Taming a youngin'

[SueAndHerZoo]

Hi again.
Need some advice on how to train my female veiled to be a little more receptive to my hand in the event I need to take her to the vet and would also like to be able to take her outside during the spring and summer. I'm guessing she's about 3 months old (about 6 inches long from nose to tip of tail)? Today I put my hand in with a wiggling mealworm on it and she actually opened her mouth and hissed! I was both taken aback and amused - such a little thing already being so feisty! I didn't take my hand away but waited a minute and moved it closer, she hissed again. I then tapped her butt so that she had to get on my hand and I put her on a plant outside the cage for a minute, then tapped her onto my hand to put her back in the cage.

Am I pushing her too fast and too hard? I wanted her to see that there was some benefit to letting me handle her (a few minutes out of her cage) but she may have just found that to be a scary and negative experience. I've done some searches on here but would love some of your more recent feedback.
Sue

 

[Beman]

I personally feel it is better to go slow and not force them. Getting them to understand that when they see you and interact with you it means food. It associates you to the food. Making you tolerable.

my blog on trust building https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/building-trust-with-your-chameleon.2396/

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Thanks, off to read the blog now. I would be honored and thrilled to become "tolerable" to my chameleon. LOL

 

[Beman]

Thanks, off to read the blog now. I would be honored and thrilled to become "tolerable" to my chameleon. LOL

With most Veileds tolerable is all you are going to get to lol.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Hi again.
Need some advice on how to train my female veiled to be a little more receptive to my hand in the event I need to take her to the vet and would also like to be able to take her outside during the spring and summer. I'm guessing she's about 3 months old (about 6 inches long from nose to tip of tail)? Today I put my hand in with a wiggling mealworm on it and she actually opened her mouth and hissed! I was both taken aback and amused - such a little thing already being so feisty! I didn't take my hand away but waited a minute and moved it closer, she hissed again. I then tapped her butt so that she had to get on my hand and I put her on a plant outside the cage for a minute, then tapped her onto my hand to put her back in the cage.

Am I pushing her too fast and too hard? I wanted her to see that there was some benefit to letting me handle her (a few minutes out of her cage) but she may have just found that to be a scary and negative experience. I've done some searches on here but would love some of your more recent feedback.
Sue

Maybe a little. I didn't even start until he was 6 months, but that was due more to my own sitch.

IME, the first thing they have to learn is that you're not going to EAT THEM, which makes sense with an animal that's one step above the bottom of the food chain.

Then, like you did, I gave him some "plant table time". Once that happened a couple of times, he began charging my arm whenever I opened the door—no food bribe required. He hesitates and gapes just as he steps onto my hand, but I expect that's, "I'm coming out, so don't mess with me!" Once he's on the arm (trying to get to my head) he's OK, but still reaches out for anything he can reach.

The hard part now is getting him off the plant hangers and back into the enclosure.

Here he is truckin' across the plant lights to get across the table faster.