ZiggyStardust
New Member
I had my brother and sister in law call round this morning for an hour, together with my niece and nephew (9 year old twins). Although they live in the same town, we don't see them frequently and aren't particularly close - we get together about 3 times a year for christmas and family birthdays etc.
They knew that I had two chameleons and have seen photographs but this was the first time that they had actually seen them in the flesh.
Luckily, they called round just as I was preparing their food this morning, so they helped to feed them both. I cautioned them to be as quiet as possible around both the cages, to not get to close to them or make any sudden or exaggerated movements (Ziggy, my Veiled in particular is not a very friendly lizard at all - he will come to me but only me and he shies away from people that he has never seen before). My niece and nephew were fascinated to watch them both eat, and I told them a little about how they were kept, why there was water dripping into the cages etc., and answered their questions.
About 20 minutes later, however, both of them were asking to hold them. I tried to explain as gently as possible that chameleons were not a lizard that coped well with being held, and that Ziggy in particular got very upset if taken out of his cage unless it was his decision. Given the fact that they had both just had their breakfast and were basking, I did not want to disturb them, and just asked my niece and nephew to perhaps just watch them quietly instead and suggested that maybe next time we could perhaps think about getting Ghengis (my young panther, who is much more friendly) out. I did explain that Ghengis had recently suffered a broken tail and had been to the vet twice last week and handled much more frequently than he should have been, so I didn't want to disturb him today.
I then had to endure about 15 minutes of "pleeeeeze aunty Rachel, just 5 minutes?" and "we won't hurt them, honestly" - I stuck to my guns, despite what can only be described as a slightly sniffy look from my sister in law, who clearly did not understand why I was not willing to get them out. They left shortly afterwards and to be honest, I did feel a little guilty, they are only children after all and have never seen a chameleon in their lives before. I am now however glad that I refused though - Ziggy would have hated every minute of it and Ghengis has had enough stress for the time being.
How do you guys cope when young guests see your chameleons and want to handle them?
They knew that I had two chameleons and have seen photographs but this was the first time that they had actually seen them in the flesh.
Luckily, they called round just as I was preparing their food this morning, so they helped to feed them both. I cautioned them to be as quiet as possible around both the cages, to not get to close to them or make any sudden or exaggerated movements (Ziggy, my Veiled in particular is not a very friendly lizard at all - he will come to me but only me and he shies away from people that he has never seen before). My niece and nephew were fascinated to watch them both eat, and I told them a little about how they were kept, why there was water dripping into the cages etc., and answered their questions.
About 20 minutes later, however, both of them were asking to hold them. I tried to explain as gently as possible that chameleons were not a lizard that coped well with being held, and that Ziggy in particular got very upset if taken out of his cage unless it was his decision. Given the fact that they had both just had their breakfast and were basking, I did not want to disturb them, and just asked my niece and nephew to perhaps just watch them quietly instead and suggested that maybe next time we could perhaps think about getting Ghengis (my young panther, who is much more friendly) out. I did explain that Ghengis had recently suffered a broken tail and had been to the vet twice last week and handled much more frequently than he should have been, so I didn't want to disturb him today.
I then had to endure about 15 minutes of "pleeeeeze aunty Rachel, just 5 minutes?" and "we won't hurt them, honestly" - I stuck to my guns, despite what can only be described as a slightly sniffy look from my sister in law, who clearly did not understand why I was not willing to get them out. They left shortly afterwards and to be honest, I did feel a little guilty, they are only children after all and have never seen a chameleon in their lives before. I am now however glad that I refused though - Ziggy would have hated every minute of it and Ghengis has had enough stress for the time being.
How do you guys cope when young guests see your chameleons and want to handle them?
