Sassy Veiled Cham

[My Chamelon]

Hello!
So, for the past month or so, my chameleon (female) has been very upset when I try to handle her, but for the first few months I've had her she almost never gave protest. I've stopped handling her as much, but she still seems upset. She's bit be a few times too! So sassy! When it began, i researched it. The results said that if you back off of the chameleon when it hisses at you, it'll learn that it doesn't have to be handled if just hisses. So when she hissed, I wouldn't back off. Any help? I don't know why this behavior started, or how to fix it. But if you have any suggestions, any is good help! So feisty!

 

[alphakenc]

Dear My Chamelon,would you please tell us how old is your female chameleon?
It can be lots factor....maybe she is ready to laid her eggs,maybe she is showing aggression because she is being frightened?
And if u can include some pictures when she showing sassy,that will help all of us to give you our opinions.

Sincerely yours
Alphakenc

 

[jpowell86]

Hello!
So, for the past month or so, my chameleon (female) has been very upset when I try to handle her, but for the first few months I've had her she almost never gave protest. I've stopped handling her as much, but she still seems upset. She's bit be a few times too! So sassy! When it began, i researched it. The results said that if you back off of the chameleon when it hisses at you, it'll learn that it doesn't have to be handled if just hisses. So when she hissed, I wouldn't back off. Any help? I don't know why this behavior started, or how to fix it. But if you have any suggestions, any is good help! So feisty!

I am not sure what research you found offering these findings/advice for chameleon handling...but they are completely wrong. When a chameleon is showing stress and defensive behavior, it is for a reason. It takes time for a chameleon to tolerate you at a level where handling is okay. I use the word okay, but even when they don't show much stress while being handled doesn't equate to enjoyment and complete acceptance. You should never force your chameleon to be handled. That behavioral analysis is more on par with canines. Not backing down to establish dominance is a lost effort on a chameleon. In fact, with you forcing her to be handled, your chameleon will always equate your hand to danger.

You can't fix this...at least not quickly. There could many underlying factors as to why she is showing this kind of aggression. Would you please post some pics of her and her enclosure. Maybe they will offer some clues as to why she has become defensive. And please understand that the underlying tone of this reply is not towards you as the OP...but rather to the pathetic information that seems to surface in regards to chameleon care and husbandry.

 

[My Chamelon]

I don't have a good way of determining her age, I was actually quite upset that the pet store didn't know her age. But she's about 5 inches, and I've had her for about 6 months, so she's not even a year yet. I don't have any aggravated pictures of her, but she get ark black angry spots, she puffs up all angry, and she will hiss. i also thought she had eggs, and I put a container of dirt in her cage. She roamed the bottom of her cage a bit, but after 2-3 weeks and there were no other signs of her having eggs I figured she must not have any. She is not around any other chameleon or animals most of the time. Sometimes she sees my dog. Its night time, so these are unfortunately the only pics I have. Well now I feel silly for trying that, thanks for telling me at least. i also read that feeding her and making her feel happy when you handle her helps her associate being handled with it being good, is that also wrong? :/ So what's the best way to handle her? How should I approach her when I want to handle her? I feel goofy, I've been doing the wrong thing for about a month or so.

 

[My Chamelon]

Her activity has also decreased, she still moves, but most of the day she is on her basking spot

 

[alphakenc]

It seems to me that your cage are very dark inside,are those black cover around your cage is for covering the movement. outside her cage,or its for any other purposes??

 

[jpowell86]

Don't feel goofy. You can't be faulted. You did research trying to do the right thing. It was the author of that ridiculous conclusion that is to blame. Allowing your chameleon time to recognize that your hand is what brings the food and water is the first place to start. I'm not like most people, because I am big proponent of leaving your chameleon alone. With that being said, I do work with my chameleons so that when and if I have to move them, e.g. vet visit or enclosure cleaning, they have the least amount of stress placed on them as possible. I do this not by forcefully picking them up, but rather I allow them to use my hand as a way of reaching the feeder in my other hand. This step is only done after the chameleon readily takes feeders from your hand. In my experience, it really does not take that long to accomplish this method. But, every time you forcefully remove her from the enclosure, that's just another negative memory/experience that you will have to overcome at a later time. Remember too, just because a chameleon seems calm in your hands does not mean that they are comfortable. This is why I think handling should always be at a minimum.

