Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I really want a chameleon, and I wonder, what would be the best kind to get that could tolerate being handled.
I've been told they're very fragile creatures, but then I see people on tv handling them and such.
Are there certain kinds that are more adapt for this?

Oops, mean to add, all responses welcome and if possible I would appreciate them emailed to me at tms016200@utdallas.edu

Chameleons generally don't appreciate much handling. They are pretty individual about this and its hard to predict what any one animal will tolerate. The ones you saw on tv were probably fairly stressed (but they look their brightest then) regardless of what the handler claims. This doesn't mean you can NEVER handle them, but they won't be the social pet a bearded dragon or leopard gecko will. They are beautiful and neat to watch in a well designed natural setup, so its best to let the individual cham tell you how much attention it tolerates and respect that. Chams mostly see humans as big predators. You can teach them you are a source of good things by offering favorite foods by hand. The most forgiving of newbie mistakes are the veiled and panther chams. Don't buy a small baby. They are tricky to raise and feed (are you ready to deal with hundreds of fruit flies and pinhead crix?). Spend a bit more on a captive bred juvenile of about 3-4 months. Much easier to deal with. Don't buy an imported animal regardless of age. Here are some good sites for further reading:

www.adcham.com, www.chameleonjournals.com, www.chameleonnews.com, www.chamresearch.com, www.geocities.com/ccicenter, and the breeder site www.calumma.com