then I started free ranging him and he refused his cage after that. Nothing worked with many other chameleons though.

 

[morpheon]

You know Pretty, i am the kind of breeder that tries to reduce as much as possible everything that includes handling and other optional stressors. Some other breeders manipulate a lot more their chameleons, but i believe it is too risky for what its worth. Afterall, id hate to see my chameleon live less because of that!

The biggest problem is that you will probably never be sure that your chameleon is accostumed to you since many behaviors can indicate stress and not at the same time! For example, a chameleon not moving or moving very fast can mean stress and just normal behavior at the same time. And since not firing up flashy colors doesnt mean a lack of stress, how can you know?

What Kara suggested are ways to higher your chances that he tolerates more handling. However, you will never be sure! So please, try to handle your little cham with parsimony. Afterall, they arent dogs nor cats!

 

[kongchi]

I encourage handling right at the ripe age of 4 months. I did that with my Sebastian. At first he did not like it at all, he saw me as a threat, I used to just take him out of his cage, walk him outside to some sun, hand feed him a cricket and put him back in, atleast 2 times a day. Sadly now though, I put my hand in there to feed him a silkworm, and he just reaches out and climbs onto my hands and onto my shoulders.

 

[PrettyInInk87]

I encourage handling right at the ripe age of 4 months. I did that with my Sebastian. At first he did not like it at all, he saw me as a threat, I used to just take him out of his cage, walk him outside to some sun, hand feed him a cricket and put him back in, atleast 2 times a day. Sadly now though, I put my hand in there to feed him a silkworm, and he just reaches out and climbs onto my hands and onto my shoulders.

Sadly? Hahah!

I'm going to give my little dude about another week to settle in totally and am going to see if I can get him to hand feed. I gave him 3 small wax worms today and he seemed to really like them. He'll have another treat of those in a few more weeks, . I still need to try other feeders and see which he likes best. Once I find out what it is i'll have him hooked!

Don't mean to upset other Cham keepers but I am going to go ahead with the handling, of course i'm leaving it up to him. Little by little i'll get him to love being out and about with me. Thank you!

 

[pssh]

You can't really go ahead with handling a scared chameleon if you leave it up to him? Then you would not handle him at all (which is also fine.) I do encourage a quick once over to check grip and get a close up to look for any abnormalities every week or so, but otherwise suggest handling only be done on the chameleons terms or for sun/showers/free range time.

It honestly is really annoying when a chameleon won't get off of you and you have important things to do. Or when they try to climb down from their free range to get to you and others are walking about freely. If my dog is not gated and others aren't careful it could get squished. Plus it may cause stress when you do not let them out when they want to be. I think it's better to have a chameleon that just sits there. It doesn't try to bite when handled, but it doesn't try to get out all the time.

 

[kongchi]

Make sure you wash your hands before and after