My panther chameleon suddenly became aggressive towards me??

[Jaymetheturtle]

Hello! So I have had my panther cham for about a 2 months, he has always been very nice ever since I bought him and never bites, and an occasional hiss if he doesn't wanna be bugged. Recently he has become very hostile and not letting me near him and freaking out when I'm cleaning his cage. He has turned a very dark color and is constantly pissed. I just want to know whats going on. I did recently die my hair a more vibrant color, does he not recognize me? Could he be mad I had to restrict his diet? He is also getting close to shedding, could he just not want to be bothered until the shed is done? Just looking for a reason why, any ideas?

 

[kinyonga]

What color did you dye your hair? What color and pattern clothes were you wearing?

 

[timw1]

Lol...he's wondering where his woman went

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

I am guessing that he must be about 6.5 to 7.5 months old? If he is, please forgive him and be patient! He is a teenager! Also, ware earth tone color clothes and not bright red or yellow or purple when handling him, it puts them on edge!

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

Speaking of colors, I am curious, what color do you think calms them down the most? Dark green? My cham isn't aggressive or anything, she is just shy and I want to make her comfortable with coming out of her shell

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

They climb around in trees. I personally think that dull greens and browns and sky blue probably makes them feel at home.

 

[dshuld]

Hello! So I have had my panther cham for about a 2 months, he has always been very nice ever since I bought him and never bites, and an occasional hiss if he doesn't wanna be bugged. Recently he has become very hostile and not letting me near him and freaking out when I'm cleaning his cage. He has turned a very dark color and is constantly pissed. I just want to know whats going on. I did recently die my hair a more vibrant color, does he not recognize me? Could he be mad I had to restrict his diet? He is also getting close to shedding, could he just not want to be bothered until the shed is done? Just looking for a reason why, any ideas?

Sounds like you have multiple things going on here. What color did you dye your hair? It is possible the change of color was just enough to upset him. My chams don't like being messed with while shedding at all with exception of cleaning and feeding. As Matt mentioned he could have hit his teenager time on top of everything else lol.

Speaking of colors, I am curious, what color do you think calms them down the most? Dark green? My cham isn't aggressive or anything, she is just shy and I want to make her comfortable with coming out of her shell

How long have you had her? Though this kind of pertains to both of you, I got my first "little one" from @Matt Vanilla Gorilla early Nov of last year. He had already hit his teenager stage and I hadn't even thought of colors being of concern until after actually receiving Blue. I have a tattoo of Sint Holo that wraps up one arm and goes down the other shaded two of the "bad" colors for chams, black and red. Matt may have to correct me on the timeline but I want to say for the first 1.5, maybe 2, months he was very much a mommy's boy ( @Krissy83). Even though I am generally the one that feeds the chams ( we've grown a lot since getting Blue ) and generally the one to take them out of their enclosures he would flare up at me and be calm with her.

I had asked Matt if I should cover my tats early on and was advised no that he would eventually learn to use the colors in my pattern to identify me. Now for the last month/ month and a half he has been a complete daddy's boy. He loves to climb up on my foot and play Simba if I'm laying in bed. If I try to pass him to her he gives me a look of "wth are you doing?" before crawling down her arm and back over to me, most of the time. My wife does have some pastel color shaded tats on her arms that have never seemed to phase him but, I feel mine definitely offended him at first lol. Though the colors of mine aren't cham friendly, I would whole heartedly say Matt was right back then and that he has learned to associate the colors/ pattern of mine with me and that I mean him no harm. So, I guess the short version, given time and consistency they can learn to associate "bad" colors with a "safe thing".

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

Sounds like you have multiple things going on here. What color did you dye your hair? It is possible the change of color was just enough to upset him. My chams don't like being messed with while shedding at all with exception of cleaning and feeding. As Matt mentioned he could have hit his teenager time on top of everything else lol.



How long have you had her? Though this kind of pertains to both of you, I got my first "little one" from @Matt Vanilla Gorilla early Nov of last year. He had already hit his teenager stage and I hadn't even thought of colors being of concern until after actually receiving Blue. I have a tattoo of Sint Holo that wraps up one arm and goes down the other shaded two of the "bad" colors for chams, black and red. Matt may have to correct me on the timeline but I want to say for the first 1.5, maybe 2, months he was very much a mommy's boy ( @Krissy83). Even though I am generally the one that feeds the chams ( we've grown a lot since getting Blue ) and generally the one to take them out of their enclosures he would flare up at me and be calm with her.

