Question about my Veiled Chameleon

Charlie · #1 (**permalink**) 03-09-2002, 01:10 AM

i've got a male Veiled, who's about 3 inches long (without tail). Just an itty bitty baby. He freaks out, though, when I even go near the cage... I know how they're a very nervous little kind of lizard, but, my question is, with age, will the little fella (his name is Switch) grow a little more accustomed to my presence, and even let me handle him. I don't wanna stress him out too much, and I was told not to try to handle him yet, but to wait until he grows up a little bit.

A breeder at the last reptile show said that Veileds get really friendly as adults...

Anyone have any experience/input about this? I already checked the Chameleon forum....

Thanks a lot. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]
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jpaulson · #2 (**permalink**) 10-20-2002, 02:22 AM

I have bred veiled's before, and started them both out as babies. Mine were easy to hold when they were babies, but as they matured, especially the male, they got grumpy to the point of not being able to hold them.
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rar · #3 (**permalink**) 10-20-2002, 02:55 AM

having abolsolutly no experience with chams, what i can share with you is a little experience i had a few weeks back. I went into a herp shop in the nearest city, and the guy had a fully equipped viv on the counter, and when i moved the fake greenery outta the way i saw this cham looking at me, about 5 seconds later it started walking towards me until it was right close too my hand on the other side of the viv...amazing. It actually came to me [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
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Ravnos · #4 (**permalink**) 10-20-2002, 09:06 PM

My veiled has always detested handling... as has most every chameleon I have worked with. They are just not an animal that particularily enjoys being around other animals, or people. They are best left to their own devices and be a nifty discussion piece-type pet. Of course, some are more outgoing than others... but unless yours is showing outwards signs of that, I really wouldn't want to risk stressing him with forced socialization.

Rav
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Jowex · #5 (**permalink**) 10-24-2002, 10:41 PM

Veiled chams are one of the most agressive species of chams.
With age the little guy will become use to your presence. Chams have very different personalities my cham whos not actually with me at the moment doesn't like being handled but i do only when i clean his cage. They are more of a species who should be admired than held. But as i said earlier your cham may be different. But the average cham hates being handled and disturbed.
I hope yours is friendly and likes being held, but if with age he is still timid i would handle him as little as possible.
Also moving to a new environment will stress him anyway so dont worry about him being unhappy for the first couple of weeks.

Hope this helped you in some way

Jowex
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