holding = less stress???

[im faster]

ok.... so most the time my cham is a little dark when he is in the cage. but when i hold him he gets completely colorful blue green yellow... anyone else have a cham like this.

 

[ChameleonsTree]

I'm not even sure what you just typed.

 

[im faster]

wow that was bad... i didnt even read it before i hit post.. he was me and i was typing 1 handed

 

[schegini14]

ok so most the time my chsm is a liile dark o mh but when i hold im he gets cmpletely colorful blue green yellow... anyome else hsve a cham like this

I think he wrote.... When I hold my chameleon, he gets completly colorful blue, green, and yellow. Anyone else have a chameleon like this?

 

[Brian S]

I doubt it... Most reptiles i have owned have cult gatherings, worship fire, and casts spells of death upon me. But seriously, i think some just don't mind it as much as others. Once they realize, "big thing bring food" i think they settle down a little more. Actually, to be quite honest i just spent the last 15 minutes trying to catch a leopard gecko before my ball of fun kitten did. I think they hate me.

 

[Jordan]

I see two possibilities here. One your chameleon does not like his cage and feels a little better when he gets out. I have heard a lot of people say they have friendly chameleons that come to them all the time when they open the cage and the reality is they want the hell out of there. Two and this could be a very real possibility depending on which species you have is that he is getting angery. He may be trying to let you know he is a big, bad chameleon and to back off. Humans seem to be more interest with warning colors then taking heed of them alot of times. I would not take this as a sign of not being as stressed.

 

[lilj0e]

sometimes the bright colors and his fired up colors and hes just trying to intimidate you when you take him out of the cage. ive also heard that the dull color(not dark) are content colors. but most of the time when they brighten up they are tryin to display their colors for some kinda reason. i agree with jordan's explination.

 

[im faster]

maybe he just doesnt like his cage cause he doesnt want to go backk in it when i try

 

[Will Hayward]

Dennis, is your cage lower than your head level?

 

[flpanther]

Previous posts correct...

Male chameleons of many species generally turn brighter colors when handled just as they would in the presence of another male chameleon. This is for intimidation, but if you handle him too often or too long, he will turn darker drab colors just as a losing chameleon in a standoff would. Chameleons with naturally dominant personalities will stay fired up longer. My males have always been the brightest when sleeping, pissed, or courting a female. People often misunderstand bright colors to mean contentness, but have you ever noticed that when chameleons are crammed into one cage in a pet store, they will all be bright beautiful colors? Of course, color changes in females is a whole different story.
Also, as Will suggested, chamelons will often climb up you when you are trying to put them in thier cage because you are taller than the cage. Tree dwelling chameleons like it up high, so elevating the cage will make them feel safer.