Hissing?

[Defianceofexistence]

OK so I have had Loki for a month now...Im guessing he is about 3 months old....you can get an idea of his size from my profile pic...that's my 7 year old holding him about a week ago.

So when I first got him he I would handle him once every few days and he seemed fine with it....when I walked by the cage he never hid or turned blotchy (which I know he does when he is pissed off or threatened lol)

Well for the past week or so he has started what I am guessing is his attempt at "hissing". He puffs his throat up and opens his mouth and makes kind of a smacking noise....he now does this when I put my hands in his cage for any reason (feeding,cleaning)

Is this an indicator that he is going to be a grumpy guy as he gets older? I miss my sweet little passive guy lol....I don't want him to hate me

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

In my experience, they are usually calm when very young. Then they go through so called teenage years, where they are very moody. My panther was a great baby and then turned mean. I risked getting bitten everytime I tidied up his cage. By the time he was 10-12 months he had relaxed a lot. He will puff up a tiny bit and he is shy but for the most part he is ok with being taken out.

 

[Psychobunny]

Not to worry, they do go through moody spells for no apparent reason.
They usually snap out of it, just leave him alone, and give him his own space.

 

[Defianceofexistence]

Thanks for the reply's

I figured it was just normal behaviour...heck there are days I wish I could hiss at people lol

I haven't handled him since he started doing this, I don't want to upset him further....

Thanks

 

[Love]

Mine hisses when he is climbing up my arm, but he doesn't flare up or open his mouth. He occasionally hisses when I walk from a light room to a dark room as well. Thankfully, it's not an every day ordeal, but it happens a few times a week and he doesn't seem to be getting mean, so hoping he gets out of the hissing phase within the next few months and back to his friendly self.

 

[Jelloman]

Don't stress too much I think the have a basic personality even though there are good days and bad days. My guy puffs up and contorts but it is usually to get more heat from the heat lamp or during a shed.

 

[ChamLady]

My first veiled went thru an aggressive stage, and then mellowed out as he got older. The one I have now started out hissing and gaping at a mere 2 months of age. He's 7 months old now, still hissing & gaping, not so much biting. Free range time, catch him if you can. Just another day in the life of Wyatt...aka PISSY LIZARD. Gotta love him.

 

[NVfrogger]

When my panther was younger about 6 - 9 months he was very cranky with me. Whenever I approached the cage he would puff up and hiss. I left him alone as much as possible only to disrupt him during feeding and cleaning. At about month 10 I started putting my hand under him and he would try to avoid climbing on my hand but would eventually do it. I would walk around with him on my hand or arm. I did this once a day sometimes a couple times a day. Today every time I open the cage he climbs onto my hand arm or shoulder and climbs all over me. If I don't want him out I have to be quick. The minute I open the cage he is on my hand, arm, or shoulder. He is a year old now its nice he is so friendly but if I don't want him out of the cage I have to be quick. I guess with time some chameleons will become rather friendly, and as stated above they do go through different stages as they grow up jsut as we do.