nail trimming

[jvillereptile]

i was wonering if it is safe to trim there nails a little. my male veiled has claws that penetrate my skin so i was wondering if i can trim just the very tip or is there a way to keep there claws trimmed

 

[ChameleonsTree]

imo you should never clip their nails...wear a glove instead when you handle him

 

[Prism Chameleons]

I would not recommend at all clipping his claws. Chameleons need their claws for climbing, hanging on to vines, and to hold their balance. Additionally, claws do not ever grow back. Once a chameleon loses their claw, it's gone forever. Try wearing a long sleeve shirt when handling him... This may help too.

 

[jvillereptile]

i would never cut the entire nail off i was just wondering about the very tip like trimming other lizards nails where the nail does grow

 

[ChameleonsTree]

They need their nails...and besides you could slip and cut past the quick and then you would have an infection on your hand that might kill your chameleon.

 

[Will Hayward]

They need even the very tip.

 

[Jordan]

Just use put a couple real thick branches they wear themselves down after awhile. They still will pinch a little bit but good luck holding a chameleon still for that. The big branches will make them bear in hard to keep their balance and they wear away naturaly. The glove is a good idea if you are dealing with bigger chameleons.

 

[Will Hayward]

To put it bluntly-

Suck it up! You are keeping chameleons for the marvelous creatures that they are, don;t you dare change them just because the small sores you get on your hands are a small inconvenience to you.

 

[jvillereptile]

i was just wondering don't get pissed at me for asking. trust me i was just asking. my arms are already clawed up by other lizards

 

[Will Hayward]

Sorry, but you were clearly answered before, and later repeated the question about the 'tips only'. It needs to be made clear that there are no exceptions.

Keep in mind, that there are some species in which the females have growth spurts in their nails during the time that they are going to lay eggs. Its been assumed that it aids with tunneling.

You shouldn't be handling your chameleons enough for this to be a big impact either.

 

[VCMan]

S

You shouldn't be handling your chameleons enough for this to be a big impact either.

Really Well my chameleon is usually a fairly dullish green when in his enclosure and when taken out turns a extremely light green and blue Not all chameleons are anti social with their owners

 

[leedragon]

Really Well my chameleon is usually a fairly dullish green when in his enclosure and when taken out turns a extremely light green and blue Not all chameleons are anti social with their owners

yes that´s is when it is up to th owner to understan that they shouldn´t be handle

 

[Restricted E]

To put it bluntly-

Suck it up! You are keeping chameleons for the marvelous creatures that they are, don;t you dare change them just because the small sores you get on your hands are a small inconvenience to you.

Some animals are marvelous and still need their claws trimmed. ie dogs, cats. Or they will over grow and cause an "inconvenience" to the animal itself. I don't think the op was continuing to ask, he/she was just stating what the detail of the original question was. I had actually been wondering about their claws myself, so I was very glad that they asked.

Wow just realized this is a very old thread. SORRY!

 

[Carlton]

Really Well my chameleon is usually a fairly dullish green when in his enclosure and when taken out turns a extremely light green and blue Not all chameleons are anti social with their owners

Remember, "dull" or quieter colors are a sign that your cham is mellowed out and contented. Brighter colors don't just mean "happy", they mean stimulated or excited...and that can either be good or bad. It just means the cham is reacting to the activity.

 

[Carlton]

Some animals are marvelous and still need their claws trimmed. ie dogs, cats. Or they will over grow and cause an "inconvenience" to the animal itself. I don't think the op was continuing to ask, he/she was just stating what the detail of the original question was. I had actually been wondering about their claws myself, so I was very glad that they asked.

Wow just realized this is a very old thread. SORRY!

I don't think cham claws grow constantly like those of a dog, bird, or cat. They seem to grow to a particular length and any more growth is very very slow after that. If you clip the tip off, it won't really replace itself and the cham won't be able to dig the tips into hard surfaces. You can help the very tip wear down a little, by using natural rough barked branches in the cage. Use a variety of branch diameters too...some that are larger around than the cham's foot can circle around. These will help blunt the claws naturally.

Simplest solution is to wear a shirt when he's on you.