Handling

[smurph]

Hi
2 years ago I cautiously purchased a baby panther to add to our reptile collection at a college where I teach animal care. I was very concerned about stresss levels and started off with an absolute ban on students handling him. He was taken out by tutors during practical lessons occassionally. However he is contradicting everything I have said about not handling him too much and ensuring he doesn't become stressed. At 2 years old he is a picture of health but as soon as he sees anyone come into the reptile room he rushes to the door to come out. As soon as the door is open he dives our onto your hand. This has become more apparent as over easter he had lots of peace and quiet but the first day the students came back it was like he was so exited about it. He was tapping to come out so I let him out and popped him onto an 8ft fiscus to have a clamber around. He then wanted to climb on all the students and since then, every time anyone goes in there he wants to play out!
This is causing a dilema - not good husbandry for a chameleon.

When he comes out his colours brighten but there is no puffing up - he gets lots of red when he's worried or angry - which I haven't seen him do since he was a juvenile.
Sorry for the long post but I worry incase I'm reading him wrong. Do I let him do what he wants, or be an over protective mum and treat him like a panther cham should be kept?

I am hoping to get him a much bigger enclosure this year - something 'walk-in' size just in case he wants more space.

 

[jaglon53]

My ambilobe is the same way. I almost feel bad to not let him out. Every panther is different your not causing him any harm by letting him do what he wants. If you were having him out and wondering why he hates it so much and asking how to get your cham to like handling, it would be a different story.

 

[smurph]

My ambilobe is the same way. I almost feel bad to not let him out. Every panther is different your not causing him any harm by letting him do what he wants. If you were having him out and wondering why he hates it so much and asking how to get your cham to like handling, it would be a different story.

Thank you so much for the reply, It's a constant worry because the college environment is not entirely ideal for a 'normal' cham. I put all these protocols in place to make sure he was safe and happy, but he obviously hasn't read the book of how chameleons are supposed to behave!
He was supposed to be strictly for looking at but he seems to completely disagree - makes a liar of me on a daily basis and makes me smile every time I look at him!

 

[ZuggieTheCham]

Sounds exacly like my panther he taps to come out whenever we are in the room he just loves being out with us

 

[carol5208]

if that is what he wants then let him do it !

 

[Olimpia]

I have a panther that is just like that and I've taken him to a number of events at my university that dealt with biology, and he always does great. He will reach out to grab people that are near me and perch on the arm of a stranger, and then reach out and grab the arm of another one. He's even gone to reptile shows with me, and he seems to be indifferent to the attention - doesn't bother him one bit.

If he's making the decision then it's ok. It would be different if you were forcing so much attention on him but if he enjoys it then he's not going to die from stress or anything!