Aggressive chameleon

[Gwendalyn.brock]

My female seems to have become aggressive all of a sudden. I haven't changed anything in the way of caring for her, she seems restless and a little wider than she was yesterday so I opened the laying bin. She seems to be displaying grayish bars of coloring and she hisses at me when I open the cage, even though I cannot see her. Do you think sh is gravid? Could that make her aggressive?

 

[oneillchameleons]

My chams all go through phases with their personality. Often they will become a bit more aggressive if they are gravid, but they usually calm down again after laying. My males will change day to day, depending on their mood. I have one female at the moment who used to run onto my arm whenever I opened the cage, and never showed fear. One day she just stopped and became very timid. I don't believe she was traumatized by anything, just decided she didn't like me anymore. They are wild animals after all.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I would not think her hormonal state has anything to do with this new aggressive behavior you are suddenly noticing. Your description that she has suddenly started hissing when you open the cage suggests to me the cause is rooted in your husbandry. Baby chameleons often do not respond with aggression when they are stressed by over handling. As they get bigger, they do.

 

[Gwendalyn.brock]

I would not think her hormonal state has anything to do with this new aggressive behavior you are suddenly noticing. Your description that she has suddenly started hissing when you open the cage suggests to me the cause is rooted in your husbandry. Baby chameleons often do not respond with aggression when they are stressed by over handling. As they get bigger, they do.

She has never hissed at me before, only this morning she did when I went to put her food in there. She's never hissed at me before and I haven't done anything differently either.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Maybe she is growing up and telling you that what you have been doing all along really bothers her and now she has the maturity to let you know how much it bothers her?

 

[Gwendalyn.brock]

Maybe she is growing up and telling you that what you have been doing all along really bothers her and now she has the maturity to let you know how much it bothers her?

What would be bothering her then? I don't handle her much unless I need to clean up and the only time I open the cage is to mist or feed her usually. Yesterday I had to help her get some shed off her tail and toes, do you think that could be bothering her?

 

[kinyonga]

How old is she? What species? Please post a recent photo.

 

[Gwendalyn.brock]

How old is she? What species? Please post a recent photo.

I believe she is about 5-6 months old and a female veiled chameleon.

 

[MSMorgan]

Yesterday I had to help her get some shed off her tail and toes, do you think that could be bothering her?

Gwen,

I think you hit the nail on the head with your statement. Did she start acting aggressively after you helped her?

 

[Gwendalyn.brock]

Gwen,

I think you hit the nail on the head with your statement. Did she start acting aggressively after you helped her?

She seemed a little huffy but she was not aggressive until this morning when I opened the cage to put her food in. She calmed down and crawled up my arm when I sprayed her cage for the last time tonight.

 

[MSMorgan]

Glad to hear that she's decided your not going to hurt/eat her now. Funny little creatures.