(i apologize this is pretty long but i didn't know how to shorten it) my chameleons name is Guillermo and hes a veiled chameleon hes about a year and a half old, but im honestly not positive if its a he or she. when i first got him he wasnt overly friendly like my last chameleon but he was pretty calm and didnt mind me messing with his cage then pne day he like flipped a switch and started hissing all the time and biting at me every time i opened his doors. then i went on vacation and my mom watched him and when i came home he was so sweet again, i could take him out of the cage without a scene and it was great... for like two weeks. and now he back to being a monster again. i can barely even get in to feed him and cleaning his cage means removing him with gloves which barely blocks the bite. i tried doing exactly what my mom does and it didnt help so please any insight would ve greatly appreciated.
My chameleon hates me and i really need help!
- Thread starter MariahP
- Start date
CJ's Exotics
Chameleon Enthusiast
Chameleons are not exactly social creatures. You don't know if your chameleon is a he or she? If your cham is a she, she needs a laybin, now. One and a half years is a lot of time to not know if your chameleon is a male or female.
Remkon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Welcome to the forums.
Veild chameleons are known to be some of the most temperament full chameleons iut there and may sometimes never like you...
Chameleons are visual animals so it could even be the color of your shirt pisses him off, there may also be something wrong with the enclosure of something in the room stressing him out and you just add to it disturbing it.
Veilds are very easy to sex. At 1.5 years you should be able yo do so from across the room as males have a very distinct look to them (and tarsal spurs on the hind feet) . Without a picture or detailed info my guess is male as a female would have likely already died from eggbinding or would have layed eggs somewhere in the enclosure.
It kinda worries me this isnt your first chameleon and still you don't know how to sex it positively, makes me think you're doing husbandry on petstore advise. I think you may need to read the caresheet on these animals.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
For best help attach a pic of the enclosure and the animal and fill out tbe how to ask for help form in the resources section.
Veild chameleons are known to be some of the most temperament full chameleons iut there and may sometimes never like you...
Chameleons are visual animals so it could even be the color of your shirt pisses him off, there may also be something wrong with the enclosure of something in the room stressing him out and you just add to it disturbing it.
Veilds are very easy to sex. At 1.5 years you should be able yo do so from across the room as males have a very distinct look to them (and tarsal spurs on the hind feet) . Without a picture or detailed info my guess is male as a female would have likely already died from eggbinding or would have layed eggs somewhere in the enclosure.
It kinda worries me this isnt your first chameleon and still you don't know how to sex it positively, makes me think you're doing husbandry on petstore advise. I think you may need to read the caresheet on these animals.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
For best help attach a pic of the enclosure and the animal and fill out tbe how to ask for help form in the resources section.
yeah so i have been just going by what the lady at petco told me and the little book i bought from there on chameleons and after reading posts on this site i realize ive been horribly wrong about a few thing so i will definitely change those. and i now know he is indeed male, but the lady who sold him to me said he was a female. i also know they arent very friendly, my first one was a fluke. but i was more wondering if something specific is making him angry and i think it may be his enclosure. so hes getting a new one im redoing it the right way this time. but thankyou for your insight, and i will be using this site much more now
cyberlocc
Chameleon Enthusiast
Sadly the Petco people like to spread alot of misinformation, I don't think they mean too, just most of them are too ill informed. . Sorry you feel victim to that, at least you can make changes now.
Can you post a picture of him, so we can help you indentify sex for certain and see his health.
Remkon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Care to share a pic so we can possibly give some advise?
haha my bad. i will do that when i get home but hes in the large exoterra tall. but from seeing other peoples enclosures im sure its too small. but my question is now screen or glass? even the posts on here are kindof back and forth. most people say you need screen but some say glass is fine. i live in virginia. very cold winter and hot humid summer. so im worried about the humidity in a screen cage in the winter. and again thanks for all the help guys!
cyberlocc
Chameleon Enthusiast
You can block off sides on screen to make it more glass like.
It's easier to go wrong with glass screen is more forgiving.
Veildes are kinda like the old man down the street. Even the nice ones will yell at you if you walk on their lawn. Avoid the gloves as much as you can.
