Face recognition w/ meds

Vattica · 07-30-02, 11:19 AM

I read somplace that people reccommend you put a mask on when forcefully administering medications to larger chams - as they recognise faces -this is supposed to help keep them on good terms w. the keeper - but my thought on the matter is this: If they trust you as a keeper - why would you want to violate that trust by alllowing a "stranger" to hurt them? I only ask because my old veiled has a cow if anyone messes w/ him but me. If I reach for him, he willingly will come and sit on my hands- probably because this is associated w/ food and water. But if I go to give him medication, it is as if he knows it is for his own good and it appears that he tries to be cooperative (how could you be cooperative as bad as oral meds taste!!)

Has anyone else noted this kind of behavior in their chams? Has anyone tried the mask idea?

Leah

Laurier · 07-30-02, 01:15 PM

hey,

my veiled hates my brother because he always pokes at him and blows at him while i am not around. but when i am there he is a little darling. but ya i could see a chameleon recognizing u and hating you after wards

Jaylyn · 07-30-02, 02:03 PM

My male veiled is a pussy cat - I've never even had him gape at me. He went through a 2 1/2 month hunger strike this year and we had to administer alot of medication and force feed him. He did get so he didn't step right onto my hand and would actually turn around and walk the other way. It's been a full month since I force fed him and now he's back to his old self. I think when you're dealing with an animal with a brain the size of an almond ... they can't really hold a grudge for too long.

Susan James has talked about some of her chams that have gone missing and turned feral - I don't think it took them very long to adjust to captivity after they were caught.

I do think they definately prefer one person over another. But, maybe that has more to do with who brings the bugs!

Jaylyn

07-30-02, 04:23 PM

not sure if I agree with the visual recognition but even scent recognition can make the animal act different. Cocoa has a fit if someone besides me handles her prey items (a quick wash fixes it for her thank goodness)

Vattica · 07-30-02, 05:58 PM

I believe in face recognition 100%. My veiled has a fit if anyone but me feeds him or messes w/ him in any way.

Leah

Jaylyn · 07-30-02, 09:44 PM

With the chams being so highly visual - I agree.

Jaylyn