Chams eat mice?

So I just saw an adult male cham eat a whole live mouse. Is this normal? I have no intentions of feeding my cham mice (esp since my male veiled is only 3 weeks old), I was just wondering if this is a normal thing for them?

No it is not, mice are way to high in fat content and will cause fatty liver disease in the cham. and do you think there are mice just hanging around in tree tops? "not to seam rude"

I have heard with bigger species of chameleon you are able to feed them small mice. They are high in calcium because of the bones but it outs your chameleon at high risk to attract different diseases. Especially with day anoles that i have seen people feed.

actually ookami there are mice that due like to dwell in tree tops and if not dwell they do pass through trees a lot because they can get to different areas but also get food from the tree tops as well.but i wouldn't recommend feeding your chameleon that.

I was watching videos on youtube about chams and saw one eat a whole live white mouse. I didn't think this was normal as I thought they really only eat insects and plant material. I found it crazy that the cham did that.

From what i am told it is better to feed a small anole lizard has a cham is more likely to eat small lizards in the wild rather than a mouse., the breeder of my cham does it only once and a while, its in no way a must and you put your animal at risk of getting parasites. I dont really remember the plus side of doing it, but there is something good in the bones. Someone correct me if i am wrong

I'm not sure I could feed anything but crix, worms, and plant material to my cham. I think if I got lizards as food I would just want to keep it as a pet.

I get ya, but some care takers want to mimic the wild has much has possible. I for one would feed anoles if i could find some CB ones.

same hear about wanting to keep it as a pet. cute lil anoles awww lol.

I'm a bleeding heart. If I had the money, time, and space for every animal I came across, I would own a zoo.
I currently have my new cham, Camo.
1 ferret, Otter.
3 cats, Timber, Sweat Pea, Tuxy
Red eared slider- Turtle
2 freshwater fishtanks
And in a few weeks, a english setter puppy.
I am also a foster parent for the Mid-Atlantic German SHorthair Pointer Rescue.

I saw the cham at my local fish store and couldn't help myself. I bought everything all at once.

I would not hand feed the anole, i would simply let it free in my cage (wich is very big) and let what happens happen. I dont really wanna see the cham eat it, but it could spice up his hunting life!

Quite coincidental, a Chameleon breeder friend of mine was telling me that If on occasion as a treat for the Chameleon I bought from him I could feed him a young stage mouse as a calcium boost.

Would the benefits of the calcium as an occasional treat outway any fat content worries? Do Chameleons require extra calcium if keepers are using calcium supplement?

How many Chameleon keepers would prefer to see a chubby chameleon over one with MBD? However I'm not confident enough to try it with my little fella, I was told to pop a mouse in as the locust is going down. I don't think I am confident enough. I'll stick with the calcium powder on gut loaded locusts and the occasional waxworm.

I agree with you pen. bugs and worms.

This just came up earlier today. Check it out. https://www.chameleonforums.com/when-can-veiled-chameleons-eat-pinky-mice-54300/

I just read that thread, I don't think I want to feed my cham mice. The only time I would ever consider it would be if my cham went off eating everything else. And I mean everything.

wow, i never knew that they would do that. I went on youtube to see for myself. I found a video of one eating a fish!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrcAJzJzRGY&feature=related


what the!!!

Here are 3 very good threads regarding pinkies. I personally don't feed my cham them as I see no benefit at all.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/pinkys-35611/

https://www.chameleonforums.com/feeding-pinky-mice-41456/

https://www.chameleonforums.com/ok-give-your-chameleon-pinky-mouse-7143/

If you search under the term pinky or pinkie you will find many threads regarding it

If you care enough to research you care enough to...

camimom said:

I agree with you pen. bugs and worms.

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Yes, I just think anybody who researches enough that they ask about feeding mice means they are surely researching the requirements of a chameleon. Those that worry about whether or not to feed mice need not worry at all becuase they obviously care enough about their chameleons that they are probably already doing the right thing which is probably dusting insects in calcium and other supplements and feeding those.

By the course of things people I am sure will come across diets for chameleons before hitting on whether or not to feed mice. Its the people who don't ask that are the worrying people becuase you won't ever reach or teach them.

I always thought reptiles are a tricky pet to keep but only since keeping them, and I have started with Chameleons of all species, have I understood their requirements. And I am still learning.

I pretty much spend everyday looking stuff up and surfing this forum to find stuff. I've learned alot, which I didn't know before hand. I've only had Camo for about a week, and I am still so concerned about the things I am doing or not doing. He seems good to me, no appearence of sunken eyes or deformed legs or anything. He changes color regularly, brown when basking, and gets black bands on his back when hes annoyed. Sleeps at night only, climbs wonderfully, active as all get out during the day (when out of his cage, when in he just basks all day)
He has some mealworms and a bunch of crix that were dusted with a calcium powder in a bowl, but I haven't seen him eating anything, then again, I don't watch him every second of everyday. The crix and mealworms have a gut loading green squishy food thing in with them.
No live plant, but well, I don't have any appropriate ones available right now. I live in nowheresville, where we have a walmart, a kohls, and a lowes. SO when spring rolls around I'll find a good plant for him.

camimom said:

I pretty much spend everyday looking stuff up and surfing this forum to find stuff. I've learned alot, which I didn't know before hand. I've only had Camo for about a week, and I am still so concerned about the things I am doing or not doing. He seems good to me, no appearence of sunken eyes or deformed legs or anything. He changes color regularly, brown when basking, and gets black bands on his back when hes annoyed. Sleeps at night only, climbs wonderfully, active as all get out during the day (when out of his cage, when in he just basks all day)
He has some mealworms and a bunch of crix that were dusted with a calcium powder in a bowl, but I haven't seen him eating anything, then again, I don't watch him every second of everyday. The crix and mealworms have a gut loading green squishy food thing in with them.
No live plant, but well, I don't have any appropriate ones available right now. I live in nowheresville, where we have a walmart, a kohls, and a lowes. SO when spring rolls around I'll find a good plant for him.

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Meal worms are not a great feeder as their outer shell is high in chitin. If you over feed them you may risk your cham becoming impacted as the outer shells are difficult to digest.

Try some appropriate sized silk or horn worms or dubia roaches to create variety in your chams diet.

You really do need to get some live plants in your cage for him to help with humidity and so he has somewhere to hide and feel safe.....as well as a better gutloading schedule. Add some apples, kale, carrots, yams, dandelion greens etc to the mix. Sandrachameleon has excellent nutritional advice and feeder advice under her blogs.

Is this your first cham? My first cham was a nervous experience for a few weeks

If you are not sure if you are doing everything right or just want some experienced members to give you some 'good' feedback then fill it the below form and post some pics for us...we all love pics!


Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
* Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
* Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
* Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
* Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
* Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
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* Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
* Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
* Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
* Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
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