Baby Panther. When to handle.

[devynnogood]

I've had 2 chameleons in the past. 1 Panther and 1 veiled. The Panther was already 2 years old and very friendly when we purchased. My veiled was 7 months. Both were able to be handled right away and put into their big boy cages. So I've never had a baby baby before. My new Panther Sully is 2.5 months old and approx 4" long (Nosy Faly). With lack of baby experience when should Sully begin to be handled? For now he is in 60 quart plastic Tupperware(suggested by our breeder) and will be in there for the next 2-4 weeks. I'm thinking leave him be until he is acclimated to his Tupperware? Or should I begin to try and hand feed him right away. I'm well aware that most chameleons will never like to be handled, our first Panther was super friendly and our veiled was not so much. I want to start young with Sully in the hopes he will earn my trust but also don't want to start out on the wrong foot. Any baby tips are well appreciated. In the long run If he decides to be a cranky little man that refuses to come into my hand, at least he'll be beautiful to look at

 

[jannb]

Welcome to the forums. Who was the breeder? I handle my babies after a few days old. Not to play with them but to move them while cleaning the tub. I always keep an extra tub so I pick up each baby one by one to move it to the clean empty tub. At that time I check over each baby. After I've emptied the first tub I clean it and began moving and inspecting the babies in the second tub. I do all this daily until each tub is clean and every baby has been handled (moved). By the time they are one month old they are friendly and every time they see me they reach and grab for me wanting out of the tub. By this time I allow them to walk up my hand and arm. Some breeders, especially big breeders never touch the baby so they would not be familiar with humans touching and holding them. If that's your case I'd recommend handling just as I did to change the paper towels and wipe out the tub. I'm attaching some of my friendly veiled babies at one month old and my blog for how I recommend keeping babies.

Pictures of baby bins and babies reaching to get out:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/the-babies-are-one-month-old.40584/

Videos of babies running out:



My blog:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-with-young-veiled-or-panther-chameleons.325/

 

[devynnogood]

Thanks for the response. They become that friendly just by transferring them from box to box once a day? They're the cutest little things!
His breeder was "chameleon paradise" out of California. My main question is what age is it okay to start taking him out just to hold him, so he'll get use to me. I don't want to scare the pants off him but I want to start socializing. I haven't started hand feeding yet, I know that's a big trust builder.

 

[jannb]

He probably hasn't been handled before. Give him a week or two to settle into his new home before you start taking him out. You can start handfeeding him now.