Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[Karl B]

i have in the last week purchased my first chameleons. They are Yeman chameleons and are both about 6 months old. Whenever i go near either of them to offer them food, i was told that they would hand feed they puff up and try to threaten me, the male in particular takes his threats as far as lunging at my hand. Will they calm down in time? Also does a chameleon bite hurt if the male does ever make contact?
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Sometimes in life the easiest things are often the simplest

[Scott W]

so calm down, others don't. Over time all of mine have stopped hissing etc. The worst I had for a while was a few that would hide at all costs!

As for the bite, once adult I would guess it would hurt quite a bit but not enough damage to need hospital treatment
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Please DO NOT pm orders for reptiles, send email instead scott@captivebred.co.uk

[Rickeezee]

Hi Karl

Give them time to settle in, I found with mine they needed just to get used to my presence first, I had my Yemens from a few weeks old now they will all hand feed from me. But it is strictly on their terms, some tolerate a stroke under the chin, again strictly on their terms. Most chams when rehoused will take time to settle in and feel confident this can take a few weeks or so.

Luckily I have only been bitten once, by a young Blue Nosy B, was totally my own fault, I was fiddling about in his viv and stretched my hand out right over the top of him, big mistake, this they see as very threatening.

The bite did not hurt as he was only a youngster. Same with picking them up if ever you have to, never pick up from above them or grasp them round their bodies as this is how prey grab them and again they will see this as very threatening. I tend to put a hand in front of them just below their chin, and the other hand under their rear quarters and gently move them forward, most times they will then climb onto my hand, I have found it works best if I make myself physically lower than them, I feel this is less of a threat to them.

Would love to see some pics of them please. Have you got a male and a female? How old are they?

All the best of luck with them they are a great cham and I find them very rewarding, guess what, again on their own terms A fascinating and magnificent lizard! I hope you get as much pleasure from your new chams as I do from mine.
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www.rickslivefood.co.uk

[linda]

im really lucky with mine as he doesnt hiss at me at all, but i find if that i have a group of people come up and see him he goes black, and hisses.
if i go to feed him and give him water he actually races over to me and climbs out.
good luck

[Karl B]

cheers for the advice everyone i will give them time and hopefully they will calm done. I will try and post up some pictures when i get home from work this evening.

Does anybody know if chameleons learn to recognise their keepers because the were relatively tame in the reptile shop?
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Sometimes in life the easiest things are often the simplest

[Rickeezee]

[johne.ev]

Hi Karl.

I had a male from 9 wks old, that would not let you near him. he got worse as he got older, as scott said some do & some don't. as for does it hurt? when their adult it does. best of luck.