Baby Cham eating branches?

[chamer]

This is my first clutch to hatch and babies are now about 1 month old. I have see 2 of them biteing and chewing on the end of branch? Is this normal or are they lacking something?

 

[KYchamguy]

Branch eaters!

I have seen this several times before with hatchlings up to 4 months old. Every one that I have observed doing this turned out just fine...so I am gonna say this is normal behavior!

 

[chamer]

Thanks I was just so worried

 

[PardalisGirl]

Hungry?

I agree that it's pretty normal for young juvies to do this. I'm a bit concerned about babies doing this though. My babies up to three months or so are keep with enough crickets that there are still a few left over when I feed them the next day. They get to eat as many as they want. If I have to leave and screw up my schedule I come home and find them chewing on stuff.

I put a very shallow container top filled with cricket gutload in with the babies so that the crickets are gutloading constantly. This also keeps the crickets remaining overnight from chewing on babies. This system works great for me and get babies with nice plump tummies. Chewing can also lead to a bit of gum damage if done too much. Little nicks in the skin that you can see when little but become more noticeable as the cham gets bigger. Just my thoughts on the subject. I'm giving this advise without knowing how often or how much you feed your babes.......

 

[SSimsswiSS]

This seems to be a common behavior with panther babies. Makes me wonder if it is a way of cutting in teeth, at this age. To grab onto and handle larger prey item as they grow.

 

[chamer]

thanks for the additonal thoughts. I feed them several times a day but not sure all are eating all the time. I am trying to cup feed them but stilll let some loose. Some Cham seem reluctant to come down off the top,best spot to feed. I like the cricket feed idea and will do this as well. I just got some small silk worms to try too. Only a few of the Chams were brave enough to try them

 

[PardalisGirl]

silkworms...........

Caution with silkworms...........Maybe I'm the only one that has had this problem. I used to give my babies three months and under silkworms while they were still housed in groups. They loved them. The only trouble is that they later thought their sibling's tails were silkworms. I had tail chewing in three different clutches that I fed silkworms to. I ended up with a number of adults with short tails.

I never feed silkworms now until I have them caged as individuals like adults are. I've not had tail nip issues in babies since then. Not sure that anyone else had this problem. Once the tail chewing started it was hard to stop. I had to separate them all earlier than I normally would have just to get the tails to heal. It was a nightmare!

 

[enigmacell]

This is my first clutch to hatch and babies are now about 1 month old. I have see 2 of them biteing and chewing on the end of branch? Is this normal or are they lacking something?

My cham still bites on stuff now and again but seems to leave like a tiny clump of yellowish gue where he was biting. Would this just be his saliva?

 

[chamer]

thanks i never thought of that, but makes sense

 

[PardalisGirl]

Just a caution....

It's just a caution. I don't remember if anyone else has had the problem. I just remember what a nightmare it was for me.