How do you guys interact or bond with your chameleon?

[Carlton]

Sup guys. I just want a little advice in how to interact with your chameleon... I don't like seeing my chameleons throat puff slightly and i dont like it when he gets scared :/ can you guys help me on how to interact with it so it can be use to me?

I think it will help to realize that you are not really going to "bond" with a cham. Social bonding isn't something solitary reptiles actually do. This doesn't mean they will absolutely hate your presence. How much they'll accept varies so much. Some of it you can change and some of it won't.

When they first arrive in a new situation, their reaction to you (a large hairy odd-looking being they now see every day) is that you are invading their territory or are posing a threat. Some reactions like intensifying color, puffing out their gular, inflating themselves, rocking, tail curling, gaping, is pretty normal at first. However, you CAN reduce the intensity of their reaction over time. Once they understand the daily routine and what to expect from you, their anxiety will probably drop a lot and they'll learn that you are not a threat and a source of good things (hand fed treats).

Some chams are very docile and tolerant, almost social. Others are not.

 

[Surfergrom2]

I have raised one Cham that was so mean it would bite. But now I can take it out without it even opening its mouth. All you got to do is hold it for long periods and take it out every day. Establish trust

 

[Carlton]

I have raised one Cham that was so mean it would bite. But now I can take it out without it even opening its mouth. All you got to do is hold it for long periods and take it out every day. Establish trust

For some chams this wouldn't work or would make their stress level even worse. Some chams just won't tolerate "holding for long periods" or being taken out every day. You have to adjust your technique based on how the cham behaves.

 

[chamelon300]

For some chams this wouldn't work or would make their stress level even worse. Some chams just won't tolerate "holding for long periods" or being taken out every day. You have to adjust your technique based on how the cham behaves.

Vey true streasing them out might also get then even more angry and can lead to death

 

[jeeperz21]

Interacting with cham

Don't know if I was lucky or it is just her nature, but my little girl seems to like attention. She will climb right on my hand and has done so since I brought her home. The first day I had her she climbed into my warm hand and went to sleep..... surprised the heck out of me since I was told they really prefer no handling. Now she thinks nothing of climbing me like a tree and hanging out on top my head for as long as she can. She seems very calm but still cautious with others but warms up to them quickly if she thnks it will get her out and about. I do hand feed her and attempt to interact with her as much as possible because she seems to like it. Not sure if it is the result of where I got her from kept her in a 5 gal fish tank and did nothing with her but scare her and let small children handle her constantly or not. She got crix when they felt like it and was given what ever bugs they could find outside. I took her because they were going to turn her loose outside because they didn't want her anymore. She is a sweetheart and I am soooo glad we took her in.

 

[eat2muchrice]

Mine is new, but I try to take her out a few days a week. We first sun bath outside to warm up and then go fly hunting together. Our favorite hunting ground is next to the garbage cans out back, afterwards she gets to roam free range inside for a few hours.

 

[ZiggyStardust]

I think it will help to realize that you are not really going to "bond" with a cham. Social bonding isn't something solitary reptiles actually do. This doesn't mean they will absolutely hate your presence. How much they'll accept varies so much. Some of it you can change and some of it won't.

When they first arrive in a new situation, their reaction to you (a large hairy odd-looking being they now see every day) is that you are invading their territory or are posing a threat. Some reactions like intensifying color, puffing out their gular, inflating themselves, rocking, tail curling, gaping, is pretty normal at first. However, you CAN reduce the intensity of their reaction over time. Once they understand the daily routine and what to expect from you, their anxiety will probably drop a lot and they'll learn that you are not a threat and a source of good things (hand fed treats).

Some chams are very docile and tolerant, almost social. Others are not.

Super post Carlton.

 

[Zephalia]

I would agree with the hand feeding being the best option to show that you are not a threat and have him associate you with food - which is a positive thing.

I have a female Jackson's who was incredibly skittish for months after I got her. About 5 months to be exact. She wasn't aggressive but would flee when she saw me and try to hide. I tried everal attempts to hand feed or as I like to do it...hold the cup feeding...because I'm a wimp and don't like touching the bugs - never successfully until about a month ago.

I almost never handle her. Took her outside a bit to bask during the summer but mostly she just saw me around at feeding time and I would hold the cup full of yummy food for her, she would run and I would disperse the bugs in the cage. For about 4 months she refused to eat in my presence. Then, one day she did grab a cricket while I was still around. Then, slowly, she stopped running away and would wait for the food to drop. Then, more recently, she grabbed the cup as I held it and had some yums right in front of me.

My Panthers are both friendly and come to me when the cage opens as they associate it with food. My Jackson's, however, is far more shy and seeks comfort in staying hidden so maybe it's a species trait but she has improved leaps and bounds. She still does not like being handled though, while my Panther's tolerate it quite well.

 

[SJRG95]

With my female i just grab her out of her cage usually with a towel since she likes to hiss at me sometimes, but i just grab a few worms or crickets and stick them in a cup as a treat (she usually hunts for her food) and then she LOVES me since i give her Hornworms as treats if she lets me handle her. She has gotten used to it and now i can just get her out of her cage no problem it took about 3 weeks.

 

[Biser]

My chameleon was a little scared of me but them I started to let him go outside and we both stayed outside toll the moon came out and hunted crickets together ever since then we are so close he even sleeps with me

 

[dragonscales]

I have a 4 month old female veiled and she has eaten out of my hands for over a month and was cup feeding her after two weeks of having her. But she does not like my hands near her without any food. If I slowly put my hand near her she will start rocking then if I get closer she will hiss and try and strike my hand. Even if I am holding food she will start to rock until she sees the roach in my fingers then she’s like oh food then lick and the roach is gone. I do this multiple time a day. I just can’t get her to trust my hand without food.

I even sat in front of her cage with my hand inside and did not move it for 15 minutes to get her use my hand but it has not helped yet. I have also left her cage door open for a while when I am in the room. I get her out of the cage about 2 times a week. I just hope she will calm down with age.

Here is a consecutive shot of me hand feeding Artemis a freshly molted dubia roach.

 

[leedragon]

Sup guys. I just want a little advice in how to interact with your chameleon... I don't like seeing my chameleons throat puff slightly and i dont like it when he gets scared :/ can you guys help me on how to interact with it so it can be use to me?

you don´t

 

[junglefries]

I don't handle mine at all! I have a cockerspaniel for those needs.