Attention seeking chameleon - video

crosseyes

crosseyes

Member
I have kept chameleons for many years and never had a chameleon that seems to enjoy human contact...

I have racked my brain trying think of reasons but finally think I am accepting it just wants attention.

It will be chilling by itself until it sees a human, then will cling and scrape against the door until it is allowed to walk out, invariably climbing on ones shoulder or head then it relaxes. Even if placed on an outdoor ficus, it will climb onto anyone in range.

Anyone have an experience like this? I have attached a quick video i took with my phone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWhi5RO0gxo
 
crosseyes said:
It will be chilling by itself until it sees a human, then will cling and scrape against the door until it is allowed to walk out, invariably climbing on ones shoulder or head then it relaxes. Even if placed on an outdoor ficus, it will climb onto anyone in range.
Click to expand...

A couple of ideas to consider:

Most chams are not going to go seeking attention from a human as they are not really "social" beings who thrive on interaction, but, if the human is familiar, an accepted part of its territory, known to be "safe" and a sort of transport to some nice place in the house, I can see (and have had) chams wanting to climb onto a person. I think it is more a matter that you are a safe movable perch, rather than something the cham strongly desires emotionally.

Also, if the human is tall, allows the cham to climb higher than its cage does or even the Ficus in the room, that's one reason it climbs to your head. You are also warm...especially higher up where most of your body heat rises from.
 
My male panther goes through moods similar to this. Some months he will do anything to get out of his cage and sit on my shoulder (only mine though, he won't climb onto anyone else). Then sometimes he is perfectly content ignoring my existence.
 
oh i definitely do not think reptiles have any emotion hahaha(other than instinctive mechanisms).
I processed the same theories before and they did not add up.
Plant is taller than i am, and temperatures are optimal.
 
All 3 of mine have been like that! Amy is especially 'friendly' when receptive and in a wandering mood. Tommy used to sratch at his door to be let out, but he has limited use of one leg now so doesn't do it as much. My first cham, Lily, would always want out when she saw me, but she was used to human interaction as she spent her first 6 months in a reptile shop where she was looked at daily and handled regularly.

Here's a video of my boy in his fitter days.
http://s596.photobucket.com/albums/.../?action=view&current=TommyWantsOut291109.mp4
 
although a reptile doesn't have emotion, im sure it recognizes you and what you are to it. The beauty of owning a pet is the unbreakable bond you develop with it regardless of the type of animal. looks like all your chams are cared for well. i wish mine wanted my attention that much! incredibly jealous lol
 
Miss Lily said:
All 3 of mine have been like that! Amy is especially 'friendly' when receptive and in a wandering mood. Tommy used to sratch at his door to be let out, but he has limited use of one leg now so doesn't do it as much. My first cham, Lily, would always want out when she saw me, but she was used to human interaction as she spent her first 6 months in a reptile shop where she was looked at daily and handled regularly.

Here's a video of my boy in his fitter days.
http://s596.photobucket.com/albums/.../?action=view&current=TommyWantsOut291109.mp4
Click to expand...

My fella also knows me and always wants to come out wander about. I was away last weekend for a few days had a friend look in on him. She told me spent most of his time hiding. I came Home he couldnt wait to get out and see me :)
 
Yep my one panther appears to seek me out and always scratches at the cage when he sees me. He doesn't do it when my husband comes in, but I can't sit in the room without him begging to come out. And even when I put him the big outside cage, which he loves, he still tries to stay on me. All the others couldn't care less if I never came in the room again, and I think my veiled would prefer that actually!
 
hmm

Chameleons have emotions that is what their color changing is partly based on, I think they are very emotional lizards.
 
Very interesting, seems like it happens often to others!

I wonder if they actually recognize individuals, and why would they want to sit on them. It does only do this for me and my girlfriend, strangers usually send it hiding. This is why i love chameleons, i am always learning something new.

They are very individual, more so than other reptiles i have worked with. Even wild chameleons i have worked with all act differently, some eating straight out of your hand, others never calming down.
 
rastamarley said:
Chameleons have emotions that is what their color changing is partly based on, I think they are very emotional lizards.
Click to expand...
I agree with you on that, but to personify their emotions would be taking it a little far....but ... this is what i am trying to figure out ;)

Usually people associate feed response to emotion. But as more and more post it is not the case.
 
So does this mean that if I try to handle my chameleon regularly even though he gets scared will it mean he will get use to me and not be scares anymore? :)
 
Don't count on it. Some chameleons never accept human contact and will always be scared or aggressive if bothered. You just have to let them be who they are.


SomeRandomPerson said:
So does this mean that if I try to handle my chameleon regularly even though he gets scared will it mean he will get use to me and not be scares anymore? :)
Click to expand...
 
I can only hope my new chameleon seeks attention, my last adult veiled I purchased when he was already 2 years old, and he was a mean one!
 
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