should I not handle him?

[lizcrespo93]

Camilo has become very cage aggressive and won't come to me anymore. I've been doing the technique where I placed one hand in front (while he is hissing) and with my other hand I gently push him onto the first for a while now. Once he is in my hand he relaxes. But today I placed him on his window branch (the window is screened in) to get some sun and while I wasn't looking he wedged himself between the glass and the screen. I couldn't wait for him to move out of there himself because I was afraid it would become too hot too quickly and had to pry him out. That stressed him a lot but he isn't injured. I put him back on his cage.

When I went to mist and offer an apology hornworm he hissed at me and moved to the back of the cage looking scared. Should I stop taking him out for some time?

 

[AmandaS]

I say, keep offering treats and taking him out.

 

[lizcrespo93]

Thank you! I'll continue to do as I have, then!

 

[Mrjamwin]

Just be prepared that from this point he will forever be a jerk regardless of what you do. That's what Veils like to do.

 

[lizcrespo93]

Just be prepared that from this point he will forever be a jerk regardless of what you do. That's what Veils like to do.

That's hard to hear, I was hoping I could gain his trust again. oh well, I'll continue to take him out then, for his own good ?

 

[Mrjamwin]

That's hard to hear, I was hoping I could gain his trust again. oh well, I'll continue to take him out then, for his own good ?

Just take it slow. Keep bribing him. He may change his mind.

 

[Beman]

Yeah it is hard with Veileds... They go through phases or at least Beman has. He was sweet as can be until he hit 12 months old. Never puffed, hissed, or acted like he would bite me. From that point he started to change and I have to watch his body language. If he is set on not coming out of the cage I do not push it. I know him really well. He head butts to push my hand away and will puff and hiss. Almost always he does this action when he does come out too. I stand there and I am patient with him. If he comes out then he gets to go to his outdoor enclosure which he loves. But if he doesn't I do not push it. I let him tell me. I watch every movement to make sure I am not going to get bitten.

If you would have asked me a year ago if I thought he would turn into the typical moody Veiled I would have laughed and said no way. I was inexperienced and thought that I had built trust that would never fail. Now mind you he has never bitten me and I believe the only reason why is because I built that trust with him. But I would not put it past him to bite me either.

My attitude has very much shifted from what it once was. I believe that this is just how they are and honestly that is ok with me. I enjoy seeing them in their large cages just being chameleons. This does not mean that I don't still try to handle to take outside or hand feed treats... I just know that this is how they are.

 

[Archie The Cham]

What. I do with my panther is take some of his favorite treats put them on my forearm and reach out my hand close to him. My cham is very food motivated so he will walk on my hand to get to his treat. I realized that if I took another hand and moved it behind him his eyes move in all directions and so he was on to me. Just let him walk out to the treat. He is then getting rewarded for coming out instead of forced out. It might not work the first time you might have to move the treat closer then try a little further the next time.

 

[lizcrespo93]

Yeah it is hard with Veileds... They go through phases or at least Beman has. He was sweet as can be until he hit 12 months old. Never puffed, hissed, or acted like he would bite me. From that point he started to change and I have to watch his body language. If he is set on not coming out of the cage I do not push it. I know him really well. He head butts to push my hand away and will puff and hiss. Almost always he does this action when he does come out too. I stand there and I am patient with him. If he comes out then he gets to go to his outdoor enclosure which he loves. But if he doesn't I do not push it. I let him tell me. I watch every movement to make sure I am not going to get bitten.

If you would have asked me a year ago if I thought he would turn into the typical moody Veiled I would have laughed and said no way. I was inexperienced and thought that I had built trust that would never fail. Now mind you he has never bitten me and I believe the only reason why is because I built that trust with him. But I would not put it past him to bite me either.

My attitude has very much shifted from what it once was. I believe that this is just how they are and honestly that is ok with me. I enjoy seeing them in their large cages just being chameleons. This does not mean that I don't still try to handle to take outside or hand feed treats... I just know that this is how they are.

What. I do with my panther is take some of his favorite treats put them on my forearm and reach out my hand close to him. My cham is very food motivated so he will walk on my hand to get to his treat. I realized that if I took another hand and moved it behind him his eyes move in all directions and so he was on to me. Just let him walk out to the treat. He is then getting rewarded for coming out instead of forced out. It might not work the first time you might have to move the treat closer then try a little further the next time.

I'll have to try that method. I read on Beman's blog that's how she built trust with Beman. I'll see if I can use that method to rebuild trust.