Biting at 8 months

[FaunaBgirl]

Fractal made a run to the PVC piping door of his cage and I only got my arm under fast enough to have him fall on it then off it down onto some towels. (TG) I was concerned as I heard him clip the one step wood stool I have there. He was ticked so I coaxed him into a small ficus so I could take him out into the sun, which is why I was originally opening his cage door. I put my arm near the tree below him, just in case, as I was walking for the front door. All the way there he was biting my arm with the side of his mouth lightly. I took it, that he was saying, "how could you drop me?" But that would be my perfect world. He's on me nearly enough to know me. Or was he just dingy from the clip/fall? Or is he just immature/easier going than most at 8 mos.
Also, duting a real biting stage (4-5 mos.), I was pumping him with antibiotics, which after a while disuaded him from being so bite aggressive. Do you think he was testing to see if that punishment still applies? What do you think?

 

[Jordan]

Sounds like he was giving you a little chameleon kiss.

I have noticed that sunlight does increase my chameleon's activity. I have heard that this can also increase their aggressiveness.

I guess I could not put it into a month time frame but my males have followed a some what similar pattern. They became increasingly more aggressive. This was followed by a period of not eating as well. Then a return to their normal type habits. All of this was happened under the year mark with mine.

Some veileds can get extremely mean. Others will get rather tame. I find that most settle into just having a pissy attitude. Which means sometimes they tolerate you and other times they do not.

 

[FaunaBgirl]

Sounds like he was giving you a little chameleon kiss.
Now that IS a perfect world!!! mmm <G> And my mind DID venture there, but I had to slap my face. lol

I have noticed that sunlight does increase my chameleon's activity. I have heard that this can also increase their aggressiveness. Stands to reason as my guy gets really strong after a bit of sun.

I guess I could not put it into a month time frame but my males have followed a some what similar pattern. They became increasingly more aggressive. This was followed by a period of not eating as well. Then a return to their normal type habits. All of this was happened under the year mark with mine. hm? That seems in accordance with what has been going on with Fractal. He's now becoming a voracious eater again, after putting me through a month or more of stress over his lack of interest.

Some veileds can get extremely mean. Others will get rather tame. I find that most settle into just having a pissy attitude. Which means sometimes they tolerate you and other times they do not.

Fractal has "moods' and I take it that will be his character. Like my mother, so I'm used to it. In fact, on occasion I will call him FractaLynn, after me Mum. lol

Always a pleasure hearing from you, Jordan. Take care!

 

[FaunaBgirl]

More love bite stories, please?

 

[Jordan]

Fractal has "moods' and I take it that will be his character. Like my mother, so I'm used to it. In fact, on occasion I will call him FractaLynn, after me Mum. lol

Always a pleasure hearing from you, Jordan. Take care!

Ahhhhhhh

 

[royden]

My 6 month veiled can be a bastard.

I've picked him up just a few times, at first he was pretty scared but eventuially calmed down. Now he'll actually strike at me, and try to bend around backwards in attempt to take a chunk out my hand.

It's funny, he latches down with his jaws, - pauses - and then pinches as hard as he can and then let's go right away. I doubt I'll be laughing when he's an adult.

 

[Tygerr]

A love bite? I don't think mine have ever given me that. More like a "Dude if you try get close to me again I'm going to bite your arm off" kind of bite...

But, like they say, a fiesty chameleon is generally a healthy chameleon. So who am I to complain?

Royden said, "I doubt I'll be laughing when he's an adult." No, you won't: my 1 yr old male has drawn blood on more than one occasion (my own carelessness though, and gloves are fast becoming an option).

I actually enjoy their attitudes. As I mentioned in that other post Fractal, my baby female is an absolute terror: lunging and biting whenever I invade her cage. It's quite comical.

 

[FaunaBgirl]

Tygerr writes:
I actually enjoy their attitudes. As I mentioned in that other post Fractal, my baby female is an absolute terror: lunging and biting whenever I invade her cage. It's quite comical.

I actually enjoy their attitudes too... in a playful way. But I'm amazed that the female is so aggressive. When I took care of my friend's female for a few months I never would have thought I COULD get bit. She was so passive. And communicative. But it is a comical picture to me because they are so little... and they think they can scare you away. lol

Roydan... sounds like your guy is testing the bite waters. How old is he?

 

[royden]

You know, I think he's 6 months, but I need to ask the breeder (FLCHAMS). I think he was born around the end of January. I've seen other peoples pictures of their 7 month males, and this guy looks nothing like them yet.

