Handling Help

[ebclark]

Hi everyone! I've had my 5 month old veiled, Percy, for a little over a month now. About two weeks ago I started trying to hand feed him. Here is my process:
I open the cage door for about 20 minutes so he may come to the edge or come out.
I crouch down so I'm lower than him and offering my hand up, flat with a wax worm on it. I stay there very still, and I try to look away so he doesn't feel threatened. Every time, less than three minutes later he'll retreat back into the full foliage. I then tried the same thing the last two days with superworms on tweezers but he wasn't interested in that either.

I've done this everyday for about two weeks with no progress, and I haven't handled him at all since. Does anybody have any additional recommendations that may help him be more comfortable with me?

Somebody suggested to just try to get him out of the cage and then hand feed him, has anyone had success this way? I want him to feel comfortable coming out of his cage so I can clean it and bring him out in the sunshine now that it's getting nicer here in NY.

 

[timw1]

It's just going to take time, if at all. Find what he likes a lot and offer it to him with your hand. He needs to associate your hand with a pleasant experience, not a threat. This will take more than 2 weeks, but every cham is different. Move slow, and have lots of patience.

 

[Beman]

Hi everyone! I've had my 5 month old veiled, Percy, for a little over a month now. About two weeks ago I started trying to hand feed him. Here is my process:
I open the cage door for about 20 minutes so he may come to the edge or come out.
I crouch down so I'm lower than him and offering my hand up, flat with a wax worm on it. I stay there very still, and I try to look away so he doesn't feel threatened. Every time, less than three minutes later he'll retreat back into the full foliage. I then tried the same thing the last two days with superworms on tweezers but he wasn't interested in that either.

I've done this everyday for about two weeks with no progress, and I haven't handled him at all since. Does anybody have any additional recommendations that may help him be more comfortable with me?

Somebody suggested to just try to get him out of the cage and then hand feed him, has anyone had success this way? I want him to feel comfortable coming out of his cage so I can clean it and bring him out in the sunshine now that it's getting nicer here in NY.

This is how I did it... https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/building-trust-with-your-chameleon.2396/
It takes time and patience. It also will depend a lot on your chams personality.

 

[janjan20]

I’ve had my little guy for a month now and he acts just like that too...the only time I have ever had him walk on my hand is with a wax worm. And I can’t feed those everyday. I only take him out once a week for a weight. @Beman has a great blog on how she was able to win Beman’s trust.

 

[ebclark]

This is how I did it... https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/building-trust-with-your-chameleon.2396/
It takes time and patience. It also will depend a lot on your chams personality.

This is actually exactly what I was going off of! I found this so helpful

 

[ebclark]

It's just going to take time, if at all. Find what he likes a lot and offer it to him with your hand. He needs to associate your hand with a pleasant experience, not a threat. This will take more than 2 weeks, but every cham is different. Move slow, and have lots of patience.

Okay, that's what I figured. He's not hissing at me anymore so I'm viewing that as a small step of progress!

 

[SharpShooter]

I certainly would not reccomend lifting him out just handle him. You would destroy any bit of trust you had gained.

Take time, let the cham decide things and be prepared that he may well be one of the guys who just wants to be left alone. If that's the case, just enjoy sitting and watching him.

 

[Beman]

This is actually exactly what I was going off of! I found this so helpful

I am happy it is helpful! Just remember it takes a lot of patience and consistency. Take the little steps as a win lol. I can't tell you how sore I was sitting and holding positions when I first started it with him. But I found that the more still I was the calmer he was.
No forcing... Always at his pace only. This is very important that you do not try to forcefully remove him it will destroy the progress made.

 

[ebclark]

I certainly would not reccomend lifting him out just handle him. You would destroy any bit of trust you had gained.

Take time, let the cham decide things and be prepared that he may well be one of the guys who just wants to be left alone. If that's the case, just enjoy sitting and watching him.

Thank you! That's okay too, he's a handsome little guy and I'd still enjoy just looking at him

 

[JIFFYPOP]

This is how I did it... https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/building-trust-with-your-chameleon.2396/
It takes time and patience. It also will depend a lot on your chams personality.

Peanut butter And "jelly" over here, lol. I hope Cletus is 1/2 as cool as Beman when he matures. He puts up with me, and my dumb hands in his enclosure, cleaning cage, feeding and such. I can tell tho he's thinking "K, dude. You done yet?" Only had him little over month, but went from gasping at me first week, to, "ehhh... he feeds me I guess" lol.

 

[Beman]

Peanut butter And "jelly" over here, lol. I hope Cletus is 1/2 as cool as Beman when he matures. He puts up with me, and my dumb hands in his enclosure, cleaning cage, feeding and such. I can tell tho he's thinking "K, dude. You done yet?" Only had him little over month, but went from gasping at me first week, to, "ehhh... he feeds me I guess" lol.

Awww thanks.. I adore him. I pretty much feel like I won the jackpot in the Veiled department lol. They are special animals.

 

[JIFFYPOP]

Awww thanks.. I adore him. I pretty much feel like I won the jackpot in the Veiled department lol. They are special animals.

Sounds like it you two where a match made in heaven, hehe. Most fascinating reptile in my opinion 4sure.