So I was told that this is pretty atypical...

[Arkgullwing]

Hi, I'm new here, and I just got my first chameleon last night. I picked up a veiled chameleon, male, and he's pretty young. (Not sure just how young but I'd guess only a few months old at most).

Thing is, he seems extraordinarily chill. Last night he fell asleep on my shoulder whilst putting together his enclosure, and when I picked him up, he went to sleep shortly after before I put him in his new home. He woke up this morning when I turned on the lights and I went ahead and took him out, to see if he would eat from my hand. Turns out, he is quite fine with this! He ate one from between my fingers before I had my friend film the second one. After this I went ahead and dusted up some meal worms, and put some phoenix worms in a cup and let him be in his home.

Here's the video. Is this as atypical behavior as I think it is? Or are veiled's just generally this chill V:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81tmtEKCF8I

 

[BeBoSON]

Welcome to CF.

Every cham has there own personality. Just so turns out your cham is just awesome at a young age.

Congrats. Go easy on the meal worms!

 

[Arkgullwing]

Yeah, right now I've got two things of large phoenix worms, 1 thing of medium meal worms, and I'll get some crickets at least a couple times a week to feed em. I dust the crickets and meal worms, and throw in some phoenix worms.

Basically the meal worms I'm using as a sort of crouton to his bug salad They don't have much nutritional value by themselves.

 

[KingJulian]

Welcome to the forums! You will get lots of info here congrats on your Cham, one thing to watch out for is them falling asleep during the day. I have my lights on a timer, they turn on around 8 am and turn off at 8 pm. Chams need complete darkness to sleep.

 

[Arkgullwing]

Welcome to the forums! You will get lots of info here congrats on your Cham, one thing to watch out for is them falling asleep during the day. I have my lights on a timer, they turn on around 8 am and turn off at 8 pm. Chams need complete darkness to sleep.

Yeah I have a timer too. It was probably like... 9:30pm - 10pm by the time I got him home last night and while the lights were on in the house, he had to be pretty tuckered out to fall asleep like that I think XD

But this morning he woke right up when I started the timers. Didn't move at all over night.

Here's another vid btw :3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOy_CKKzdeA

 

[KingJulian]

That's really good that he's eating. Usually takes them a while to settle in before they will eat. Took mine about a week! It drove me crazy. Glad your little guy is doing good

 

[Arkgullwing]

That's really good that he's eating. Usually takes them a while to settle in before they will eat. Took mine about a week! It drove me crazy. Glad your little guy is doing good

Yeah I feel so glad that I have such a chill chameleon! I always loved them as animals but shied away from them due to the stigma that they are extremely picky to take care of. People have told me that something as simple as going into the room they are in at night and turning on a light can cause them to stress death, literally. I was told veiled chams tolerate this pretty well (though I typically go to bed the same time every night, so I set my timers to that time) and that they tolerate being handled pretty well too.

My biggest hang up was the fact that sometimes I travel but my roommate keeps 2 leopard geckos, a corn snake and a ball python, and can handle feeding my tarantulas and my Leachianus gecko just fine so I'm not so worried about having this little guy :3

 

[Andee]

Ryker, my 6 month old panther, was just like this XD he came right onto my hand the first day without me even prompting him. He ate from my hand readily, though I think it was because I had the golden food (hornworms) and he still does ^^ He's really a sweet boy I hope your's stays this way.

Good luck with your little one and welcome to the forum.

 

[carol5208]

Congrats on your new chameleon! As the other member said, it is not normal behavior for them to fall asleep during the day or even close their eyes. Most chameleons will not go to sleep with the lights on. If you notice this behavior on a regular basis then you will have something to be concerned about.

 

[Carlton]

Most, but not all will go through a teen phase when they are touchy (hormones are raging and they are not quite sure why yet). Some will stay nice, others turn into petty tyrants for a while but mellow out again, and some decide they are going to hate the world for ever. Never know for certain what you will get. Also, once your new little guy settles into his new space he may decide to start defending it...you become an intruder rather than a warm soft climbing tree.