too late for taming?

[treefrogfinder]

I have had my young male panther for close to two weeks now; he came from a local pet store. I had been "chasing him around the cage with my hand until he climbed on it for an escape to get him out of the cage. I realize now that this is probably working backwards with him, even though it kind of seems as if he is learning that even though I "attack" him with my hand, I am not going to hurt him. I am not sure if I am really just stressing him out extremely bad or if I am actually "taming" him. please let me know. Thank you
p.s. is it too late to start taming the correct way?

he takes food out of my hands most of the time but he avoids my hand when i put it in there for him to crawl on. he doesnt generally run away when i try to pick him up outside of the cage but usually leaves his tail wrapped around the branch.

 

[junglefries]

Psychbunny's blog on how to tame your cham. You should just come to the house here and check out the digs. Will answer any questions you have and let you play with some nice chams and some honeybadger chams. I got a couple real nasty ones. And some that will just cuddle. All seriousness, OPEN HOUSE.

 

[millerman6401]

If you've only had him for 2 weeks you really shouldn't be handling or messing around with him in the first place. Just keep hand feeding and take things slow. Eventually he will get used to you but every Cham is different.

 

[xephyr17]

Psychbunny's blog on how to tame your cham. ...

This is truth.

2 weeks you should be just fine... just don't do that anymore

But it's true, some are nice and some are mean. Peter, no matter what I do, is always going to hiss at me and pretend like he's going to bite me until the end of time, it seems... maybe/hopefully that'll change.

Ender's sweet though

 

[treefrogfinder]

wow that sounds awesome, I really appreciate it. thanks jungle fries

 

[Olimpia]

No, not too late. Stop reaching in to grab him, and instead leave him alone except to feed/mist. Keep working on hand-feeding consistently as this will condition him to see your hands (and your presence) as a positive thing, since you bring food.

And if you need to get him out use something like a stick, and slowly get the stick under him, lift up a little until he steps on, and pull him out slowly. But reaching in only makes him feel like a tiny trapped prey-item, so you have to remember that you look like a predator right now.

Patience can pay off, you just have to keep at it if your chameleon is responding well to it. If however he gets super stressed and unhappy outside of his cage then don't force him.