Chameleon thinks I'm food

[_Julian_]

My chameleon, Prizmo, thinks that I am food. Whenever I try to gain trust with him I will probably have a treat bug in my hand or holding it somewhere on my arm. He does get the bug and even climbs onto my arm to get it but sometimes if he sees my finger first he will try to latch onto my finger. Sometimes I hold my hand out to him to show him I am not going to eat him, but he proceeds to stare dead on at my finger and latch onto it and even sometimes bite me (showing little to no signs of being scared). It doesn't hurt right now because he is still little but I am scared that when he grows up and tries to eat me it will hurt. . Is this a normal behavior? Is he going to outgrow this? He is around 5 months old right now.. Not sure if that information will be important or not.

 

[BleuSaphir]

It may be a defense behavior too. My chameleon doesn’t hiss or puff at me. But I know he does NOT like when I put my hand anywhere near him or my presence.

Try not to expect your chameleon to be tamed or friendly.

 

[_Julian_]

It may be a defense behavior too. My chameleon doesn’t hiss or puff at me. But I know he does NOT like when I put my hand anywhere near him or my presence.

Try not to expect your chameleon to be tamed or friendly.

Yeah, I never expected him to be the kindest I was prepared for that aspect. Though, I didn't expect that to be a possible defense behavior.. Especially since his little face looks the same way it does when he's trying to eat food (he even gets closer when he tries to latch onto my finger) ...When he was a bit younger and still getting used to me he did puff up a bit and hiss

 

[MzLaurie]

He sees your finger move and thinks it food. Perhaps hand feed him with a glove on that will give more contrast to the bug. Just avoid red they hate red. I recently have to wear a blue hand brace and he does his defense posture every time he sees it on me! Oh my would target my glasses. I figured he saw a glare or something and thought it was food. Now that’s a trip! The bite reflex is that they bite down whenever they shoot their tongue out. Whether they have got the feeder or not. So this might not be aggressive behavior towards you. It’s just how he hunts. Also if you hand feed him make sure you clean your hands before and after. Best of luck

 

[janjan20]

This can be the downside of hand feeding. I only hand feed worms on occasion and I have two that still go after my fingers after 4yrs. I just redirect or just let them bite me if their tongue is stuck to my finger. My female doesn’t hurt really but my male has drawn blood. Just be prepared that your little dude may not grow out of it. Don’t fret though there is always a work around. Trial and error…

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi. Welcome to my world! My veiled girl is always focusing on and trying to eat my fingers. I only hand feed silkworms (on the back of my hand) and for her, I have to keep a tight fist and try to angle my hand so she can’t see any bit of my fingers. She’s 5 years old and doesn’t shoot her tongue out more than a couple of inches, so when she gets the chance to eat a finger, once she realizes it isn’t a fat juicy worm, she bites me repeatedly…just to make sure it hurts. One of my male panthers is always aiming his tongue at my eyeballs. Thankfully I wear glasses as one time he did shoot his tongue at an eye. Crazy lizards, but we love them.

 

[nightanole]

Aw thats so cute they only go for the fingers...

Now if only i could get a certain someone to not taste test my knees and heels

At least his doesnt go for fingers and toes, too small, not worth the effort.

 

[Beman]

Do you by chance have nail polish on or jewelry? If so this may be the cause. Chams as young as yours do not tend to relate fingers to food yet. Which means there could be something else he is either triggering on or could even be due to him not being fed enough each day. Babies that are that age can easily take down 2 dozen feeders a day.

 

[_Julian_]

Do you by chance have nail polish on or jewelry? If so this may be the cause. Chams as young as yours do not tend to relate fingers to food yet. Which means there could be something else he is either triggering on or could even be due to him not being fed enough each day. Babies that are that age can easily take down 2 dozen feeders a day.

I don't have jewelry or nail polish but I do give him as many bugs as I can every day

 

[Beman]

I don't have jewelry or nail polish but I do give him as many bugs as I can every day

How many and what types are you feeding him each day?

 

[_Julian_]

How many and what types are you feeding him each day?

Recently I've been feeding dubias and 1-2 smaller sized super worms a day today I fed him the wax moth... I'm not sure on the exact amount I'm feeding him but it looks over 15 bugs a day

 

[Beman]

Recently I've been feeding dubias and 1-2 smaller sized super worms a day today I fed him the wax moth... I'm not sure on the exact amount I'm feeding him but it looks over 15 bugs a day

Count your insects... You want to make sure the cham is getting at least 2 dozen every morning. Right now is a big growing period so they will go after anything if they are still hungry because they need the food intake to support the rapid growth.