 

[bobcochran]

Try putting treats (king meal worms or other favorite foods) to hang on her screen cage walls with your hand. This will encourage her to associate your hand with good things. I have chameleons that start their tongue action every time I open their cage door! Side note: don't over feed fatty prey. After she starts accepting these food items leave your hand in the cage close to the prey food, if you're patient eventually she will accept insects from your hand. You will become welcome in her cage.

 

[My Chamelon]

It seems to me that your cage are very dark inside,are those black cover around your cage is for covering the movement. outside her cage,or its for any other purposes??

It's meant to keep some humidity in her cage, as well as hide some movement. The picture were taken when she was sleeping, so her lights weren't on

 

[My Chamelon]

Don't feel goofy. You can't be faulted. You did research trying to do the right thing. It was the author of that ridiculous conclusion that is to blame. Allowing your chameleon time to recognize that your hand is what brings the food and water is the first place to start. I'm not like most people, because I am big proponent of leaving your chameleon alone. With that being said, I do work with my chameleons so that when and if I have to move them, e.g. vet visit or enclosure cleaning, they have the least amount of stress placed on them as possible. I do this not by forcefully picking them up, but rather I allow them to use my hand as a way of reaching the feeder in my other hand. This step is only done after the chameleon readily takes feeders from your hand. In my experience, it really does not take that long to accomplish this method. But, every time you forcefully remove her from the enclosure, that's just another negative memory/experience that you will have to overcome at a later time. Remember too, just because a chameleon seems calm in your hands does not mean that they are comfortable. This is why I think handling should always be at a minimum.

Try putting treats (king meal worms or other favorite foods) to hang on her screen cage walls with your hand. This will encourage her to associate your hand with good things. I have chameleons that start their tongue action every time I open their cage door! Side note: don't over feed fatty prey. After she starts accepting these food items leave your hand in the cage close to the prey food, if you're patient eventually she will accept insects from your hand. You will become welcome in her cage.

Thanks guys, fr the advice! I just tried feeding her from my hand. She hissed a little, until she saw the worm and she it. I kept doing this with her regular food, nothing special, and she came close. Her angry spots didn't go away, but they faded a bit. I didn't take her out though.

 

[My Chamelon]

Here are some better pics if they help:

 

[alphakenc]

Thats some very nice set up u have....
Here is what I can offer you,please be honest with me and let me know if you want my sympathy or my advice or both??

 

[My Chamelon]

Thats some very nice set up u have....
Here is what I can offer you,please be honest with me and let me know if you want my sympathy or my advice or both??

I just want advice, flood my eyes with your advice.

 

[alphakenc]

I have a feeling that background thing are in between u and ur chameleon,is like a child being isolated in a room who can not see his mother....maybe you can give it a try to take down those backgrounds since u told me that its blocking all the movements,i can understand if she is ready to lay eggs then that will be useful.and hopefully she can see more of you as no threat to her...if this doesn't work,you can always put those backgrounds cover up within short period of ur time,these are just my friendly advice to you,the choice will be urs.

 

[My Chamelon]

I have a feeling that background thing are in between u and ur chameleon,is like a child being isolated in a room who can not see his mother....maybe you can give it a try to take down those backgrounds since u told me that its blocking all the movements,i can understand if she is ready to lay eggs then that will be useful.and hopefully she can see more of you as no threat to her...if this doesn't work,you can always put those backgrounds cover up within short of ur time,these are just my friendly advice to you,the choice will be urs.

She still sees me plenty, because those are only on two sides of her cage. Thanks for your opinion! But I'm not sure that is an issue she's facing. She still sees abut half of the room, the other half is closed off. I think it should be okay at least. Thanks for your suggestion though!

