Staple diet

[Steve A]

Good Morning everyone,

So I am trying to provide Spike (4month old male panther) with a nice variety in his diet. So far he's really only eaten silkworms, crickets(mostly), and BSFL (he really seems to love these since he gave them a shot!), and I've been offering him dubia roaches, but he is NOT eating them. He wants no part of them. I was thinking of adding more staple foods, but I am having a difficult time finding more feeders to follow this chart. I've searched the forums, and even just searched in general online to find some other places to buy bugs from that would be reputable.


I've come to the conclusion that for me to purchase/care for.... it seems like MY best options are hornworms and superworms. With that being said, if I were to add these to his diet, and give him maybe 1-2 each day with his staple diet, would that be okay for now? Would there be a better option(s) instead of these that I could easily purchase online? So far I am finding these are what will be easy for me to get.

So he would be getting daily:

24 dozen crickets (he's eating roughly 12-20+ typically)
10 BSFL (he eats all of these unless some escape)
3-5 silkworms
1-2 hornworms
1-2 silkworms

I'd like opinions on this plan, and how if/how I should adjust these numbers. I ran out of silks a few days ago and the next shipment won't be here until Wednesday the 9th, so he's really only eating crickets and BSFL at this very moment, since he won't even attempt to eat the dubia roachs (I tried putting them in the cricket feeder and the BSFL dish.).

 

[Steve A]

Meant to post this yesterday and I think I accidentally saved it as a draft instead

 

[MissSkittles]

Without roaches, you’ve still got decent variety. Some of the other feeders like snails, stick bugs and mantids aren’t so easily available (to my knowledge). You could maybe try grasshoppers if you can get them small enough. @SauceGandhi could maybe help you with that.

 

[elizaann2]

I was just going to suggest grasshoppers. I honestly think this is a really great variety without the dubia. This website sells other feeders that are harder to find, you could try him. https://deanmissimer.com/collections/grasshoppers

 

[Steve A]

Without roaches, you’ve still got decent variety. Some of the other feeders like snails, stick bugs and mantids aren’t so easily available (to my knowledge). You could maybe try grasshoppers if you can get them small enough. @SauceGandhi could maybe help you with that.

ok and the amount I plan on feeding him looks good? Right now he's downing over a dozen crickets or so, and 6-10 BSFL depending on how quickly he eats them before they escape lol.

 

[Steve A]

I was just going to suggest grasshoppers. I honestly think this is a really great variety without the dubia. This website sells other feeders that are harder to find, you could try him. https://deanmissimer.com/collections/grasshoppers

Thank you! grasshoppers were something I was hoping to find easily but I dont see them on any of the usual places I know are reputable. I appreciate this. I will try what I have first and see if I try grasshoppers I'll let you know because I am not sure how I should go about feeding them to him haha! They sound fun though

 

[elizaann2]

ok and the amount I plan on feeding him looks good? Right now he's downing over a dozen crickets or so, and 6-10 BSFL depending on how quickly he eats them before they escape lol.

From what I know you want to feed your growing boy as much as he will eat. Once he reaches adult size you will start scaling back on how much you feed him.

 

[elizaann2]

Thank you! grasshoppers were something I was hoping to find easily but I dont see them on any of the usual places I know are reputable. I appreciate this. I will try what I have first and see if I try grasshoppers I'll let you know because I am not sure how I should go about feeding them to him haha! They sound fun though

Chameleon keeping is a wild ride thats for sure! I HATE bugs, to the point where I hardly go on hikes and will not camp for any reason. However, in the year and a half in keeping my chams, that has changed drastically. I used to scream every time a cricket feeder jumped on me. Now its no big deal. Sometimes...I dont even recognize myself anymore

 

[Steve A]

From what I know you want to feed your growing boy as much as he will eat. Once he reaches adult size you will start scaling back on how much you feed him.

Yep I understand that, I just want to make sure I am giving him enough. He typically eats almost all of the crickets every OTHER day, but then the other days, he's leaving more behind. (I am disposing of whatever leftover crickets remain).

The BSFL that escape, I just put in some of the pots to let them pupate eventually so he can eat the flies.

He does not leave any BSFL behind though lol

 

[elizaann2]

Yep I understand that, I just want to make sure I am giving him enough. He typically eats almost all of the crickets every OTHER day, but then the other days, he's leaving more behind. (I am disposing of whatever leftover crickets remain).

The BSFL that escape, I just put in some of the pots to let them pupate eventually so he can eat the flies.

He does not leave any BSFL behind though lol

It sounds to me like you are doing an amazing job. He is very lucky to have you!

 

[Steve A]

It sounds to me like you are doing an amazing job. He is very lucky to have you!

thank you! I hope so. I am trying really hard here lol

 

[elizaann2]

thank you! I hope so. I am trying really hard here lol

Your doing great

 

[Steve A]

Your doing great

Thank you so much. You and so many others have been such a huge help. I'd probably be lost without you!!

 

[elizaann2]

Thank you so much. You and so many others have been such a huge help. I'd probably be lost without you!!

I’d be lost too. I’ve learned so much here. This community is amazing.