I had asked Matt if I should cover my tats early on and was advised no that he would eventually learn to use the colors in my pattern to identify me. Now for the last month/ month and a half he has been a complete daddy's boy. He loves to climb up on my foot and play Simba if I'm laying in bed. If I try to pass him to her he gives me a look of "wth are you doing?" before crawling down her arm and back over to me, most of the time. My wife does have some pastel color shaded tats on her arms that have never seemed to phase him but, I feel mine definitely offended him at first lol. Though the colors of mine aren't cham friendly, I would whole heartedly say Matt was right back then and that he has learned to associate the colors/ pattern of mine with me and that I mean him no harm. So, I guess the short version, given time and consistency they can learn to associate "bad" colors with a "safe thing".

They are smarter than what most people give them credit for!

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

Sounds like you have multiple things going on here. What color did you dye your hair? It is possible the change of color was just enough to upset him. My chams don't like being messed with while shedding at all with exception of cleaning and feeding. As Matt mentioned he could have hit his teenager time on top of everything else lol.



How long have you had her? Though this kind of pertains to both of you, I got my first "little one" from @Matt Vanilla Gorilla early Nov of last year. He had already hit his teenager stage and I hadn't even thought of colors being of concern until after actually receiving Blue. I have a tattoo of Sint Holo that wraps up one arm and goes down the other shaded two of the "bad" colors for chams, black and red. Matt may have to correct me on the timeline but I want to say for the first 1.5, maybe 2, months he was very much a mommy's boy ( @Krissy83). Even though I am generally the one that feeds the chams ( we've grown a lot since getting Blue ) and generally the one to take them out of their enclosures he would flare up at me and be calm with her.

I had asked Matt if I should cover my tats early on and was advised no that he would eventually learn to use the colors in my pattern to identify me. Now for the last month/ month and a half he has been a complete daddy's boy. He loves to climb up on my foot and play Simba if I'm laying in bed. If I try to pass him to her he gives me a look of "wth are you doing?" before crawling down her arm and back over to me, most of the time. My wife does have some pastel color shaded tats on her arms that have never seemed to phase him but, I feel mine definitely offended him at first lol. Though the colors of mine aren't cham friendly, I would whole heartedly say Matt was right back then and that he has learned to associate the colors/ pattern of mine with me and that I mean him no harm. So, I guess the short version, given time and consistency they can learn to associate "bad" colors with a "safe thing".

Do you think she would be a little more confident around me if I wore a single shirt whenever I am dealing with her so that she can distinguish me from others? I don't have any tatoos or anything, but I do have pretty long hair, longer than anyone she has seen. Do you think that she can tell it's me by my hair, or if I wear the same shirt each time?

 

[Goose502]

I think that maybe we are over analyzing this. Wearing the same shirt when handling? That’s over the top. Just approach the enclosure calmly and confidently, offer your hand, or better yet, offer a treat. It takes time, and some chameleons may never warm up to you completely. They are not “pets”, and won’t always want you to touch them.

 

[dshuld]

They are smarter than what most people give them credit for!

I completely agree as we've discussed privately lol.

 

[Franquixote]

If I put on black disposable gloves vs. clear latex when cleaning his enclosure he freaks right out.

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

If I put on black disposable gloves vs. clear latex when cleaning his enclosure he freaks right out.

Could potentially! Why risk it! When you have a well established relationship it should matter less!

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

I think that maybe we are over analyzing this. Wearing the same shirt when handling? That’s over the top. Just approach the enclosure calmly and confidently, offer your hand, or better yet, offer a treat. It takes time, and some chameleons may never warm up to you completely. They are not “pets”, and won’t always want you to touch them.

Chameleons are complex creatures! I know many people (99% of the people on the forums here) who study them every chance they get! How can one ever over think them and their care!? If you ask me, that is not possible! I have studied chameleonso in nature and as pets all my life! I can't get enough of it and keep learning more every day!

 

[kinyonga]

@Goose502 said..."I think that maybe we are over analyzing this. Wearing the same shirt when handling? That’s over the top. Just approach the enclosure calmly and confidently, offer your hand, or better yet, offer a treat. It takes time, and some chameleons may never warm up to you completely. They are not “pets”, and won’t always want you to touch them"...I agree that there is no need to wear the same shirt every time...just avoid the shirts that illicit the poor response. Just approaching the cage with ones the chameleon reacts negatively to is not likely to get him to warm up to you. If the shirt is giving him a negative message (aggressive colors, etc) then he will always be in defense mode when you come near him in it....no matter how many times you come near him it's still a negative message.