 

[alphakenc]

Thank you for all your kind words,hopefully she will come around and realized there are no threat to her ....only the time will tell if her behavior will be improve or not,try not handle her unless you have too,let her be for a while since she has no other health issues.

 

[jpowell86]

I just want advice, flood my eyes with your advice.

Your enclosure needs about triple the amount of perching opportunities that you have at the present moment. Notice how the entire central area of your enclosure is empty, that is just wasted space. I would suggest putting a couple live plants in her enclosure and moving all the horizontal perching you have on the bottom upwards. Besides, the bottom area is going to need a laying bin which will make you have to move these items anyways. I think that her defensiveness may be so consistent because she feels vulnerable and out in the open all the time. Giving your cham the ability to be completely hidden and out of sight is very important for the health of your animal. What kind of lighting are you running on your enclosure?

 

[My Chamelon]

Your enclosure needs about triple the amount of perching opportunities that you have at the present moment. Notice how the entire central area of your enclosure is empty, that is just wasted space. I would suggest putting a couple live plants in her enclosure and moving all the horizontal perching you have on the bottom upwards. Besides, the bottom area is going to need a laying bin which will make you have to move these items anyways. I think that her defensiveness may be so consistent because she feels vulnerable and out in the open all the time. Giving your cham the ability to be completely hidden and out of sight is very important for the health of your animal. What kind of lighting are you running on your enclosure?

She has a UVB and basking bulb. Her temps range from about 90 degrees at her hottest point, 80 in the middle, and around the mid-low 70s toward the bottom. I had laying bin down there for about a month and she didn't lay eggs, or dig. She walking in there a couple of times, but I decided she's not in need of laying any. She doesn't look like she has eggs, so a bin isn't what I'm worried about. I'll try to get more foliage and vine toward the middle. How do you suggest getting foliage towards the middle of her cage?

 

[MissLissa]

One way is to hang several (as in, more than two) branches across that empty space, then twine real or fake vines around the top ones to create a cascade/curtain effect for lower branches. Horizontal branches are more important than vertical branches- though you could include one or two more vertical branches to help her get from level to level without using the screen on her cage. This will give her more climbing area, and also allow her to retreat from view if she feels it necessary. You basically want to stuff the cage full of branches, vines and especially foliage. If it looks tooo full, you probably have just the right amount. Pothos plants are good for this if you want to use a live plant, since they are pretty easy to care for, grow quickly, are inexpensive, and hold water droplets pretty well making them an ideal drinking surface. I've used wire or small zipties to affix branches- just make sure the point bits are outside the cage. Really heavy branches may damage the screen, though, so you could use something like the DragonStrand Ledges (just google it) which act as an anchoring area for the zipties, and transfer their weight to the frame of the enclosure preventing damage to the screen.

 

[My Chamelon]

One way is to hang several (as in, more than two) branches across that empty space, then twine real or fake vines around the top ones to create a cascade/curtain effect for lower branches. Horizontal branches are more important than vertical branches- though you could include one or two more vertical branches to help her get from level to level without using the screen on her cage. This will give her more climbing area, and also allow her to retreat from view if she feels it necessary. You basically want to stuff the cage full of branches, vines and especially foliage. If it looks tooo full, you probably have just the right amount. Pothos plants are good for this if you want to use a live plant, since they are pretty easy to care for, grow quickly, are inexpensive, and hold water droplets pretty well making them an ideal drinking surface. I've used wire or small zipties to affix branches- just make sure the point bits are outside the cage. Really heavy branches may damage the screen, though, so you could use something like the DragonStrand Ledges (just google it) which act as an anchoring area for the zipties, and transfer their weight to the frame of the enclosure preventing damage to the screen.

Thank you!! that's actually very helpful! I'll try doing those things. I've already zip tied what I have in there so far, I'll probably continue to do that. I'll also consider getting pothos plants, that seems like a useful plant for her to climb and eat. This was really useful, thanks!!!