Feeding Questions.

[chrisfarren2307]

Im reletavly new to owning chameleons, have had my adult male for nearlya month now, and can honestly say they are the best lizards EVER!

So at the minute is diet in locusts with the odd waxworm/mealworm now and then, but im thinking of adding silkworms, butterworms etc to his diet (strictly no dubia roaches, there creepy).

Is his diet okay as it is or should i add the crickets and different variety of worms to his diet

At the minute he gets 3 medium locusts and 1 waxworm a day, should i feed him more? He is an adult as i have already mentioned so am i feeding him too little? Locusts are kinda expensive in the uk and you only get about ten in a tub, so if i feed him 4 or 5 locusts a day, ill be at the pet shop all the time lol

Thanks

 

[TreeTopChameleons]

You should definitely add other feeders to your crickets diet, not only will they enjoy it, but it will also benefit his health as well. Hornworms and Silkworms are very good feeders. Also the amount you feed sounds fine, as chameleons become adults they eat far less than when they were babies and juveniles. If your chameleon looks nice and plump, then I would say that is enough food for your chameleon!

 

[Adam Harrelson]

you know what i say where to buy feeders smallpetfeeders.com they have lots and lots feeders that chameleons will eat

 

[sandrachameleon]

Im reletavly new to owning chameleons, have had my adult male for nearlya month now, and can honestly say they are the best lizards EVER!

So at the minute is diet in locusts with the odd waxworm/mealworm now and then, but im thinking of adding silkworms, butterworms etc to his diet (strictly no dubia roaches, there creepy).

Is his diet okay as it is or should i add the crickets and different variety of worms to his diet

At the minute he gets 3 medium locusts and 1 waxworm a day, should i feed him more? He is an adult as i have already mentioned so am i feeding him too little? Locusts are kinda expensive in the uk and you only get about ten in a tub, so if i feed him 4 or 5 locusts a day, ill be at the pet shop all the time lol

Thanks

Locust are a very good prey choice, but a variety of feeders is important IMHO. Adding butterworms and silkworms would be great. You likely can easily get indian walking sticks there and they are good as feeder prey also. Crickets also. Mealworms should be limited to about 10% of his diet. As treats, consider superworms, snails, and Pachnoda fruit beetle larva. Waxworms are not a good choice - use as a rare treat only

maybe some of these vendors in the UK (listed under the Canada group) are available to you:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/171-where-buy-feeders-online.html

I feed my adults 1-4 items per day, about 5 or 6 days a week. Monitor his weight, and the fat pads on his head (Im assuming you have either a veiled or panther), to know if he is getting enough/too much.
More info on how much to feed:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...s-day-required-maintain-chameleon-weight.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/want-know-how-much-feed-your-animal-87130/

And WELCOME to the forum and chameleon keeping

 

[Swayne8998]

IMHO, either don't use waxworms at all, or limit them to a few times a month. Not an overall good choice. They are fatty and addictive.

Dubia roaches are a fantastic feeder. You will surprisingly find them more attractive than crickets/locusts--they don't smell, can't climb, don't make noise, don't crap 24/7, and breed super easy.

I will agree with the others, variety is definitely important. Look around in your area for wild grasshoppers, walking sticks, etc. and determine if they are pesticide/parasite free (quarantine for a few days). *Roaches, *crickets, *locusts, *hornworms, *silkworms, *butterworms, *mantids, walking sticks, phoenix worms, grasshoppers, katydids, snails, superworms, -mealworms, and -waxworms can all be used as a wide variety of feeders. (Everything with a * in front of it is a great choice for a frequent feeder. Everything with a - in front of it should be limited to the diet or not used at all.)

 

[pssh]

Make sure to check if hornworms are legal where you are. I don't believe they are, so they are probably not going to be available to you. Definitely get some stick bugs! They are a great feeder, but unfortunately illegal in the states.

 

[bradley]

Locust are great but they do get expensive. if you can get super packs not the prepacks. Some come with about 24 in a tub and they are great!

I feed mainly locust but also add superworms, wax worms, fruit beetle grubs, flies, dubias and a few types of crickets. I am also going to try stick insects and see how they go.

Variety is best. You can also get calciworms and silkworms. Just make sure all are gutloaded well and you use the correct supplement powders for the chameleon (calcium, calcium with D3 and a multivitamin)

 

[chrisfarren2307]

Are you from the uk?. I cant seem to find fruit beetle grubs anywere, can i buy some of you?

 

[DavidBuchan]

Are you from the uk?. I cant seem to find fruit beetle grubs anywere, can i buy some of you?

Did you try typing 'buy fruit beetle grubs online uk' into Google? There are loads of places to order all these insects from (except hornworms, they are illegal here).