Chameleons don't like to be hugged. They don't like human interaction and they love being in their own space. No chameleon likes to be handled by people. Whoever told you that was throwing you a misleading sales pitch to convince you to buy them a pet.
Chameleons should only be considered pets on par with tropical fish, ideal for the eye, but they are not meant to be touched or carried. Chameleons don't like to be carried or handled at all. They stay alone most of the time and are solitary creatures. So do chameleons like to be hugged? Chameleons don't like to be carried, nor do they like to caress them.
You can take one and hold it, but it will try to get away from you. Some are aggressive, and if you try to touch them, they will try to defend themselves by whistling and biting. Some chameleons may develop tolerance for humans to touch them, but it doesn't last long. The best thing is to leave them alone in their habitat and enjoy their presence at a distance.
Chameleons don't get aggressive when holding them, as they are generally calm, however, they don't like it. Chameleons are sensitive animals that need to be treated with care. They are difficult to keep in captivity and do not appreciate being handled. If you absolutely have to hold your chameleon in your hands, don't force him out of his cage or do anything that makes him angry or stressed out.
Instead of grabbing your reptile directly, let it gently climb into your hand. For example, if you need to take them to the vet or take them out of their cage to clean them, a Panther Chameleon will tolerate it. So when trying to restrain or tame your chameleon, just keep in mind that you are dealing with an intelligent being and treat them with respect. If necessary, place visual barriers between your chameleon and areas where there is a lot of human activity.
I have seen play with countless chameleons trying to escape an inappropriate cage environment because their attempts to escape from their cage are taken as a desire to play. However, scientists no longer consider its ability to change color as an art of camouflage adapted to the environment, but as the expression of the emotions or temperature variations of the chameleon. This way, you work with your chameleon and every time you do, your chameleon learns that there is nothing to fear. My chameleon seemed to enjoy his daily handling until recently when I approached and tried to get him out of his enclosure.
But don't be surprised if your chameleon will eat out of your hand and feel comfortable with you in the space of your cage, but will suddenly enter fight or flight mode when another human enters the room. Although this is the case, some chameleons may develop tolerance to human contact, especially if purchased at a very young age (1 to 5 days). Wearing the hanger that the chameleon clings to, rather than actually grabbing its struggling body, would be an example of a less stressful method of handling it. First, if you need to get your Chameleon out of its enclosure for any reason, you don't want to pick it up immediately.
Of all types of reptiles, you can stay as a pet. I would say that the chameleon is the most obvious one to let you know that it's uncomfortable to be around them. Keep trying to bond with him and it will make it easier for the chameleon to cuddle with you if he can trust you. Chameleons don't sleep during the day and, in fact, close their eyes because they're stressed.
If your chameleon starts to bend to the side, this is a strong indicator that he is stressed and not ready to get out of the cage.
