# how to get my chameleon nice and tame?



## king man (Jan 27, 2011)

hello i just wanted to know how to get my chameleon tame and friendly so i can handle her. any tips please


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## awh (Aug 20, 2008)

unfortunately some hate being handled and cant be tamed down (they are best as a display animal) mine hisses and threatens to bite when i go to pick her but once out she is calm as anything and loves it 

the only thing i can say is be patient try just putting your hand in the viv for a little while at a time once it realises you are not a threat it may let you handle it


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## herper147 (Feb 7, 2009)

I beg to differ I've had 4. Chameleons and I'm guessing you mean veiled or Yemen and all mine are tame and my method many would say is bad but its only temporarily when I want to start taming I will hold off feeding for around 3-4 days by this time they will be wry hungry and now when you offer food hold it in you band instead of letting it go then keep doing this for about 3 days and they will learn the hand is not a bad thing next kind of taunt them out by holding food on the other side of your hand so the chameleon has to step over your hand to get the food

After repeating this they will be on your hand and now just let them sit there as it won't be happy but if you persist ad keep handling by offering food this way you will end up with a chameleon that will jump out the to get on tour thinking it will get food


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## Lord Monty (Jul 1, 2009)

i think they can be tamed down..just need them from a young age
try getting a stick whacking them on the head till there numb and drag it out:lol2:


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

i had mine to where every time i opened the cage they would come to me and climb up my arm to my shoulder... then i give them a ride... just walk around... inside and out of the house...

i always began by opening the door cage and sticking my hand in just to get them used to me... not touching them... just picking up a dead cricket or moving the water dish or fiddling with the plants... just letting them see that the hand and arm wasn't a threat and not going to grab them every time...

many times a day... after a while it becomes routine to them... i become just a part of their environment...

veilds at least, are pretty good at getting used to things... desensitization...

gently picking them up from time to time and walking around with them conditions them to the routine... after some time they knew my hand either was just going to fiddle about the cage or give them a ride to the exciting "outside" world...

eventually when the cage doors opens the chameleons would make a bee-line to my hand... totally unafraid... they knew the hand was a ride and they got to see things... i'd take them outside for some sun... they of course loved that... and then after a spell, we'd go back in and back into the cage...

it takes time and patience... but can be done... just no grabbing and threatening stuff... it's all about the hand being associated with good stuff and not bad...

at first, a chameleon may get antsy by you just coming up to the cage...

that is easy enough to cure... just come up to the cage often and just look... nothing else... they settle down after a time and don't spaz when you get too close to them...

you just take it from there... be calm and nonchalant...

chameleons are wired to notice new things... threatening things... unusual things... they become bored without stimulation... eye candy...

after they are very used to you and not see you as godzilla and get used to a walk, if you will... they will anticipate it... mine often crawled as close to me as they could get just by seeing me walk into the room... like some puppy that is glad to see you...

handling should be done very sparingly but always a positive thing in the critter's mind...

none of that fast grabbing like a predator... you can train them to climb onto your hand when presented... if you are patient..

always move slowly and deliberately too...

make them associate food with you... and that you and your hand are the same thing like you do a bird...

likely no one will believe a word i am saying... ok...

i'm getting back into veilds this spring... when the weather warms... and next year i'll post vids showing all this... i miss breeding the veilds... awesome creatures...

anyway, it's rewarding to have a socialized chameleon...

all i know are veilds, jackson's and senegals... i haven't kept the others...

hope this makes sense... i'm not quite awake at this hour here...: victory:


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## king man (Jan 27, 2011)

thanks guys i think i will give these tips ago see how we get on i can handle my cham but just want to get it tamer


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## itwas (Jan 10, 2011)

herper147 said:


> when you offer food hold it in you band instead of letting it go


i dont think that sounds like a very good idea.


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## screamifyacan (Jan 3, 2011)

basically it would depend on the age on how quick it can be 'tamed' for example my veiled chameleon (male) i had from 10 weeks, and read up on the painful bites so i would use a sock on my hand whenever he was on the front of the vivarium (mines mesh) and let him get angry at the sock and eventually he would get on and be happy as larry. I did this for 2 weeks before using my hands. He hisses sometime but has never bitten me, ive even tried to put my finger in his mouth but hes just not bothered lol. Ive now had him 7 weeks and handle him every day, multiple times, let im sit on my shoulder and climb the curtains (they love climbing curtains lol) also feed him treats off my hands whilst on me. So i dont see why that method would not work, give it a few years and i dont see why i wouldnt get another and try the same method, although thinking he might want a female buddy one day!


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## Footballdude (Jan 11, 2012)

Hey I just got a baby veiled chameleon and he doesn't hiss or bite me when I put my hand near him he just moves away I think I'm going to put food on my hand and see if that tames him but let me know if anyone has any other ideas


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## Geckonomics (Mar 21, 2011)

I leave the cage doors open once your cham can move around without watching you , you are building trust. Best thing to do is buy them young.


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## kato (May 12, 2007)

The very best thing that you can do to a Chameleon is look at it - Chameleons are not really to be handled as the moisture in your fingers can retain cleaning products and the like which will damage your Chameleon's skin.


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## Dan Trafford (Mar 10, 2011)

itwas said:


> i dont think that sounds like a very good idea.


I think they mean the food not the cham! My advice is feed by hand, put the food on your arm sometimes and let the cham climb onto you to get it put don't start holding it properly until it walks onto your hand when there is no food there. Leave the cage door open as much as you can so the get used to the feeling of being free. Put you hand in loads without bothering the cham. Bear in mind they go through 'puberty' at about 7 months so will likely take a downward turn at this point, but will come out fine the other side :lol2:. It doesn't happen in a matter of weeks, it will take months and months. Be patient and don't do any fast movements throughout the process.


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## Footballdude (Jan 11, 2012)

Thnx for the tip ad today I fed him from my hand twice and came on my hand both times without any problem and ate the food how will it be till he just crawls on without food of I do it everyday


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## Footballdude (Jan 11, 2012)

Sorry I meant to say how long wil it be till he just crawls right on without any food if I do it everyday


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