cranky cham solution

[Muddyfeet]

Ok I have a three year old male veiled, no matter how much I have tried to train him, trust me I have TONS of experience using positive reinforcement in dogs, cats, ducks, chickens, small animals, pigs, horses.. Nope.. tried hand feeding, heat, heck even good response retreat to remove pressure.. you name it.. Just does NOT want anything to do with people.. GOD FORBID I am wearing a light color shirt.. picky bugger.... yet the dogs?? sees them does not give a crap, even see him chase down a cricket eat it, with a dog sniffing it along the screen.. following it.. nope he will take a cricket there, but I could stand all day with one in a cup or on tongs no way.. He also will not eat if you are close to his enclosure..

So.. I let him be, enjoy him as he is

Anyhow when I clean his cage, I often get a cranky puff up gaping... I don't like it one because some days it really is insulting.. hey have I EVER done anything to you? other days, the stress factor effect does worry me... sigh. but I cannot leave droppings and water in his cage for his health..

yesterday, I was , dear goodness.. get over it, so I stuffed a hornworm in his open gaping mouth..

He went from Black spots, stressed gaping to puffed up, Bright green and flashy colors.. .. with a very confused look.. LOL.. chewed and swallowed.. Gaped again, repeated it.. open your mouth at me I stuff food into it.. I am done with it, I respect your wish to be looked at not bothered but your display when I am ONLY going to clean your cage for your benefit is going to stop.. Gape at me, I put something in your mouth!..

I did this yesterday, and today.. yup morning routine.. wipe down cage, change paper towels.. Just watched me this time FIRST TIME in three years.. Nice cool green colors..

now two things are possible, (trainer thinking) one he really did like it, so finally got the hey I am not a predator to kill and eat you.. however he did not offer a open mouth for another today.. or.. (more likely) he found the fact I stuffed a worm in his mouth odd enough, or insulting I dared.. that he finds not getting all stressed and defensive a better option.. Go ahead ask him.. he wont tell..
also he did eat two BIG hornworms, and three fat supers and a cricket during the process, so may not be hungry today.. so will see if he offers the gape again.. in the next few days..

So have a cranky cham, not responding to standard ways.. loves to gape? heck give it a try.. may work.. Just need to BE VERY CAREFULL of their jaw and teeth esp using tongs..




anyone else tried this method to deal with gaping?? stress colors??

 

[nightanole]

Um...

Even the tamest chams do not like a hand in "their" tree. It doesnt matter if they trust you, love you, and crawl on your hand to get out of the cage. The rules go out the window when you enter their domain. He is saying "this is my house, get out" in chameleon. He means you no disrespect but that is his room.

Anyway yea thats how i deal with mouth gaping too. Most of the time they just eat it and turn happy, some just spit it out. I find blueberries/banana work great.

Another way i deal is just the good old water squirt bottle...
You hiss, you get wet.

 

[Psychobunny]

LOL!!
I did that once with Smeagol when he gaped at me because he didnt want
to go home from the free range. I happened to have a silkworm in my hand
to feed another cham, so when he gaped at me, I just stuffed it in his mouth
with my fingers.
He gave me the confused, WTF look

 

[FrankTheTank]

This is hilarious. Nightanole is right though. He's like a teenager and you're his parent. Teens don't like their parents barging in their rooms and "cleaning up" or anything else no matter the intentions. It is his space and your invading. Your response was terrific though! I never even thought to stuff food in franklins mouth when he gaped at me. I'll try that if basil ever gets so bold

 

[Carlton]

Ok I have a three year old male veiled, no matter how much I have tried to train him, trust me I have TONS of experience using positive reinforcement in dogs, cats, ducks, chickens, small animals, pigs, horses.. Nope.. tried hand feeding, heat, heck even good response retreat to remove pressure.. you name it.. Just does NOT want anything to do with people.. GOD FORBID I am wearing a light color shirt.. picky bugger.... yet the dogs?? sees them does not give a crap, even see him chase down a cricket eat it, with a dog sniffing it along the screen.. following it.. nope he will take a cricket there, but I could stand all day with one in a cup or on tongs no way.. He also will not eat if you are close to his enclosure..

So.. I let him be, enjoy him as he is

Anyhow when I clean his cage, I often get a cranky puff up gaping... I don't like it one because some days it really is insulting.. hey have I EVER done anything to you? other days, the stress factor effect does worry me... sigh. but I cannot leave droppings and water in his cage for his health..

yesterday, I was , dear goodness.. get over it, so I stuffed a hornworm in his open gaping mouth..

He went from Black spots, stressed gaping to puffed up, Bright green and flashy colors.. .. with a very confused look.. LOL.. chewed and swallowed.. Gaped again, repeated it.. open your mouth at me I stuff food into it.. I am done with it, I respect your wish to be looked at not bothered but your display when I am ONLY going to clean your cage for your benefit is going to stop.. Gape at me, I put something in your mouth!..

I did this yesterday, and today.. yup morning routine.. wipe down cage, change paper towels.. Just watched me this time FIRST TIME in three years.. Nice cool green colors..

now two things are possible, (trainer thinking) one he really did like it, so finally got the hey I am not a predator to kill and eat you.. however he did not offer a open mouth for another today.. or.. (more likely) he found the fact I stuffed a worm in his mouth odd enough, or insulting I dared.. that he finds not getting all stressed and defensive a better option.. Go ahead ask him.. he wont tell..
also he did eat two BIG hornworms, and three fat supers and a cricket during the process, so may not be hungry today.. so will see if he offers the gape again.. in the next few days..

So have a cranky cham, not responding to standard ways.. loves to gape? heck give it a try.. may work.. Just need to BE VERY CAREFULL of their jaw and teeth esp using tongs..




anyone else tried this method to deal with gaping?? stress colors??

Another thing to remember is that a cham, not being a socially sophisticated creature simply does not CARE about what you want, whether you or any other creature likes him, and the idea of a social reward for nice behavior just isn't something he considers.