I am guessing your mother doesnt do as much for him. things like removing him to clean the cage. Its probably dump the food, spray the cage and get away before he eats me. Any grabbing is similar to a predator trying to eat him. Cleaning of a cage can be accomplished most of the time by grabbing the dry debris and waste from the bottom while he's at the top. When removing him is necessary, try coaxing him onto your hand with a favorite bug. Offering the first bug each day by hand will get him used to the fact that your hand means food, not "The Glove". When you are able to coax him out, have a decent sized plant ready to put him on. If the plant is higher than his regular perch, this may work to your advantage because he should enjoy coming out... as soon as he gets past his attitude. Once you get to that point, feeding him while hes out will enforce that this is a good thing.
Are you cup feeding? This is just a hunch but if you were to free feed black soldier flies (adults) you would only need to open the door to get the flies in and shut the door. That way you would be on his lawn for less time and he would feel less vulnerable. Not saying every feeding, but sometimes.
I am guessing your mother doesnt do as much for him. things like removing him to clean the cage. Its probably dump the food, spray the cage and get away before he eats me. Any grabbing is similar to a predator trying to eat him. Cleaning of a cage can be accomplished most of the time by grabbing the dry debris and waste from the bottom while he's at the top. When removing him is necessary, try coaxing him onto your hand with a favorite bug. Offering the first bug each day by hand will get him used to the fact that your hand means food, not "The Glove". When you are able to coax him out, have a decent sized plant ready to put him on. If the plant is higher than his regular perch, this may work to your advantage because he should enjoy coming out... as soon as he gets past his attitude. Once you get to that point, feeding him while hes out will enforce that this is a good thing.
Are you cup feeding? This is just a hunch but if you were to free feed black soldier flies (adults) you would only need to open the door to get the flies in and shut the door. That way you would be on his lawn for less time and he would feel less vulnerable. Not saying every feeding, but sometimes.
Remkon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Both glass and screen can work well and it both has it's purpose.
Screen = more ventilation, bad at keeping humidity
Glass = better at keeping humidity and temperatures but draining is a problem. You also need to have ventilation at the top and bottom (exoterra style) for sufficient airflow (chimney effect=).
So choosing one or the other will probably depend on your house. If you're in a cold or dry climate glass can help you out, otherwise screen is the easiest way to go.
Like @cyberlocc said you can block off sides in screen to help keep humidity and get best of both worlds. Showercurtain is suitable for this.
yeah i figured the glove was making it worse so im planning on getting a bigger cage so theres more space between us when i need to get in there and yeah he has a magnetic ledge bowl thing that i put his worms in and i just dump his crickets in but i will try hand feeding more often. and we actually refer to him as the mean old man or sometimes a raptor depending on his mood haha. thanks!
Robyn.lux
Member
I have the large extra tall exo terra glass with a bioactive bottom and it's great.
My little guy seems to dislike me too though. I think some chams are just shy and don't like attention.
I basically have to keep mines vivarium covered at all times because just seeing me move around gives him stress.
Working on getting more coverage for him at the moment.
He probably just sees you as a threat, nothing personal but chameleons aren't really that capable of emotional attachment, bar a rare few.
Living art is the best description, I don't even get that
My little guy seems to dislike me too though. I think some chams are just shy and don't like attention.
I basically have to keep mines vivarium covered at all times because just seeing me move around gives him stress.
Working on getting more coverage for him at the moment.
He probably just sees you as a threat, nothing personal but chameleons aren't really that capable of emotional attachment, bar a rare few.
Living art is the best description, I don't even get that
Kali11
Established Member
I think my veiled hates me too haha. She hisses at me too. But I think it's because we've been giving her liquid calcium every night in a syringe bc of MBD. We have to hold her and squirt it in her mouth. She's probably going to hate us forever haha.
I also got horrible advice from Petco! I had so many things wrong with my cage. I also sort of went by how they had her tank set up there. It was horribly wrong. Thank god for this site!
I also got horrible advice from Petco! I had so many things wrong with my cage. I also sort of went by how they had her tank set up there. It was horribly wrong. Thank god for this site!
Robyn.lux
Member
I've taken mine for a health check today and I need to syringe feed him antibiotics for three damn weeks he's never going to trust me again after this.
Kali11
Established Member
I feel your pain. Every time I do something in her tank, clean, feed or whatever, she hisses at me. Maybe one day she'll forgive me haha
Robyn.lux
Member
Mine already didn't like me so, I might as well just let go of the fact that he'll ever be my friend
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