Nutrition in leaf-eating insects.

Lizardlover

New Member
Are there any certain benefits chameleons can get from leaf eating insects, Ive heard extra calcium....is this true???

Reason I ask is Ive been breeding katydids for my chams and their main diet is brambles, and I feed them bouganvilia as well. They will obviously not be a staple just enrichment but I was just curious as to what the nutritional value would be.

Thanks
 
Katydids

Katydids are an excellent staple. As for leaf eating insects a classic example of one with a favorable calcium to phosphorous ratio is silkworms. Silkworms are more nutritious when fed an exclusive diet of mulberry leaves as opposed to chow. Phasmids which are commonly fed oak, bramble aka blackberry, and guava are also nutritious. Variety in and of itself is meaningless. Variety that brings complimentary nutrients should be the goal. Mantids, katydids, cockroaches, grasshoppers, phasmids and snails are all complimentary to each other as far as nutrional value and when they are fed a healthy diet and then heaten by your animals, your animals will do much better and have superior quality of life to those who feed dusted crickets and mealworms.

Remember gutloading is not something where you feed the feeders a high vitamin doet for a day or two. Gutloading is feeding the feeders a quality diet throughout their life. Feeders are after all temporary pets.:)

Digby Rigby [email protected]

when emailing include phone number
 
...Variety in and of itself is meaningless. ...

I disagree.

While a varied diet diet should result in a better chance of improved nutrition, which is important, this is not IMHO the only reason to offer variety.

In my experience, panther chameleons (at least) appear to get "enjoyment" from variety. A chameleon that has variety is unlikely to get "bored" and go on a hunger strike.
 
I disagree.

While a varied diet diet should result in a better chance of improved nutrition, which is important, this is not IMHO the only reason to offer variety.

In my experience, panther chameleons (at least) appear to get "enjoyment" from variety. A chameleon that has variety is unlikely to get "bored" and go on a hunger strike.

I have to agree, Its incredible to see the reaction in a chameleons eyes when they see a new feeder, for my chams particularly its roaches butterflies and katydids.
 
Variety

Apologies for your misunderstanding variety for the sake of variety when the feeders are nutritionally inferior is what is meaningless such as house crickets or mealworms. When feeding nutritious variations such as katydids, snails, roaches, locusts and mantids then variety means something. Everything used to feed chameleons should offer a superior degree of nutrition. The above mentioned items along with hornworms and silkworms offer this, crickets and mealworms do not.

Digby Rigby [email protected]
 
You guys can get some sort of katydid species from DOUBLE D'S BUGS. I havnt tried them yet, but im thinking they might be a good feeder!

I wish I could get some locusts!!!!!! Too bad I can't find any!
 
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