Hand feeding help

[RoyBomb "Flex"]

So I've had my little guy for almost two weeks. This morning (when he is hungriest) I tried to feed him a hornworm from my hand which was about a 5 min. standoff lol. He's had hornworms as a treat twice already and that was just so I could familiarize him with them. But after about 5 min of expressing interest in it he turned his back on me and moved back to another branch?? I then put the hornworm on the branch and walked away. No sooner did I walk away and he was ready to eat it. Is there anything else I can do to help encourage him to trust me? Or do I just keep up what I am doing and keep trying to associate my hands with good things not bad things and hope he eventually comes around? I feel like he is just being stubborn lol, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[nightanole]

Id start off with tong feeding. Some of my chams have had to be 100% hand fed for 2-3 years, and still dont like the hand 100% of the time.

 

[jamest0o0]

Seems like you have the right idea, i got lucky and my guy took to handfeeding in a few days of having him. Now it is almost a pain because he gets bored with being cupfed, but still free roams crickets. For the most part he requires me to hand feed him each individual bug next to his basking spot. I feel like i'm playing here comes the airplane...

Keep associating the hand with food and not a giant scary monster and he'll take to it. I try not to make sudden movements and keep myself and my hand at or below his eye level.

 

[Graves923]

Two weeks isnt that long to have had him. He could still be adjusting to the new home. I started trying to hand feed my cham recently. I started with leaving his feeder cup in the enclosure with my standing there until he ate. Then after a few days I was able to hold the feeder cup with him grabbing crickets while I am holding it. Now I can sometimes tong feed and only once has he taken a superworm from my hand.

 

[joshuadh2310]

I have had my girl coming up o two months now as she is 4 and a half months and I made a break through just recently as I made a free range for her and she loves it. I think maybe on her free range she felt not so confined and felt more comfortable with me as she was able to go in her cage as she pleases or out in the open on plants. She now eats from my hand and I love it!

 

[Andee]

I don't advocate tong feeding at all. Too much danger with it, less danger with hand feeding. If you want him to eat the hornworms, don't give them to him unless during a hand feeding time. Also don't make direct eye contact with him when trying to hand feed. If he doesn't eat the hornworm when you are offering it by hand, take it away and put it back. Try again the next day. He should not get his favorite treats by anything other than your fingers if you want to really work on hand feeding.

 

[joshuadh2310]

I agree. The only thing my girl eats from my hand is silkworms she won't eat dubias as I am hoping she will eventually as I hate crickets! But my hornworms have outgrown her so I'm waiting to use them on my new boy. But definitely agree with andee on the only by hand method and also the tongs

 

[ChameleonClem]

So I've had my little guy for almost two weeks. This morning (when he is hungriest) I tried to feed him a hornworm from my hand which was about a 5 min. standoff lol. He's had hornworms as a treat twice already and that was just so I could familiarize him with them. But after about 5 min of expressing interest in it he turned his back on me and moved back to another branch?? I then put the hornworm on the branch and walked away. No sooner did I walk away and he was ready to eat it. Is there anything else I can do to help encourage him to trust me? Or do I just keep up what I am doing and keep trying to associate my hands with good things not bad things and hope he eventually comes around? I feel like he is just being stubborn lol, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Id start off with tong feeding. Some of my chams have had to be 100% hand fed for 2-3 years, and still dont like the hand 100% of the time.

I agree with nightanole, i always feed with tongs because im whimpy and hate touching bugs especially worms lol! I read somewhere you should try to hand feed or with tongs and if he doesnt take it, dont leave it. Come back tomarrow and try it again. Do this for a max of 3/4 days with the idea of if they get hungry enough theyll come out. I dont know about all that bussiness but perhaphs keep feeding cruckets and "boring" normal food and save the good juicy worms and such for this method?

 

[RandellTheCham]

Each chameleon is different i reconmend tong feeding first

 

[knuklez]

ya ive had my guy for about 2 weeks now and he was always very scared of my hand. puffing up and hissing. now that i started hand feeding he doesnt. the way i got him to start hand feeding was i outstretched my arm as far as possible. so he felt less threatened by me up close. also like someone else said above dont make direct eye contact. i made it look like i wasnt interested when he would look at me.

 

[jajeanpierre]

So I've had my little guy for almost two weeks. This morning (when he is hungriest) I tried to feed him a hornworm from my hand which was about a 5 min. standoff lol. He's had hornworms as a treat twice already and that was just so I could familiarize him with them. But after about 5 min of expressing interest in it he turned his back on me and moved back to another branch?? I then put the hornworm on the branch and walked away. No sooner did I walk away and he was ready to eat it. Is there anything else I can do to help encourage him to trust me? Or do I just keep up what I am doing and keep trying to associate my hands with good things not bad things and hope he eventually comes around? I feel like he is just being stubborn lol, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Don't look directly at your chameleon. Avert your eyes. Predators look directly at their prey.

Hold your hand far enough away from the chameleon and then put your body even further away. I find the further away I am from the chameleon the better. Also, sometimes partly blocking off their vision of you--with a plant or the sides of the cage helps.

I find having a direct line between the chameleon, the prey/hand and my body helps them. They can look directly at the prey and see you, too.

Sometimes turning the prey over so the legs/antenna are wiggling and visible gets them a little excited.

Bright green bugs are exciting. Wild caught bugs also seem to be very appealing.

Last but not least, a little hunger motivates even a new import.

Hope that helps.

 

[broderp]

Here's an idea, Buy THIS:
https://www.amazon.com/Manicure-Bendable-Artificial-Trainer-Practice/dp/B01GZRI6DE/ref=sr_1_27_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1488502992&sr=8-27&keywords=fake+hand&th=1

Place it in the enclosure from day one. He will be use to it quick. No more 5 minute stand offs, aching arms from holding a out reached position for extended periods of time etc.


(Ok, I'm joking but I've thought of this as my new cham is scared to me near me when the terrarium is open, but will sleep right in the open at night.)