Tiny Tiny Baby Veiled
- Thread starter CamoCham
- Start date
AFH
Avid Member
First, I know it was a typo, but "snot to base of tail" cracked me up!
To answer your question - Nope. It doesn't matter when you get them, they're reptiles and they'll never like you. They won't be your bud or wonder where you are when you're gone. They don't want anything from you except the food you bring and to be left alone. They don't want to be handled. Some don't even want you to look at them. Generally, YOU are the major stressor in their lives.
That being said (somewhat harshly, I admit, no offense intended), every cham has its own personality. Some are more "friendly" than others and more tolerant of you (don't mistake that for liking you).
Here's a rundown of my chams and their personalities. I've had all of them since they were three months old, with the exception of Xerxes, who was probably 5-6 months old.
Ray - 1 yr male ambilobe - Always runs to the front of the cage at feeding time. Likes to be feed by hand. Doesn't like to be touched.
Baltazar - 1.5 yr male veiled - mostly ignores me and will sometimes climb up my arm when I have my hand in his cage putting out silkworms. Bit the crap out of my hand the other day when he got freaked out over my ring.
Wendy - 1 yr female ambilobe - so shy I barely ever see her move. Won't eat or drink when I'm around.
Xerxes - 7 month male veiled - will eat out of my hand. If I don't have food, he lunges and tries to eat my hand.
Marie - 1 yr female veiled - pretty docile, doesn't like to be touched, but also doesn't try to eat me.
Lucinda - 6 month female veiled - very shy and retreats deep into her plant if I walk up
Linda Lee - 6 month female veiled - will eat out of my hand, then run away until she sees another food item in my hand, then she'll come back. Doesn't like to be touched
Rana - 4 month ambilobe female - haven't figured her out yet. I'm leaning towards Marie and Linda Lee like
They've all been raised the same way, pretty exclusively by me. But they're all different. There's no way I can change their inate behavior.
I know it's a long answer for a pretty simple question, but if you're looking for a cuddly, trainable pet, the chameleon isn't for you. But if you care for them correctly and don't expect your love to be returned, they are incredibly facinating and incredibly addictive!
To answer your question - Nope. It doesn't matter when you get them, they're reptiles and they'll never like you. They won't be your bud or wonder where you are when you're gone. They don't want anything from you except the food you bring and to be left alone. They don't want to be handled. Some don't even want you to look at them. Generally, YOU are the major stressor in their lives.
That being said (somewhat harshly, I admit, no offense intended), every cham has its own personality. Some are more "friendly" than others and more tolerant of you (don't mistake that for liking you).
Here's a rundown of my chams and their personalities. I've had all of them since they were three months old, with the exception of Xerxes, who was probably 5-6 months old.
Ray - 1 yr male ambilobe - Always runs to the front of the cage at feeding time. Likes to be feed by hand. Doesn't like to be touched.
Baltazar - 1.5 yr male veiled - mostly ignores me and will sometimes climb up my arm when I have my hand in his cage putting out silkworms. Bit the crap out of my hand the other day when he got freaked out over my ring.
Wendy - 1 yr female ambilobe - so shy I barely ever see her move. Won't eat or drink when I'm around.
Xerxes - 7 month male veiled - will eat out of my hand. If I don't have food, he lunges and tries to eat my hand.
Marie - 1 yr female veiled - pretty docile, doesn't like to be touched, but also doesn't try to eat me.
Lucinda - 6 month female veiled - very shy and retreats deep into her plant if I walk up
Linda Lee - 6 month female veiled - will eat out of my hand, then run away until she sees another food item in my hand, then she'll come back. Doesn't like to be touched
Rana - 4 month ambilobe female - haven't figured her out yet. I'm leaning towards Marie and Linda Lee like
They've all been raised the same way, pretty exclusively by me. But they're all different. There's no way I can change their inate behavior.
I know it's a long answer for a pretty simple question, but if you're looking for a cuddly, trainable pet, the chameleon isn't for you. But if you care for them correctly and don't expect your love to be returned, they are incredibly facinating and incredibly addictive!
AFH
Avid Member
You won't know if you've got a friendly one until he grows up a bit. Generally, handling is bad. I'm not saying you can't do it at all, but less is better. Every time you handle them, it stresses them out. There isn't "stressless handling".
I'll get Baltazar out maybe once a week to let him roam around a little. Or if it's sunny out, I'll take them out in the sun individually for a little while.
I'll get Baltazar out maybe once a week to let him roam around a little. Or if it's sunny out, I'll take them out in the sun individually for a little while.
AFH
Avid Member
Joe, I was thinking the same thing.
I'm not sure what that baby is, I think someone said it's a newborn Fischers, but don't quote me.
Camocham, if I were you and I decided I did want a baby veiled and I could refrain from handling him too much, I wouldn't get anything younger than 3 months old. Most reputable breeders won't sell them younger than that unless they know it's to an experienced keeper.
I'm not sure what that baby is, I think someone said it's a newborn Fischers, but don't quote me.
Camocham, if I were you and I decided I did want a baby veiled and I could refrain from handling him too much, I wouldn't get anything younger than 3 months old. Most reputable breeders won't sell them younger than that unless they know it's to an experienced keeper.
AFH
Avid Member
Juli, (sorry Camocham, for hijacking your post), I notice your young Fischer's feet have the same thing a couple of my younger veileds have. Kind of like the color doesn't go all the way down the top of the foot. I got mine from an unknown source, and I thought maybe they had burned or something. You have any idea.
stevereecy
New Member
For the record, not everyone agrees with this. Some, like me, believe that if you adopt one earlier, you increase the odds that the cham will be more tolerant of handling. I believe the key is routine, but limited handling before it develops a fear of people. Others disagree. But I don't believe that either camp can say something definitive either way.
Steve
