Hammy and Ivy Baby Thread
- Thread starter janjan20
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Haley Hendrix
Avid Member
Being defensive when you’re trying to get them out is cage aggressive. Free range helps a lot with it.
jannb
Chameleon Enthusiast
Thank you!
He has not been very receptive to holding since I brought him home. Very fearful. When I would initially try every day for the first few weeks he would freak out and breathe very heavily and bite. I decided the stress to him was not worth it in the end. I don't mind that he prefers the safety of his home. I am a firm believer that if a cham is biting you then they are telling you exactly what they do not want. So he has the huge enclosure. He comes to me for food and we have our own relationship. To me there is nothing wrong with a cham getting everything they need and me not pushing them to do something that I may want.
jannb
Chameleon Enthusiast
I guess he just missed his old home and had. Hard time settling into a new home. What happens if he become ill and has to have vet visits and medication? It’s so much easier when you have a friendly chameleon.
I can handle him if I have to. I can get him out and weigh him. He does not like it and he will bite and has bitten me. He will never lack for anything even though he is not fond of being held or touched. I will always make sure he has what he needs including Vet care.
I agree that it is easier when they are friendly. He has never been this way with me. Always fearful since the day I brought him home.
There are other members that have posted in this thread about their chams not wanting the hands on interaction. I am not trying to hide that he does not like it. I am honest about it. I also see nothing wrong with it. I do not push him passed his limits of what he wants. I am like this with all of the boys.
I do not feel less then because he chooses not to be handled. I feel like I am seeing what he needs/wants and respecting the boundaries he has set.
jannb
Chameleon Enthusiast
I know allot of keepers have to cage due to safety and chameleons, especially veileds don’t like being caged. They become territorial and cage aggressive. It’s a big difference in the ones that when to caged homes and free range homes but the main thing I want for my babies it to be safe and healthy.
Well he will always be safe and healthy. He will always be provided for with the very best that I can give him. He is in a cage that is 4 feet wide. That is 2 times the standard enclosure size. He loves his enclosure he has his favorite plant to eat. His favorite pothos that he sleeps in every night. He comes to the same branch every day to get a treat or be fed. I only hand feed him to maintain the connection.
But please understand that just because I respect his boundaries that he has set since day 2 of being home with me that it does not mean that I love him less or would ever not provide something that he needs. Even if it means getting bitten I take him out to get weighed. I do not slack in my care of him.
mujino
Established Member
mujino
Established Member
mujino
Established Member
Not sure if this post was for me...
Just in case... I hope I’m not making you feel that you need to defend how you raise your chams. Not my intent. On the contrary, I’m purely interested in learning information from those who are experts in cham care because I already respect your informed opinions. (@Beman, @jannb, @Haley Hendrix)
Not a big emoji person myself. Too lazy. My tone is probably ambiguous so I figured I’d just put it out there now before the flame war begins.
Also, thanks for responding to my dumb questions.
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This actually is not true... There is a huge difference between a cham that is cage aggressive and one like Bane that just does not want my hands coming at him to take him out.
A cage aggressive chameleon will strike and lunge at you for simply getting near their enclosure. They will go into attack mode if you attempt to open the enclosure. This is cage aggressive. They physically show you that you are not welcome at all in their territory.
A chameleon that does not want to be handled is different. They have no issue with you opening the door, cleaning, or even hand feeding. They back away if they are uncomfortable or even go into hiding.
Bane is not cage aggressive. He is fearful of being handled. He shows absolutely no cage aggression or aggression of me. He goes into defense mode only when I try to get him to step up to come out and when he is out on me.
No, you were not the one making me feel uncomfortable.... Thank you though.
jannb
Chameleon Enthusiast
Well, I didn’t mean for you to feel uncomfortable, either. I just stated for everyone how much nicer it is to have a chameleon that can be handled if needed. I really appreciate you mentoring for me and back then you ask me to pick you a sweet boy so I picked my most friendly for you.
mujino
Established Member
Ah, glad to hear it. Ignore my post then.
Haley Hendrix
Avid Member
I wasn’t speaking of Bane. Sorry it came out that way. In my case Spike picks and chooses when he wants to come out as expected. I put my hand out and if he wants to come out he climbs on if not he hissed at me and i leave him alone.
I was speaking to your assumption of what cage aggressive is. What you put was incorrect. That is not cage aggressive. Most chams are going to be defensive if you try to remove them from their cage. This does not make it cage aggression.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Hammlet is not a fan of being handled either and will not come out on his own. I do try to handle him at least 2-3 times a week, if only for a few seconds and always with the safety of his enclosure right there. Like my girls, he doesn’t come out to me, but trusts that I’m not going to eat or hurt him. Only once has he hissed and lunged at me and that was a while ago when I had to move a plant deep in his enclosure.
