Issues with Chameleon finding resources in new cage

[HueTheChameleon]

Shedding twice in a month

Hello,

So I've been dusting every other day with calcium without d3, and every two weeks giving a multivitamin. Hue is shedding his skin again today. This is his second time in a month. Is this a normal time frame?

 

[Carlton]

Hello,

So I've been dusting every other day with calcium without d3, and every two weeks giving a multivitamin. Hue is shedding his skin again today. This is his second time in a month. Is this a normal time frame?

Shedding frequency depends on age and growth rate at the time. Chams can grow in spurts, so its likely now that he's getting better care he's growing faster. As he matures the frequency and speed of sheds will drop off.

 

[HueTheChameleon]

Eating a lot more of his plant

Hello all knowledgeable in the ways of chameleon keeping,

Hue has been eating the leaves of his jade cactus a lot more than before. I think his order of favorite food is 1. waxworms, 2 jade cactus, 3. crickets. He eats the crickets, but he eats his 2-3 wax worms I give him a day, then eats an entire leaf of the jade cactus, and finally eats all the crickets I put in there (about 15 medium sized crickets). Are Jade Cacti safe to eat on a daily basis for him? Are you also able to recommend any other plants that are great for him to eat them? He likes to climb on the large sturdy leaves as well as eat them. The jade cactus has been perfect for the last month.

 

[Carlton]

Hello all knowledgeable in the ways of chameleon keeping,

Hue has been eating the leaves of his jade cactus a lot more than before. I think his order of favorite food is 1. waxworms, 2 jade cactus, 3. crickets. He eats the crickets, but he eats his 2-3 wax worms I give him a day, then eats an entire leaf of the jade cactus, and finally eats all the crickets I put in there (about 15 medium sized crickets). Are Jade Cacti safe to eat on a daily basis for him? Are you also able to recommend any other plants that are great for him to eat them? He likes to climb on the large sturdy leaves as well as eat them. The jade cactus has been perfect for the last month.

Not being familiar with the term "jade cactus", I did a search to get the species Crassula ovata and found that it is toxic for mammals. The level of toxicity is considered low, but I'm not sure a cham eating it every day is a good thing. You could offer him some chunks of fruit or veggies to sort of "switch" him over to something safer.

 

[HueTheChameleon]

Added additional leafy vegetables, not interested.

Hello,

I added papaya, carrots, potatoes, spinach, arrugula, and romaine. Hue hasn't touched any of it. He like to rip a large leaf off, eat a chunk and then throw it down and watch it mold.

I also bought banded crickets because people said they were better online and he hasn't touched any of them. They are a bit smaller than what he's used to .25" instead of .5" (since people were telling me I was giving him too large of crickets to begin with), but he's completely ignoring them as well. I am placing them where he knows I place food. In the plastic container in his cage.

Do you think he dislikes the different cricket breed? Do you think it's because they are smaller?

Thanks,

Pete

p.s. This is where we got the list of recommended plants for veiled chams
http://www.tikitikireptiles.com/pages.php?id=8

Our plant is a JADE PLANT (Crassula argentea)
It was in the cactus section of the store, but I'm not entirely convinced it's a cactus.

 

[cquest]

I hope your cham is doing well. I wanted to give you kudo's on the ceiling mount enclosure BRILLIANT!!
I never thought of that!!

 

[Carlton]

I added papaya, carrots, potatoes, spinach, arrugula, and romaine. Hue hasn't touched any of it. He like to rip a large leaf off, eat a chunk and then throw it down and watch it mold.

Probably because he's being cautious about new items. You could trick him into sampling some juicier veggies or fruit by putting small pieces in with his insects. He may well pick a piece up on his tongue and decide he can add it to his "safe food list". I doubt he'll go for carrot or potato. Spinach isn't a great green for him as it tends to bind up dietary calcium. Try chunks of fruit to develop his sweet tooth.

Do you think he dislikes the different cricket breed? Do you think it's because they are smaller?

Not sure how different they look, but it might be simply that. Maybe size too, not sure.


Our plant is a JADE PLANT (Crassula argentea)
It was in the cactus section of the store, but I'm not entirely convinced it's a cactus.

Jade plants are succulents as are cacti but in a different family. They are often found in the same section of a store.