Should I handle my Veiled chameleon at all?

[TroyButler]

I am a new baby veiled chameleon owner and have a few questions about handling. I have had him for about 3 weeks, and haven’t handled him once. I’ve tried about 3 time by just sticking my hand near him to see how he reacts and he never puffs up, but he does seem very timid and runs away. So I have refrained from doing that so I’m not stressing him out. So my question is, should I try and get him used to my hand so I can handle him in the future, to just hang out or to do enclosure maintenance and cleaning, or am I better off just letting him be.

 

[Beman]

you want to build trust first with hand feeding before you try to just handle him. Here is a link to my blog. https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/building-trust-with-your-chameleon.2396/

@Gingero Can you post your video hun.

 

[Gingero]

I gotchu

 

[Persnickety Parson's]

https://www.chameleonbreeder.com/podcast/ep-85-taming-your-chameleon/

https://www.chameleonbreeder.com/podcast/ep-80-handling-your-chameleon/

https://www.chameleonbreeder.com/podcast/ep-82-holding-angry-chameleons/

These are helpful

 

[Marcoa1988]

I am a new baby veiled chameleon owner and have a few questions about handling. I have had him for about 3 weeks, and haven’t handled him once. I’ve tried about 3 time by just sticking my hand near him to see how he reacts and he never puffs up, but he does seem very timid and runs away. So I have refrained from doing that so I’m not stressing him out. So my question is, should I try and get him used to my hand so I can handle him in the future, to just hang out or to do enclosure maintenance and cleaning, or am I better off just letting him be.

I hand feed mine. Also when i first got him i would bait him. I would put my hand in the enclosure under him and would hold the cricket on my arm. As he got closer i would move the cricket further up my arm. Now when i open his door he will just come right to my hand and climb on. Not sure if it works for all but when i bought skippy he was very aggresive with everyone and would hiss and puff up at everyone in the pet store. Sometimes during the evening when i handle him he will actually sleep on my chest or stomach

 

[Ares05]

Okay so @Marcoa1988 it is not normal for him to sleep on you.. at all. I think there may be something going on with your chameleon. Does he sleep in his cage during the day as well?

 

[Beman]

I hand feed mine. Also when i first got him i would bait him. I would put my hand in the enclosure under him and would hold the cricket on my arm. As he got closer i would move the cricket further up my arm. Now when i open his door he will just come right to my hand and climb on. Not sure if it works for all but when i bought skippy he was very aggresive with everyone and would hiss and puff up at everyone in the pet store. Sometimes during the evening when i handle him he will actually sleep on my chest or stomach View attachment 265225

Yeah this is a stress reaction... Sleeping on you is not good.

 

[Marcoa1988]

No. He sleeps as soon as the lights go out. I just took him to the vet a couple of weeks ago because i had started him on superworms and they didnt seem to set well with him. Reputable herp who owns chams and he was given a clean bill of health