taming my chameleon

[PicassothePanther]

My guy is a 3.5 month old ambilobe. I have heard contrasting answers to the questions of whether for force-handle my chameleon young so that he becomes accustomed to my hand.

What do you guys think I should be doing to keep him comfortable with me?

 

[graydon]

My guy is a 3.5 month old ambilobe. I have heard contrasting answers to the questions of whether for force-handle my chameleon young so that he becomes accustomed to my hand.

What do you guys think I should be doing to keep him comfortable with me?

Leave him alone. These creatures are not designed to be handled and cuddled with. They are solitary shy animals. Leave him be as much as you can. Try hand feeding as much as possible. Then they will associate yourself with food. Picking him up and holding him for no reason is only gonna stress him out.

 

[summoner12]

this isn't a toy..... or a pet that you can 'train'. Chameleons are not meant for people who need close interatcions with their animals... so if you want something to play with, get a bunny or cat or dog....

 

[PicassothePanther]

I knew I would get answers like that, Kevin.

Where did I ever mention "training" it? I know it's not a "trainable" animal, . I just wanted to not have it freak out everytime I go into the cage. Thats it. I have done my homework on it, I am aware it's not a bearded dragon. I have my tegu to take out, I wont' be messing with my chameleon.

 

[jannb]

Hand feeding works great. You don't want him to be so afraid that you can't take him out for cage cleanings, body inspections and for vet visits. When he's older they also like to free range on a large tree. They are usually much friendly when not in a cage.

 

[PicassothePanther]

cool, thanks. I appreciate the help.

 

[mwebb]

Handle him

My guy is a 3.5 month old ambilobe. I have heard contrasting answers to the questions of whether for force-handle my chameleon young so that he becomes accustomed to my hand.

What do you guys think I should be doing to keep him comfortable with me?

You just have to handle him every day a little. I have so many chams that are freakazoids but with a little time they will get acclimated to you.The hardest one for me was torque if you looked at him from five feet away he would freak out now he is totaly cool with anybody handling him it took about three monthes and a lot of fingers being bit. We both servied and life is good.

 

[summoner12]

Aight, well, when you wanna take him out for meds or vet trips or cleaning or whatever... the best way to handle him is to temped him with food to come out of the cage or to move slowly and trick him onto your hand by making him walk away from your other hand.... I dunno if you've heard of that method before.

 

[summoner12]

You just have to handle him every day a little. I have so many chams that are freakazoids but with a little time they will get acclimated to you.The hardest one for me was torque if you looked at him from five feet away he would freak out now he is totaly cool with anybody handling him it took about three monthes and a lot of fingers being bit. We both servied and life is good.

This sounds like a bad idea.

I have a range of chams who tolerate being handled and don't. the ones that do, are just nice and I have never done anything to win them over. the other chams who don't like to be handled just don't like it and I respect that of them.

being gentle when you have to handle them will make them more tolerant I think..... if you reach in and grab them they won't associate you with anything 'friendly'. again you can't train them... but they do sorta just tolerate stuff when they aren't expecting it to be bad.

 

[kpritch17]

It depends on the chameleon how "tame" they will become. I think the best way to get them more comfortable around you is to hand feed. Once they are comfortable with eating out of your hand, try to get them to come onto your hand by luring them with a worm with your other hand. It just takes time, so be patient.

 

[mwebb]

gently handle

This sounds like a bad idea.

I have a range of chams who tolerate being handled and don't. the ones that do, are just nice and I have never done anything to win them over. the other chams who don't like to be handled just don't like it and I respect that of them.

being gentle when you have to handle them will make them more tolerant I think..... if you reach in and grab them they won't associate you with anything 'friendly'. again you can't train them... but they do sorta just tolerate stuff when they aren't expecting it to be bad.

I wasn't saying to reach in and grab them. It takes time and you have to be gentle. But out of all the chams I have and have had I have been able to win them over and a lot of them have been very mean at first. We have 12 adult males and half of them started out so sketchy you couldn't look at them but they are all acclimated with us and each other and happy.

