Handle your chameleon?

HameFall

HameFall

New Member
What's your opinion about handling chameleons?
What I mean by handling ain't like watching a movie with them for 2h or so, just taking them out from the enclosure and let them walk around on you for 5-10 minutes every once in a while just feeling happy for owning such a beautiful animal!
 
I dont handle them much especially my females, but I let there individual personalities dictate how much I handle them. If they don't mind it I handle them if they get ticked off and really stressed I don't, or only cleaning time or when it's time to go outside.
 
Reptiles are mostly ornamental in that most just want to be, but some do respond well to handling without showing stress. I imagine if u have one that is receptive to being held, they can eventually with for example, starting with a short time periods then progressively increasing the time they are being held adjust gradually?
I do know someone local to me who brings their chameleon places and its perfectly content to be riding around on their human. I know that one of my chameleons only tolerates being handled and could do without it. I however need to clean his enclosure and well.. just check him out sometimes so he bears it. I have another that will climb on me and let me clean his enclosure w him sitting on my person not showing any stress.
 
I handle mine every single day moving them from outside cages, to indoor and free range area etc. they don't seem to mind it at all. It all depends on the chameleon really.
 
I posted this in another thread and thought you might find it useful.

Unlike many people say I truly believe that chameleons are very social animals when allowed to be. I have always free ranged all my chameleons and they love to be with people. They will reach and grab at anybody or anything that walks by. A human is way better than a tree. I've even had a female veiled try to get off of her tree onto my dog. Even when we went to Madagascar I found more of the wild chameleons fairly friendly. They would get right on my hand when I put it up under them. We place many on a stick for photos and then returned them to the exact same spot that we found them.
 
Two simple rules:

1.) Friendliness (curiousness, adventurousness) differs by individual chameleon, regardless of species
2.) A chameleon's body language clearly communicates their desire to be held or left alone.
 
jannb said:
I posted this in another thread and thought you might find it useful.

Unlike many people say I truly believe that chameleons are very social animals when allowed to be. I have always free ranged all my chameleons and they love to be with people. They will reach and grab at anybody or anything that walks by. A human is way better than a tree. I've even had a female veiled try to get off of her tree onto my dog. Even when we went to Madagascar I found more of the wild chameleons fairly friendly. They would get right on my hand when I put it up under them. We place many on a stick for photos and then returned them to the exact same spot that we found them.
Click to expand...

I am the same way my veiled Cham is so friendly. (Unless he is shedding) I come home and open his cage say a few words to him. sometimes he gets really excited and will start to come to the door. And then he climbs his tree and looks out side at the world I hold him every day. Unless he is jut not having it then I just let him be alone and hang out.
 
There seems to a consensus here. Handle it if it doesn't get stressed. If it does, then try to do it in little dosages and increase as its tolerance for socializing increases. I handle mine every other day. They climb on me, I never pick them up or grab at them.
 
My Male Veiled is very social, he will always eat out of my hand and if I open his enclosure and try to clean it, he will always crawl out on me unto my shoulder and just stay there lol. I don't try to take him out I let him decide really.
 
Sigh I am one of those people with a satan-chameleon.

My veiled hates me..

For some reason he came willingly out onto my hand around 3 times and then just stopped. Now whenever I even stick my hand near the cage or walk near it (he is around 7-8 months old now.. had him for a while) he gets nervous polka dots all over.

Unless I have food he goes immediately into defense position.

So it's safe to say I don't (and can't) force him to be held all the time. Only when he crawls on me.
 
Side note: holy crap, Jannb, you went to Madagascar?! How cool.

Back on topic: we used to be able to handle our Chameleon with little issues but now he literally lunges and snaps at both of us if we even make the attempt. Sad, I miss him chilling out.
 
ChickenParmesan said:
Side note: holy crap, Jannb, you went to Madagascar?! How cool.

Back on topic: we used to be able to handle our Chameleon with little issues but now he literally lunges and snaps at both of us if we even make the attempt. Sad, I miss him chilling out.
Click to expand...

On that side note right I thought the same thing holy crap. Next time take me!!!
 
We handle Picasso everyday and most days several times a day, he loves it and we do also......there are a few times he will show us he does not want to be messed with, so we walk away.
 
I agree that it totally depends on the cham. I have a male and female panther and they have such different personalities. My female will go straight to the door when she sees me and runs onto my hand when I open the door. She just likes to chill on my hand and look around outside her cage. I have started to slowly walk around the house with her to explore and she is slowly getting used to it and liking it. like now she is completely comfortable in the cham room but just a little comfortable in the living room. She still doesnt like the downstairs too much and HATES being outside unless I take her whole cage because she is scared of ANYTHING that moves lol cars birds dogs people walking by... now my male is totally different. he wont let me take him out of his cage EVER! he will let my bf coax him out tho. Once out of his cage he is okay to just sit on your handd if you move slowly and he LOVES outside. However I think this is because his previous owners did not treat him well. he had eye issues and im pretty sure he had mild mbd also he was very underfed and under watered. he has slowly learned to trust us more and will even occasionally eat off my hand so im hoping eventually he will be okay to come out of his cage. So i would just say let the cham tell you how to handle him or her :D
 
my male veiled loves to be handled,to explore and to walk on family members!but he prefers me more becose i handled him since i got him.when he sees me walking in the room he goes crazy in his cage and he just wants to sit on my arm,and just stays there a lot!when i dont get him out of the cage he hisses at me and the rest of the day he just ignores me lol!and he prefers to hand feed!if i miss for 1-2weeks from home he goes in hunger strike mode,gets grumpy and angry at my family.when i get back he is so damn happy and he rapes my hand!i just love him!if u work with ur cham especialy from young age,they sometimes will become docile and loves to be handled.but if their character is "wildy" u got an angry,shy,or dominating cham
 
I handle my chameleons everyday, but the thing is I never force them to come out if they don't want to. I think it helps build their friendship with you of you do it that way haha.
 
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