General Question

[AllitaMay]

First off, Hello! Happy to be part of the community!

And, a general attitude question.

I just got a baby veiled chameleon, he's 2 months old, my first chameleon, name is Charmander lol. He started nuzzling me today. Would this be because he is itchy or a sign of affection?

Could not find anything via google on the subject.

 

[camimom]

Welcome!
was he shedding when this happened?

 

[laurie]

Welcome to the forum, & merry Christmas. Was the little guy a present?

I don't think I have ever seen a cham nuzzle but babies will chew on almost any thing. He may just have been hungry. Babies at that age eat a lot.

Do you want to tell us all about how he is set up? We might have so ideas for you or we might not. Hard to tell. Enjoy your baby, and we love pictures.

 

[jannb]

Welcome to the forums and congrats on your new little one. I am very hands on with my chameleons and I have chams that will nuzzle into my chest and neck. My female veiled was like a cat doing her little hands on me like as I call it needing bread. I have a blog for new keepers that I'm attaching for you below. I hope it will help you to keep your little one healthy and happy.
Http://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/jannb/325-info-new-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html

 

[MantisFTW]

Im sorry that I don't have anything to contribute to your question, I just thought to say that you should have named him CharMELEON.

 

[kinyonga]

Do you mean he's rubbing his head/eye on you?

 

[AllitaMay]

Thank everyone for the welcome!

And yes he was. Been bugging my fiance about them for a while and surprise open my eyes and theres this little baby crawling around in his enclosure

Hes just nuzzling my fingers/hand lol no signs of shedding at that point. Now there is and he is doing it more often so i suppose it was his itching.

Right now hes in an 18x18x24 but being upgraded. Has 2 fake plants, wood shavings at the bottom, uv lighting and normal heating light source. He doesnt seem to like the plants but thats understandable as theyre fake. Likes to get on the rock wall and bask all day.

He's on pinhead crickets right now. Wont go near meal worms. Picky guy. Tried hand feeding. Did not work.

Here's a video on youtube i just posted. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy8us6E2I8I&context=C31dd97bADOEgsToPDskKk2zlgAUapU_s7NkZsxK5o

He loves being picked up and hates being put back in his enclosure. Energetic little guy.

 

[camimom]

Personaly, id remove thw wood chips, he could ingest them when hunting for bugs.
ANd as a side note, he has a huge head! lol. very cute. I rememebr when my boy was smaller than that!

 

[AllitaMay]

What do you suggest using? I'm getting rid of it asap

 

[camimom]

What do you suggest using? I'm getting rid of it asap

Nothing.
Unless you have pygmies, you dont need a substrate on the bottom.
If you realyl want something, you can use reptile carpet.
Now some say that a cham will get his nails caught in the carpet, but if your cham is a boy, he shouldnt be on the bottom anyway.
i used it, and had no problems. it makes it easier to just pick it up with all the dead bugs, and leaves and crap and take outside, shake it, rinse under water, and be done.

some use papwr towels (though these get soggy)..

 

[AllitaMay]

Well that's handy! I'm just worried with nothing. It's on a dark table and don't want him to get mad at his reflection when hunting

 

[camimom]

Well that's handy! I'm just worried with nothing. It's on a dark table and don't want him to get mad at his reflection when hunting

Haha. no worries. We all do the crazy worrying parent thing when we have these guys.
Weve all posted some of the craziest help me topics. I think mine was.... he vibrated on my finger, help!

ANd I doubt the table top will scare him off.

 

[AllitaMay]

Lol that's cute. Why do they do that anyways?

 

[camimom]

Lol that's cute. Why do they do that anyways?

Someone said it was out of fear... but not 2 minutes later he had fallen fast asleep on my finger. So, i think a cham wouldnt fall asleep (their most vulnerable state) if he was scared.

this was when he was very little, only 2 weeks old. he hasnt done it since.... not now that hes figured out he can hiss gape and bite at me.

 

[AllitaMay]

Lol okay cause he was doing that when I first got him but hasn't since. Now just passes out whenever he wants and hates going back to his home lol that's when he hisses at me

 

[camimom]

Lol okay cause he was doing that when I first got him but hasn't since. Now just passes out whenever he wants and hates going back to his home lol that's when he hisses at me

They are big and bad and scary arent they? lol.
Yea Kink (my veield) hasnt done it since he was 2 weeks old.
Now hes 11 months almost and a grumpy face. sometimes.
Hes free ranged, and that helped alot with his pissiness.. now he tolerates me picking him up.. most days.
Which is good considering he frequently wanders off his plants to other parts of the room.
Mainly to go visit with my caged Hoehnelli, Kermit.