 

[Texas Panther Man]

I handle mine when we take trips to the shower (1 a week). and when i do heavy cleaning day. so thats two times a wekk i hold him for a few min. But i try to hand feed daily. no luck yet. (he only 4 months)

 

[jojothefirst]

It depends on the chameleon how "tame" they will become. I think the best way to get them more comfortable around you is to hand feed. Once they are comfortable with eating out of your hand, try to get them to come onto your hand by luring them with a worm with your other hand. It just takes time, so be patient.

I agree with this. Both my veileds and my dads veiled were all agressive when we first had them but with alot of patients and time we "trained" them by hand feedin them but by havin the cup just out of reach and my other hand in between so they had to go on it to get the food.
All 3 now will often go on are hands when we spray and will come to the front of there cages when we are near in the hope of gettin food.
This surely must be alot less stressful than having them cower away when we are near or spray.

 

[jojothefirst]

It depends on the chameleon how "tame" they will become. I think the best way to get them more comfortable around you is to hand feed. Once they are comfortable with eating out of your hand, try to get them to come onto your hand by luring them with a worm with your other hand. It just takes time, so be patient.

I agree with this. Both my veileds and my dads veiled were all agressive when we first had them but with alot of patients and time we "trained" them by hand feedin them but by havin the cup just out of reach and my other hand in between so they had to go on it to get the food.
All 3 now will often go on are hands when we spray and will come to the front of there cages when we are near in the hope of gettin food.
This surely must be alot less stressful than having them cower away when we are near or spray.

 

[vinny knight cham]

he

i just want to say non of you at the top had to say anything like that and i find it highly disrespectful of you cause this is what this forum is for to learn more about chams and people like uses are horrible and should be ashamed .anyway back to business right mate i think everyone else has got the right things said so the only thing left to say is evry cham has got different attitude and trust and might sound funny but personalilitys so member im not saying you do or dont but try not to find yourself to in his face but handling dosent hurt
from chris and vinny

 

[summoner12]

I wasn't saying to reach in and grab them. It takes time and you have to be gentle. But out of all the chams I have and have had I have been able to win them over and a lot of them have been very mean at first. We have 12 adult males and half of them started out so sketchy you couldn't look at them but they are all acclimated with us and each other and happy.

I didn't say you told someone to reach in and grab a chameleon. I am just saying that it isn't a preferred method.

 

[sandrachameleon]

the less you handle the chameleon, the better off it will be.

 

[graydon]

i just want to say non of you at the top had to say anything like that and i find it highly disrespectful of you cause this is what this forum is for to learn more about chams and people like uses are horrible and should be ashamed .anyway back to business right mate i think everyone else has got the right things said so the only thing left to say is evry cham has got different attitude and trust and might sound funny but personalilitys so member im not saying you do or dont but try not to find yourself to in his face but handling dosent hurt
from chris and vinny

I cannot decipher jibberish. How was I being disrespectful by saying not to hold his cham and trying to tame it. Show me a "tame" cham and I will be suprised. Im sure there is an exception for some species being more docile than others but in general these reptiles dont like being handled. Id be shocked for anyone to say that their cham has openly crawled onto them when putting your hand in the cage on a daily basis.

 

[meganm85]

I cannot decipher jibberish. How was I being disrespectful by saying not to hold his cham and trying to tame it. Show me a "tame" cham and I will be suprised. Im sure there is an exception for some species being more docile than others but in general these reptiles dont like being handled. Id be shocked for anyone to say that their cham has openly crawled onto them when putting your hand in the cage on a daily basis.

mine does..as soon as i open his enclosure he comes running and climbs unto my hand and up my arm....

 

[graydon]

mine does..as soon as i open his enclosure he comes running and climbs unto my hand and up my arm....

Really? every single time you open the cage he runs onto your hand? Does not sound normal.