How to Get Veiled to Eat Fruit

[natureboy86]

Koopa is about 5 months old. Entering his juvenile stage. He absolutely demolished his money tree leaves, so I know he likes veggies. I've read many times that veileds love fruits and veggies...

Question #1: how do I get Koop' to try some fruit? What is your method?

The problem I have, is he doesn't really cup-feed. And if he does, it HAS to be worms,which are very active. Fruit, I don't feel he'll recognize as food..

Question #2: How do you determine what size the piece of fruit needs to be? Is the rule of thumb the same as feeders (not larger than the width between the eyes). So do you chop up the fruit? I bought some black & razberries and want to offer them to him.

Thanks in advance

 

[natureboy86]

C'mon people, don't be shy I know a lot of you feed your veileds fruit! I demand you tell me how!! jk..please?

 

[SarahcoadunatioZac]

I'd love to know as well, my guy is closer to 4 months but he tries to eat my thumb instead of the veggie/fruit when I try it on him in the mornings. (I use my thumb to move around the Dubia.)

 

[Randi]

I'd love to know as well, my guy is closer to 4 months but he tries to eat my thumb instead of the veggie/fruit when I try it on him in the mornings. (I use my thumb to move around the Dubia.)

Your cham must be like my chams - they will not eat anything that doesn't move on its own.

 

[theAfamily]

my veiled doesn't like to interact with me very much BUT he has a big appetite and has always hand fed. I would wiggle the veggies around a little on my flat hand (sometimes it's hard for them to stick wet veggies/fruit). once he got use to the veggies i started to stick them in a cup ( I have also place some meal worms in withe a fruit/veggie mix to get his attention).

good luck

chris

 

[justjumpit621]

Here is my video on how to get your veiled to eat fruits/veggies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJh0Iyt_VQc

 

[theAfamily]

Here is my video on how to get your veiled to eat fruits/veggies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJh0Iyt_VQc

exactly how i do it lol. great video.

chris

 

[natureboy86]

I tried the method from the video, and he wasn't having it haha. I shredded a couple razberries, and placed them on the tip of my fingers with my palm faced upward, wiggled the fruit a bit, and he just starred at them.. I then threw in some Phoenix worms in the mix, and he picked off all the phoenixs, but wouldn't bother with the razberries

 

[nightanole]

I installed peg board on one side of the cage, and wiggle things in the holes. Its fun to get him to eat spaghetti like things. Other than that i tie strings to the food and "fly" it in the cage. Kinda like cham fishing.

 

[natureboy86]

I installed peg board on one side of the cage, and wiggle things in the holes. Its fun to get him to eat spaghetti like things. Other than that i tie strings to the food and "fly" it in the cage. Kinda like cham fishing.

You tie string to fruit and sling it around the cage?

 

[Psychobunny]

You tie string to fruit and sling it around the cage?

Dont be silly, fruit cant fly on it's own ya know!!

 

[nightanole]

The veiled had that white 1/2" spaced over head light ceiling tile. I could just pop the fruit through the holes and dangle it from a string. Yes fruit doesnt fly in the wild, on the other hand my beardy adapted to sleeping on a pillow in his cage too.

 

[Alexl]

I wonder why you absolutely want your chameleon to eat fruits. Veiled chameleons are insectivore, not frugivore. There are some individuals who eat plants and flowers in wilderness and captivity, but it's not necessary for them at all. Fruits, by the way, can bring forward dysbacteria due to high sugar content. Enjoy your chameleon eating insects and don't worry if an insectivore animal won't eat frugivore food.

 

[natureboy86]

I wonder why you absolutely want your chameleon to eat fruits. Veiled chameleons are insectivore, not frugivore. There are some individuals who eat plants and flowers in wilderness and captivity, but it's not necessary for them at all. Fruits, by the way, can bring forward dysbacteria due to high sugar content. Enjoy your chameleon eating insects and don't worry if an insectivore animal won't eat frugivore food.

Interesting perspective. The reason I wanted to give my cham some fruit is because I wanted to include it in his diet, sparringly, to increase variety and to add some good, natural vitamins. Also, he absolutely devoured the leaves from his money tree, so I sort of want him to get used to eating fruits and/or veggies from a cup (or other method) rather than destroying his tree.

 

[Alexl]

Also, he absolutely devoured the leaves from his money tree, so I sort of want him to get used to eating fruits and/or veggies from a cup (or other method) rather than destroying his tree.

Why not using eatable plants like hibiscus or indian cress? They're nice decoration inside cages, too. Colourful flowers are often more attactive to veileds. And I'm sure your chameleon would like to eat leaves (as he already does) rather than having a "fruit on a string" somewhere.

 

[natureboy86]

Why not using eatable plants like hibiscus or indian cress? They're nice decoration inside cages, too. Colourful flowers are often more attactive to veileds. And I'm sure your chameleon would like to eat leaves (as he already does) rather than having a "fruit on a string" somewhere.

Yea, true. He currently has a hanging pothos and a huge umbrella tree, which i just put in this past weekened to replace his money tree.

 

[natureboy86]

Bump to see if anybody can share their successful experience