# Veiled Chameleon turns black



## famous

I just recently bought a veiled chameleon, and don't know a whole lot. Except for the care sheet they provided me with. This chameleon turns black in the terrarium. So I reach in and pick him up and as soon as he is out of his terrarium and on my hand he turns back to green. I was told they change black when stressed or unhappy and the brighter they are the happier they are. How can I get him happy in his terrarium?


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## garysumpter

Check your temperatures etc and then leave him alone. They dont like being handled too much.

Gary


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## famous

temp is @ 87, humidity 70. i was told by the breeder to hold him often 2-3 times a day to make him not aggressive as an adult.


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## Triangulum

He Will Be Turning Black, As You Mentioned due to being stressed. You are correct with getting him used to handling, but 2-3 times *a day* is far to much! I would recomend a maximum twice a week.

Chameleons are not a pet that likes to be handled. They are in more terms a display animal. Something to enjoy and take in from inside it's cage.

I would really do as much research as you can, otherwise many problems could be cropping up. Chameleons arn't an animal for a beginner or for somebody that doesn't know enough.


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## famous

How can I make him less stressed?


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## Triangulum

Give Him Lots Of Cover In His Vivarium, Which Usually Is Foilege/Plants. So He Can Retreat and hide from you. Also, If the vivarium is in a high traffic area in the house, then either move it to a not so busy area or put a towel/cloth over the front, making the chameleon feel more secure.

But the main factor of preventing stress is do not handle, Well if you must, do as much as i mentioned, twice a week at the most.


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## alisondragon

Hi'a

I bought a veiled chameleon for my son a few months back as his first rep such a bad idea as i found out the hard way.

But we have got through it and she is fine now i was told wrongly as well that you should handle them as much as you can which we were doing.

Ive got to be honest we do get her out once a day but she is fine honestly and a beautiful green colour










Sorry its a small picture this was taken about 3 weeks ago and she is gorgeous she had her first locust today and she ate it out of Sams hand she loves waxworms as well and lets us hand feed her not forcefull i might add they are put in the palm of my sons hand and she just eats which i am told shows she trusts us

Good luck with your cham I am sure she will be fine

:whistling2:


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## HABU

what is your setup like?


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## han

I would also suggest raising the temperature of his basking spot to 90-95 degrees.
Also has he got plenty of hiding spots? Lots of coverag and branches to climb.
But i agree with everyone else, they are not keen on being handled.


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## reptiles_galore

some are some arnt, if he goes green when you pick him up then he obusally does not mind, but if you start t see him getting stressed when handling the dont handle so much


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## sarahking20

our yemen loves to come out, we actually cant stop her and she will sit an watch the tele on my OH;s shoulder. If yours is black (stressed) inside the viv, but fine again when out i would say it doesnt mind being handled.

agree with raising your basking temp, also humidity sounds a bit high, we keep ours at 50% by spraying only twice a day.

you will need alot of foliage and branches etc for climbing.
what is the dimentions of the viv?

:2thumb:


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## awesomescrote

it may sound strange but it seems my veiled asks to come out, he stands at the glass waving until i pick him up(times when i have not picked him up he has stood there waving for hours).


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## famous

My setup is a 30 g tank set on it's side so it's tall, with a mesh lid. I have a daylight glo reptile bulb on the top with lots of vines and fake branches for him to crawl on. Top of tank is 90-95 Farenheit bottom of tank approx. 65-75. Humidity I am keeping at or above 70. Misting often throughout the day. I am wanting to get a live plant in there for him but cannot find one appropriate for him. I was told either a ficus or a pothos?


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## sarahking20

famous said:


> My setup is a 30 g tank set on it's side so it's tall, with a mesh lid. I have a daylight glo reptile bulb on the top with lots of vines and fake branches for him to crawl on. Top of tank is 90-95 Farenheit bottom of tank approx. 65-75. Humidity I am keeping at or above 70. Misting often throughout the day. I am wanting to get a live plant in there for him but cannot find one appropriate for him. I was told either a ficus or a pothos?


 we use hibiscus, she loves to eat it


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## Triangulum

It Sounds Ridicoules From What Im Reading, Just Because The Chameleon Doesn't Have Such Drastic Color Changes, Doesn't Mean Its More Of A Reason To Handle them, Or Even Think There Not Stressed.

And About The Chameleon That Stays AtThe Glass Wanting To "Come Out", Im Sorry, But He Doesn't Want To Be Handled, He Wants To Escape. Glass Isn't very good for chameleons either, they don't understand theres a barrier, and try and escape for hours.

Personally I Would Sell The Chameleon, And Purchase An Easier Lizard To Learn The Basics, For Example A Leopard Gecko Or A Bearded Dragon. Yes you can do all the research in the world, but by the time most people have learn what they need to know, the chameleon usually needs a visit to the vet. Or otherwise, Don't handle as much as you'd like too.

Provide Good Decor For Climbing Aswell As Excellent Cover.


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## Woodi

Had mine 4months now, he only gets handled when cleaning out the viv.

Cries like a baby when he come's out. As previously posted, not a animal for handling, it can be too stressful plus they're fragile animals and can be hurt when removing from the viv by untrained hands.

Enjoy from a distance is my opinion.:blush:


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## Renfield

I have to agree I do not handle my veiled chams at all unless needed as I don't think they appreciate it as much as we think.

I went to a local garden centre and bought those trellis willow garden hurdles and willow trellis for some of the walls, then added loads of those bendy vines, fake vines and quite a few ficus and a swiss cheese plant(it's a large viv :lol2 somedays it can take me over 15 minutes to spot the female but i think they are happier with less contact.

They both like being hand fed which I do 3 times a week apart from their daily feed of course.


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## marky_thompson

hi there i have a 6ftx2ftx2ft flexarium with 3 females and a male only ever handle them to clean out they have live in this enclosure for a year and very happy loads of vines and plants and yup its hunt the pet for hours i mist 3 times a day and have 2 water drippers going .glass isnt realy sutable as they get stresse at there reflection .....mark


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