Reptile & Amphibian Forums

well i know that a veiled is the best for beginners but a couple other questions, where would be the best place for the cage? also are chams handleable?
thanks

The best place to keep the cage is a place where there won't be many people walking past the cage. That's why living rooms are usually not good places for a chameleon cage.
Also, it should be in a place where you can turn off all the lights at night when the chameleon should be sleeping. Their 'bed-time' is usually a lot earlier than yours, so the living room or bedroom is usually not a great location for a cage, because you'll be in there with the lights on well after the chameleon's lights have gone off.
I have my chameleon cages in a spare bedroom where there is nothing but chameleons, a few storage cupboards and a couch that I like to sit on and watch my pets...

Here is my standard answer to the "handling chameleons" question:
The only time you should handle a chameleon is for trips to the vet, spring-cleaning his cage (and you have to move it somewhere temporarily) and for regular (weekly) home health inspections.

At all other times, they are 'look but don't touch' pets.

All reptiles don't really thrive if they are handled often. Some seem to tolerate it more than others, but the bottom line is that reptiles are not affectionate creatures, and would prefer to be left alone - chameleons even more so: they don't even enjoy being seen.

Having said that though, chameleons are absolutely fascinating animals to watch. You can derive immense entertainment just observing them. And by leaving them alone to do their own thing, you can also gain satisfaction from seeing them thrive.

Handling them when they are young will NOT make them used to you - they're not keen on being handled at any age. It might make them more used to your presence, and they may tolerate you handling them more, but they will never really enjoy it. Plus, when they are young they are very fragile, and you could easily break a rib or a limb by handling them.

I think a good way to think about handling is...you want the cham to learn that you are not going to eat him, so occasional handling is OK and will help him learn what to expect from you. Also you can hand feed favorite food treats so he does interact with you some. Chams are individuals...some are more tolerant than others and it's not very predictable. You can at least stick to a routine when you work around the cage, don't change things around very often unless necessary as they don't like changes in their space.