Should i handle my veiled chameleon

Handling is only for when cage maintenance or medical procedures need to be done. You will probably have heard that handling causes stress and stress kills chameleons. This statement is based in truth.

Long term stress will cause a chameleon to go downhill until they die. And handling is a stress. But handling is a stress spike. It is there and then gone. This kind of stress spike gives no long term damage. It is playing with chameleons on a regular basis that starts to cause problems. It is true. Each chameleon is an individual. But acknowledge the trap we humans fall into. We want our chameleon to show us some semblance of human love, affection, or companionship.

Our minds will do what it takes to see the world we want. I have seen countless chameleons that are trying to escape an inadequate cage environment being played with because their attempts to escape their cage are taken as a wish to play. Chameleons are still wild animals. Even captive bred ones retain most of their natural instincts. I told her how much I liked the animated one in Death in Paradise. Hey Judy, a chameleon sounds like a great present for your 80th birthday! You can take them outdoors too, in fact it is good for them to get natural sunlight but you must keep them in a cage when doing this otherwise they will escape.

Move slowly round their enclosure : Chameleons can be quite jumpy in the presence of people and will stress easily. Try not to make sudden movements that will stress them out. Move slowly and the feel a bit more at ease. Get them to associate you with food: By hand feeding your chameleon they will start to associate you with good things, like food! But on a perch that is higher than your head. Chameleons are preyed on by birds from above in the wild. Never pick them up from above: With the above in mind never pick them up by grabbing them from above.

Can chameleons bond with their owners? Do Chameleons Like Humans? Some experts recommend choosing a supplement that does not contain vitamin A, use beta-carotene instead. As with most exotic lizards, there's no way to know if a wild-caught variety has been exposed to parasites or other potential infections. It's best to get your veiled chameleon from a reputable breeder. Watch it eat before committing to buying it if possible, to observe any appetite issues.

If its eyes are cloudy or there's any mucus around its mouth or nasal passages, these may be signs of a sick chameleon. And if it has dry patches on its skin, this may indicate a problem shedding. Once you've chosen a veiled chameleon, have a reptile veterinarian check it for parasites. This isn't a condition that will necessarily be obvious.

Like many lizards, veiled chameleons are prone to respiratory infections, and stress-related ailments. Calcium and vitamin A deficiency, which result from poor diet, are also fairly common. If your chameleon shows redness or excess saliva around its mouth, this may be a sign of mouth rot, or stomatitis.

This should be treated by a veterinarian with exotic reptile experience. Metabolic bone disease, a result of insufficient UVB light, is another common condition among veiled chameleons. They may appear to have wobbly legs, or become lethargic and have poor appetite. This is another condition that is treatable if caught early enough, but consult your veterinarian; a low appetite is a sign of many possible conditions for chameleons, including a parasitic infection.

If you like the idea of having a chameleon for a pet but haven't yet made up your mind, here are some other options to consider:. You also may want to check out our profiles of other chameleon breeds here.

Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. No chameleon enjoys being handled by people. Whoever told you that was throwing you a deceptive sales pitch to convince you to buy a pet from him. Chameleons should only be considered as pets on par with tropical fish — great to behold, but not intended to be actually touched or held. For shy creatures, as all true chameleons essentially are, contact with a larger creature is the normal precursor to being eaten or crushed to death — the ultimate stress!

It signifies immediate danger and often triggers the best avoidance response the lizard can mount. Because rapid flight is not an option, biting is a last-ditch defense to stave off what they expect is approaching doom. That reaction has evolved over hundreds of thousands of years to help chameleons survive in the wild. A few generations in captivity are not enough to erase all that inherited learning.