Hand feeding

[Ryanjohnson]

I have a brand new baby veiled chameleon I have had him for three days and today he just started eating! But he is still deathly afraid of me and rejects my hand feeding attempts because he is afraid of my hand. Any help on how to get him to be less shy would help so much

 

[NvC Dex]

This is a time game... Give it time. Wait a week and let him get used to seeing you. then try again. If he still doesnt take, just keep trying every day or so... He is still adjusting to his new home.

 

[jcarlsen]

This is a time game... Give it time. Wait a week and let him get used to seeing you. then try again. If he still doesnt take, just keep trying every day or so... He is still adjusting to his new home.

Good answer. The key is routine. Develop a routine and your Cham will begin to expect you. As it gets older you can delay feeding a day and use its hunger as motivation to try. Just don't starve it if it doesn't take it from your hand lol

 

[carbyville]

I'm new to this myself, but I agree that routine is very important. I waited about two weeks with Claudia to try and hand feed. In the mean time, I fed her at the same time every morning and did not bother her while she ate, but she watched me get her food ready. By the time I tried to hand feed for the first time, there was not a single moment of hesitation from her. I don't know if I just got lucky and got a friendly cham or if it was my routine that helped her, but she's been hand feeding ever since when I offer her something in my palm.

 

[SocialNumb]

^ooh lucky. I'm almost there. I can now get Chloë to eat out of a cup while I'm holding it. it took a little over 3 weeks to get there. I also keep a routine, pretty strict one. She has a way of letting me know when she wants more as well. Just a look she gets with and her hunting colors help.

 

[nightanole]

My trick is to have "hand only snacks". "if you want the new creepy crawlly, you have to eat it from me". Normally something extra wiggly or bright colored works. I win most over with meal/super worms. I won a veiled over with blue berries on a tooth pick...

 

[Ryanjohnson]

I think what is really killing me is the anticipation of him getting friendly with me. I know it will take time but I'm afraid he might get unhealthy if he is not fed. Any suggestions for how to get him to eat?

 

[caietaro]

This is probably a silly question, but do you literally hand feed- as in hold the wiggly little bug in your hand and offer it, or do you use tongs? I'm just wondering if superworms/roaches/crickets etc bite!

 

[carbyville]

This is probably a silly question, but do you literally hand feed- as in hold the wiggly little bug in your hand and offer it, or do you use tongs? I'm just wondering if superworms/roaches/crickets etc bite!

I usually only hand feed worms because they're easier than crickets. I saw a tip to rip their legs off so they can't jump out of your hand, but I just can't do that so I stick to the slower bugs. I've never had a super try and bite (though I hear they DO), but hornworms sure have tried. It doesn't hurt and is actually rather funny to me.

And roaches.. well. I won't go near roaches so that's out entirely lol.

 

[caietaro]

I usually only hand feed worms because they're easier than crickets. I saw a tip to rip their legs off so they can't jump out of your hand, but I just can't do that so I stick to the slower bugs. I've never had a super try and bite (though I hear they DO), but hornworms sure have tried. It doesn't hurt and is actually rather funny to me.

And roaches.. well. I won't go near roaches so that's out entirely lol.

Thanks! I tried hand feeding a dubia today and no bites. Also seems to work fine with crickets; I've just been gently grabbing them by their abdomen between two fingers and I've found that they can still wiggle just enough to get my little guy's attention that way.