Yes they do have a fun attitude. Theirs something endearing about caring for something that's so tempermental.

 

[FaunaBgirl]

You know, I think he's 6 months, but I need to ask the breeder (FLCHAMS). I think he was born around the end of January. I've seen other peoples pictures of their 7 month males, and this guy looks nothing like them yet. How many crickets is he eating per day? Is he smaller? Fractal was eating 12 a day and grew to a foot by 6 mos.

Yes they do have a fun attitude. Theirs something endearing about caring for something that's so tempermental.

It's definitely a challenge. It speaks volumes about the people on this forum too.

 

[Funez]

My veiled (male) is about 3-4 months old. Although hes never bit, he has hissed a couple times. He hand feeds , which I was never able to do with my last cham (which is strange since it was a female). I never force him out of his cage, but he doesnt willingly climb onto me unless I got some food for him.

I try to let him climb around on me at least once a day. So far it doesnt seem to have stressed him out, and hes looking very healthy, and although hes not super friendly, he doesnt freak out when I put my hands in the cage, he just doesnt climb on unless I got food.

Has anyone had their Chams be easy going liek this, then turn mean even if you keep up the same routine? My last Cham, a female, grew up real mean, she never bit, but that was because I just stayed away from her after awhile. My new guy is showing friendlier tendencies, so Im hoping he'll stay that way.

 

[royden]

Dang! 12 a day. He's gonna eat me outta house and home!

My wife bugs me because I like orchids, dashunds, chameleons, and her. She says all those things take extra care and time, and they all tend to be stubborn.

 

[FaunaBgirl]

Dang! 12 a day. He's gonna eat me outta house and home!

I'm glad to hear it. He will grow like Fractal did. He ate that much too.

My wife bugs me because I like orchids, dashunds, chameleons, and her. She says all those things take extra care and time, and they all tend to be stubborn.

Ha! Now that's a statement!

Best to you all :{

 

[FaunaBgirl]

Funez, you are lucky your guy is so easy going. Keep the routine going. I notice that my cham stands his ground, but he's getting used to the routine. It's like we're getting an understanding. Best of luck with your guy.

 

[Jam]

A side-note on the biting behavior. Hermie was quickly nicknamed "Hissy Hermie" as a baby because he did everyething in his power to strike and bite you if you came near him. When he was extremely ill with MBD and had his broken bones he actually became VERY tolerant ... almost friendly. Never tried to bite, wouldn't turn stressed out colors when you picked him up (we had to hand feed him much like a baby bird and he would just tilt his head back and open his mouth for worms) and we thought that *maybe* he had gotten over his pissy behavior.

ha. ha. ha.

As soon as that chameleon was good enough to walk on his own four legs and catch his own food FORGET IT. He came back with a vengence. I mean you LOOK at him and he strikes and hisses. I promised the little bugger when he was sick that if he pulled through we'd handle him as absolutely little as possible and have kept it. The only time he gets handled is to go to the vet, and everyother month when I feel his legs to make sure that they aren't getting soft again. Other than that he's a wild man.

 

[FaunaBgirl]

Good story about Hissy Hermie... lol... I always feel Fractal's legs.... he always hisses at me and gets poised to strike. But i wait him out and he usually comes around.... sorta. I mean it's quite apparent that they want nothing to do with humans, and we keep imposing ourselves on them. More and more, I make it so that I have to mess with him less and less. That's part of the inspiration of the upcoming move I have in mind. He needs a sunny window of his own.
So Hermie got the liquid calcium? Did you have to feed it by syringe? Did he bite the barrel? Tug at it, like Fractal did when I had to give 10 days of antibiotics?

 

[Jam]

Hermie did receive liquid calcium and vitamin D injections once a week. he was actually pretty good about it. when he saw it coming he'd open his mouth and we'd just shoot it in. He got to the point where he more or less figured out the drill I guess and realized that the quicker we got things done with the quicker he could go back to his normal life. If he wouldn't open his mouth we'd just hold his conch and he'd oblidge rather rapidly.

 

[FaunaBgirl]

You held Hermie's casque? I think my cham would go nuts if I tried that!!! lol
And... I should NOT have spoken so soon about Fractal getting used to the routine. Today, he lunged at my arm and bit. I had a sweatshirt on and I could still feel the bite for a few minutes. So... he's definitely still on guard and making his stand clear. He's been a bit ticked off about the weather changes lately. It's fluctuated as much as from 90 to 65 degrees in one 24 hour period two times in one week. Can't be good.