Are chameleons mean in general, or are they just mean towards you? I’m sure you know some pets can be friendlier than others. With that said, you must have wondered if chameleons are mean or friendly pets to keep around.
Chameleons are considered mean creatures. They aren’t the type to be cuddled or walked. But then again, they aren’t completely mean as well. They just very much prefer to be left alone and watched from afar.
Just because they aren’t as friendly as dogs, that doesn’t mean that they can’t be good pets. You can prevent your chameleon from being mean as long as you know how to take care of it and act accordingly.
How Mean Are Chameleons?
Whether or not chameleons are mean will depend on how you define mean. Do you expect your pet chameleon to greet you every time you put your hand near it?
If so, then, unfortunately, I’ll have to let you know that they won’t do that. On the rare chance that they seem friendlier to you, it may just be them wanting to escape from their cage.
Maybe something is wrong with the enclosure, or maybe they are just curious about what is in the room. All in all, chameleons do prefer to be in solitary.
Here are some things that make your chameleon seem mean.
Aggression
If aggression is your concern, then no chameleons are mean in that aspect. This is because chameleons are rarely even aggressive.
The only time you will find a chameleon aggressive is if you decide to disturb it, which is your fault anyway.
Chameleons tend to eventually learn to accept your presence, even if it’s only mildly.
Chameleon’s Personality
With all that said, it will still really depend on your luck though. Ignoring species, some chameleons are just naturally meaner while some aren’t. So, don’t be so hard on yourself if your chameleon wants nothing to do with you.
Hissing and Biting
The worst form of aggression a chameleon can ever have is hissing or biting. Hissing is a very normal reaction from animals in general, and it is usually accompanied by puffing.
Animals tend to present themselves larger when facing a threat to try and scare them away. Biting is extremely rare, so you don’t have to worry about that.
Chameleons tend to run from confrontation rather than face it. They known to have a bark worse than their bite.
Why Would A Chameleon Be Mean?
In the off chance that your chameleon does act mean towards you, you must wonder why that happens at all.
Chameleons don’t hold any aggression towards you. It has more to do with their instincts.
Solitary Personality
Chameleons don’t like the presence of others. They are unable to form social groups due to their cold-blooded nature.
Chameleons don’t even like other chameleons, even if they are the same species. They very much prefer that you just stay from a distance and observe them rather than to interact with them.
Moreover, chameleons are also not capable of love. The best that could ever happen to you is for them to get used to you and that’s pretty much it.
Natural Instinct
Another reason why they would be mean to you is due to their nature. Chameleons are highly territorial.
In the wild, male chameleons will often show aggression towards each other if they meet in the same territory. Captive chameleons, however, may exhibit aggression if caretakers reach into their enclosure.
You may have noticed your chameleon hissing or puffing during the first few weeks. It will often happen when you reach out to them with your hand or try to clean their cage.
They just don’t like other creatures being in their area and that has nothing to do with you.
Are Some Species Meaner Than Others?
As mentioned before, some chameleons are just meaner than others. Different species will act differently due to their behavior and instinct.
Here are some of the most common chameleon species that people keep as pets.
Veiled Chameleons
They aren’t friendly, they are one of the meanest pet chameleons you can get. Veiled chameleons are either extremely calm or extremely agitated, rarely anywhere in between.
On top of that, they are also considered to be the most aggressive chameleons amongst the ones kept as pets. This is due to their territorial nature more than anything else.
Sometimes your veiled chameleons may hiss or bite you. Other times, they might just sit there and act like you don’t even exist.
Panther Chameleons
They can be nice but it’s gonna take some work to get there. Even though they are not as territorial or aggressive as veiled chameleons, they aren’t that different. But overall, it would still be easier to get friendly with them compared to the Veiled chameleons.
Jackson’s Chameleons
These chameleons are the most even-tempered of them all. Even though chameleons are naturally territorial. Jackson’s chameleons tend to be shyer than the others. They are more likely to be afraid of you than to fight you.
Tired of Your Mean Chameleon? Try These
It is often advised that taming a chameleon is a very bad idea. A better thing to do is to make them more comfortable with your presence.
Over time, they will slowly learn to tolerate you as they notice your existence. Beware of overhandling them though, as it may cause them stress which will lead to even more problems.
Here are some things you do to make your chameleon nicer towards you.
Associate Yourself with Food
Try to make your chameleon know that you are there to take care of him. Letting it know that you provide food to it will make you less of a threat to your chameleon.
The next time you feed your chameleon, hold their food in front of them so that they can see your hand giving it to them.
You can also try to distance yourself from them as they walk forward while keeping the other hand in front of your chameleon.
This is to make them unconsciously start to walk to you or onto your hand.
Slow Yourself Down Before Them
Slow down your movements when appearing before your chameleon. Try to approach them as slow as possible, so that they are aware of your presence.
Don’t make jerky movements or flail around as this may scare them and make them feel threatened. Doing this also helps to keep their nerves calm so that they can be comfortable with you.
Don’t Try to Pick Them Up
As previously mentioned, chameleons don’t like being handled. They are solitary animals that like to be left alone to do their own thing.
Chameleons aren’t like dogs which you can cuddle and hug to show affection towards them. Attempting to pick them up may even end up with them biting you! Ouch!
Conclusion
Your chameleon may seem to mean to you but I assure you they mean no harm. Chameleons are just naturally lonely creatures and there is nothing much you can do about it.
Disturbing your chameleon’s peace will cause it to be mean towards you. Moreover, some species of chameleon will also be meaner than others.
If you have a mean chameleon, it’s not the end of the world. Just follow the actions listed in this article and your chameleon will slowly become nicer towards you.
