Insane Veileds

[WilcoxAE]

Howdy,

I have been a lurker here for some time. Kept chameleons since I was in middle school, and raised commercially a few different reptiles.

Recently, I came upon a pair of 3 month old translucent ("piebald") that were up for sale. Sufficed to say, I jumped on it.

Once going to the show, where the breeder said he'd meet me, I saw how they were handled and began to question how their demeanor would be.

To transport them into the container I'd be taking them home in, the guy just GRABBED them aggressively by their backs and ripped them off of the limbs. They were a little upset. I had him get me a box so I could put them in it in hopes they'd just go to sleep and mellow out on the ride home.

Once getting them home and since then, I have never encountered such awfully scarred little chameleons. Last night, I even had the male use his tongue against me as a defense weapon on top of hissing puffing and lunging at my hands! Imagine my surprise...

I've brought critters back from the brink before but this is bananas. Is it something that is being seen in hypermelanistic and translucent chams? Is it too much inbreeding that people do to bring it out? Anyone else had this?

I have been trying to handle them to mellow them out but it seems as though I am going absolutely nowhere and am stressing them out more than necessary. Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[xephyr17]

I'd hate to say they're too far gone. Just keep persisting and try hand feeding all you can.

I hate breeders/keepers like that though :/

 

[Big Gulp]

They may mellow out eventually. Or, that may just be their attitudes.

I have a year old veiled that absolutely hates me, no matter how much I try working with him. He's always hissing, puffing up, and biting at my hand.

 

[Herpetologist22]

Veiled chamis are just naturally aggressive for the most part, which is why you should never keep two in the same cage. However, I got mine at one month old and I've hand fed him, and put my fingers near him constantly to show I mean no harm. He is a year old now and still hisses at me, but he doesn't bite...so I can pick him up. The point is...yours are still young, just be patient. Don't forget though that chamis are just one of those reptiles that are meant to be admired, not held.

 

[camimom]

You do realize you have veileds right?

They dont know you, or their new environment, or plants, or cages.

Then you stick your hand in their new space, and they freak out.

Its totally normal.

YOu have to give them time to relax.

Dont hold them, dont touch them, dont stick your hands in their cages.

just feed them, and water them, and leave them alone for a few weeks.

Their temparament has nothing to do with their coloring, and trans veileds arent necessarily inbred just to get the coloring.

its a gene mutation that has been bred out, its not from inbreeding.

 

[ridgebax1]

I got Omar when he was about 3 months old. He would come out of his cage no problem, walk around the top of the cup I had his feeders in and he would snatch up whatever was in there. The literally overnight at about 6 months of age he turned into this aggressive, hissing, puffing up, I am going to bite your face off, chameleon! Prior I took him out everyday for feeding and holding, after I pretty much left him alone. Once I did take him out though he was OK. Did not try to bite or anything. I think he was just protecting what he viewed as his territory.

 

[camimom]

I got Omar when he was about 3 months old. He would come out of his cage no problem, walk around the top of the cup I had his feeders in and he would snatch up whatever was in there. The literally overnight at about 6 months of age he turned into this aggressive, hissing, puffing up, I am going to bite your face off, chameleon! Prior I took him out everyday for feeding and holding, after I pretty much left him alone. Once I did take him out though he was OK. Did not try to bite or anything. I think he was just protecting what he viewed as his territory.

that and chams totally have a puberty phase where they turn into A-holes

 

[Psychobunny]

Sounds like they were mistreated and have good reason to be scared.

I would recommend putting them in seperate cages with lots of foliage to hide in and leave them totally alone.
When feeding, just put the feeders inside the cage and stay away from the chams.
It would also help to partly cover the cages with something to give them more privacy. But let them see you going about your normal routeen.

They may not come around at all, but if they learn over time that you are not a threat to them, they may warm up a bit.
When they come out in the open while you are feeding, and dont back away in fear, that will mean they are not afraid of you.
In the mean time, just do nothing, dont even touch them.

Good luck.

 

[WilcoxAE]

Thanks guys. Good to know that there is hope!

I get that it really isn't from inbreeding, but the guy who I got them from had said they were from a breeder who specifically did that and recommended I do the same. !!! Bananas. Will pass on that but had been wondering if temperament was seemingly inherited aside from the usual veiled attitude.

They will come around eventually I suppose and if not, oh well, I will start fresh with the babes (bred out babies!).

Ah and here is the male in a little PMS mood.

 

[junglefries]

Picture is a good representation of the average veil chameleon. Just because jannb sold her soul and can hold hers, doesn't mean everyone else is included in the deal. With all the veils I have bred over the years, only one, a female, was truly tame. I bought her from a friend. She never once threw a fit, unless gravid, not even always then. I like to think of veils as the Nile Monitors of the chameleons.

 

[WilcoxAE]

Ha! I think even Nile Crocodiles may have a milder temperament. These guys are comparable to wild Tokay geckos! Bananas!

Thanks for your input though. Since you've been raising them for awhile, would you happen to have or know anyone who has hypermelanistic veileds? Hard to find!