Feeding less often to make friendlier?

[ConnorTHaGreat]

Hey everyone Ive had my veiled chameleon for about a Month now and he is around 3-4 months old he's perfectly healthy and tends to be very stubborn! I take him outside to get direct sunlight When I can and it's a struggle to coax him onto my hand he tends to hiss and snap at me. I've never been mean to him and just want him to become more used to me. I thought of skipping a couple meals (don't want to say starve). but skipping meals and placing a couple crickets on my arm to get him to walk onto my hand without fuss. Should I try this? Any other ways to make the little bugger more fond of me? I sit by his cage and watch and sometimes even talk to him his names Carlos tha chameleon by the way

 

[carol5208]

I would not be skipping any meals! They need lots of food when they are young to grow! Try setting a large potted plant outside of his cage and see if he will crawl out onto that and maybe he will be more approachable once out of the cage. Also, just try hand feeding. Holding the cricket, so he associates your hand with something good and not something that is going to harm him. BTW talking to him will do no good as you know they really cannot hear right?

 

[sdheli420]

Hey everyone Ive had my veiled chameleon for about a Month now and he is around 3-4 months old he's perfectly healthy and tends to be very stubborn! I take him outside to get direct sunlight When I can and it's a struggle to coax him onto my hand he tends to hiss and snap at me. I've never been mean to him and just want him to become more used to me. I thought of skipping a couple meals (don't want to say starve). but skipping meals and placing a couple crickets on my arm to get him to walk onto my hand without fuss. Should I try this? Any other ways to make the little bugger more fond of me? I sit by his cage and watch and sometimes even talk to him his names Carlos tha chameleon by the way

dont skip any meals..better yet..try using the hand as a bridge method..put your hand (the one not holdint the feed, or food item, )and slowly put your other hand in, as to make a bridg to climb to make it closer to the food....they usually forget about your hand and focus on food, after some time they climb right on..one other method, is the "trick feed hold" (my friend named these moves, lol) hold you cham untill they chill, usually in the sun, dont look them in the eyes, move slow, bring your small crix container outside with you and your cham..when they flatten out to bask its a mind trick..they get hungry..and they conveintly forget that they are beeing held (make them think they are holding you..)and offer some food..they usually(in the sun) cant resist a yummy treat..

eventually you will get this..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqqlgiSDTpk

 

[pantherlover]

With all that being said, some chameleons will never become accustomed to your hands no matter what you do. Theres only so much you can do for it to warm up to you, beyond that, just enjoy it for the amazing animal it is.

 

[ktravelet]

I permanately free range, and hand feed everytime, yet my vieled still hates my guts. Some of them never come around I guess.

 

[Psychodrake]

I always wondered if Chameleons will act differently towards you depending on what colors you're wearing. Say you were wearing what they would see as a threat (Like a flared male) or what they would see as safe (Dimmer colors). I've never noticed much different apart from when I wear my red top, my Chameleon seems more likely to climb up my shoulder (Odd? Possibly a coincidence).

Anybody have any idea?

 

[pantherlover]

My male absolutely hates m gf since she died her hair bright red. Hates her! LOL

 

[camimom]

I always wondered if Chameleons will act differently towards you depending on what colors you're wearing. Say you were wearing what they would see as a threat (Like a flared male) or what they would see as safe (Dimmer colors). I've never noticed much different apart from when I wear my red top, my Chameleon seems more likely to climb up my shoulder (Odd? Possibly a coincidence).

Anybody have any idea?

My cham was fine with me, then when i got my nails done in a bright green color, he started hissing and snapping at me. I think he hated my nails, maybe thought it was a nother cham.

 

[cooper9934]

Rodney Dangerfield, my almost 6 month old veiled, hates it when I put my hand in his cage. I hand feed him with at least one cricket each day and I only hold him every other day or so.

I've noticed he really doesn't like sudden movements. I'll sit by his cage for a long time and he will barly move. When I start to move he will move too. When I put my hand in his cage he starts to run away. Yesterday I took him outside for some nice heat in CA... He turns dark when I take him out.. but once he is in my hands playing the "ladder game" he turns back green and seems relaxed. I put him in a potted plant in the backyard and sit with him for an hour or so.

I went inside for a minute and with I came back out he was on top of the plant basking. Right when he saw me he started hid on the other side of the plant. I just sat there and let him do his thing. After a while I decided to bring him back in the house. He ran from me when I tried to grab him again.

What happens each time I bring him back in is that he climbs right to the top of his cage and seems to want back out and just sits there for a long time.

I don't think he likes me picking him up but he seems fine once he is out. Rodney is a great guy though

 

[lumbasammler]

I don´t know if somebody else already mentiones this as i´m short on time right now, but you can simply lure him on a branch holding a cricket or somethin in front of his nose in a distance that forces him to move on the branch to get it.
Do not try to force him on your hand if not absolutely necessary, this will make him see your hand as something negative

 

[KarmaChams]

I permanately free range, and hand feed everytime, yet my vieled still hates my guts. Some of them never come around I guess.

Hahaha. Sounds like my pair. I have noticed my Spinies don't like my hat when the bill is in the front. If it's backwards or off, they seem to be more comfortable.

 

[ConnorTHaGreat]

Thank you all for responses. I shall try hand feedin some more but he doesn't want any part of it. I'll keep on trying and Hopefuly he'll turn around.

 

[chameleoman]

buy alot of silkworms and hornworms and use them as treats my female used to be friendly but wen i gave her silks she loved me

 

[eisentrauti]

I would not be skipping any meals! They need lots of food when they are young to grow!

Off topic:
You know that Chamaeleo calyptratus is a species which lives in areas with very bad food supply ? Most of the chameleons in captivity are getting way too much food. Ask a veterinarian. Many die because of adiposed organs.

Not off topic: Many reptiles completely change their behaviour when they are kept outdoors. They wipe with the wind, they hide behind everything and they often see their normal keepers as threats. Imagine you were a chameleon in a new habitat and something grabs after you, looking a bit like a snake. What would you do ?

 

[lumbasammler]

Off topic:
You know that Chamaeleo calyptratus is a species which lives in areas with very bad food supply ? Most of the chameleons in captivity are getting way too much food. Ask a veterinarian. Many die because of adiposed organs.

That is a true statement, but doesn´t go for young Chameleons, those should be fed once per day. You can start having one day without feeding per week at an age of about 6-7 months and then slowly increase the number of days without food to every second day
My ch.dilepis is fed very irregulary, which means it sometimes gets food on two days in succesion, then again it gets nothing for 3 or more days. I know a vet who keeps Veilds and has a female which is fed like this and is now 8 years old.

 

[lisa h]

I'm going to be blunt:
Chameleons are prey animals, and they are not domesticated. If you want friendly and loveable, a puppy is probably your best bet, although they don't always turn out the way you want them too. At least dogs are domesticated and are pack animals that seek out social interaction. Again your best bet.

For the most part chameleons are solitary creatures which are territorial, and are food sources for something larger.

Learn proper handling techniques if your goal is to take him outside for sunshine and fresh air, otherwise there is very little reason to handle him, except for checking him for health reasons.

We (people) have no business starving or using other aversives to make animals do our will. For those who choose exotic pets like chameleons, we must adjust our ways to suit the animal, not the other way around.

 

[AReptile]

The best bet is handfeeding over a long period of time. I've had my first cham since January 2010 and just very recently she has realized im not a threat for the most part. When she feels like it she comes onto my hand and crawls on me. She still runs away though from time to time.