1.1 Carpet Chams

[Champ]

Recently aquired a pair of 3 mo CB carpet chams from FL Chams. i have had them for about a month each one has its own 30*30*18 enclosure. My issue is they have eaten very little since ive had them. i see new feces everyday, i just dont know where its coming from, they have been being offered 4-5 crickets a day, and may eat 2 if im lucky. also i cannot tell which one is the male and the female. The one i suscpect to be a female looks gravid! she/he is very plump, almost worrying if she may be egg bound with an infertile clutch? Any info would greatly be appreciated, if i get home in time tonight ill post pics

 

[JonRich]

I doubt she would be gravid at 3-4 months old. Try another feeder, maybe something flying! Also are you cup feeding or free-ranging the crickets?

 

[Champ]

Tried the cup for a few days to no avail, it is free ranging crickets gut loaded with Dino Fuel. I was actually stunned at how much bigger they are than my 4 mo panther female, i believe they are a bit older than 3 mo eventhough thats what they were advertised at, i will have to take pics for you guys to confirm. I have hornworms coming as well as Blue bottle flies.

 

[JonRich]

Tried the cup for a few days to no avail, it is free ranging crickets gut loaded with Dino Fuel. I was actually stunned at how much bigger they are than my 4 mo panther female, i believe they are a bit older than 3 mo eventhough thats what they were advertised at, i will have to take pics for you guys to confirm. I have hornworms coming as well as Blue bottle flies.

Yea, that seems a bit too young for her to be gravid. And looks like you have a game plan that should work with the horms and flies.

I find my Chams enjoy free-ranged feeders. I just can't afford to have any escapes. So i have them all either hand or cup feeding, thank god!

 

[Champ]

How did you get your chams to cup feed? I will attempt once well established and acclimated.

 

[JonRich]

How did you get your chams to cup feed? I will attempt once well established and acclimated.

Getting them to eat the first one is 1/2 the battle. Once they get the fear of the cup out of their system it becomes " normal" to them. Some chams are a bit tricky to get cup feeding.

I have something I have been working on. I'll make a video tonight with a DIY. Its a pretty much a 10" wide and 4" tall bowl that I hot glue bamboo skewers or thin sticks vertically in the bowl. The feeders will climb the sticks out of instinct. They then become visible to your chams to pick off, still appearing to be free-ranges , but still contained. This works well with B.dubia roaches ( I actually put some water in the bowl, so they have no option butt to climb the poles and be active instead of sitting still on the bottom).

 

[Champ]

ingenious!! I have been following your posts everytime i see you post, you have lots of great info! I just today decided to dive into the forums, ive been a member for about a month a finaly decided to become active. BTW your cham is Amazing, i would def like to get my hands on some of his offspring if they ever come up!! Thanks again JonRich! look forward to the video