Bees?

[Jakedn]

Has anyone witnessed their chameleon eat any sort of bee, or any prey insect that would instinctively attempt to sting back?

Just curious if anyone has seen a chameleon eat a bee without any negative effects as despite their stinger, they seem like they could be a plentiful and nutritious wild caught snack if it wasn't dangerous to do.

I know that my veiled chameleon wont take any insect if he does not have a clear shot to the head, and then he will immediately position the bug and kill it with his first bite, so I was wondering if maybe chameleons could eat bugs like these without being stung, as I'm sure there are plenty of bees around in the wild haha.

I'm not looking for people to tell me no they don't THINK it would be okay, I'm looking for someone who has actually witnessed this, or attempted to feed their chameleon any stinging insect.

 

[Jakedn]

Haha, nevermind http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOOBq6Cm0e4

Looks like they handle bees just fine. I think I will try this out.

 

[camimom]

Many people free range adn their chams catch bees.
If you want to feed them to your cham thats fne. however, they are not a staple food, and you need to remove the stingers.
do this by catching it, putting it in freezer for amin, then remove stinger, then you can let your cham have at it.

 

[Jerdog]

In the wild they eat bees and spiders. I have fed mine a few bees but have pulled the stinger out first, I would feel horrible if by some chance something stung him and was hurt!

 

[Thompson]

Mine have eaten bees without me pulling the stinger out. I don't think it's necessary to remove it but you can to be safe. In the wild they won't have anyone to pull a bees' stinger out for them. I've noticed chams chew bees faster than when they eat something like a cricket or roach. I wonder why they do that?

 

[Jakedn]

Mine have eaten bees without me pulling the stinger out. I don't think it's necessary to remove it but you can to be safe. In the wild they won't have anyone to pull a bees' stinger out for them. I've noticed chams chew bees faster than when they eat something like a cricket or roach. I wonder why they do that?

I fed him one with the stinger still in and on his first bee ever he also instinctively chewed it like this. He didn't have any bad reaction to the bee and I think I will continue to feed them for some variety.

 

[Alexl]

My chameleons sometimes catch bees and wasps, I had no problem in any chameleon 'til now. They chew faster as mentioned before, that's all.

 

[Jakedn]

After he ate a bee that I left the stinger in, I later saw while hand feeding him horn worms that there was a stinger in his tongue. He won't accept anymore bees so he quickly learned not to take those feeders.

He shows no negative effects of having that stinger in his tongue and still readily accepts food. I'll keep an eye on it and see if the stinger gets worked out of his tongue.

In the future if I feed bees, I will remove the stinger as suggested.

 

[JackP308]

All my bigger chameleons eat bees, yellow jackets mostly and some wasps. Only seen a yellow jacket stuck to roof of a male panthers mouth once.

 

[Jakedn]

I'm sure that now that Waldo knows of the dangers from a bee he will be more careful with them if he does choose to eat them again, but I doubt he will eat them unless very hungry after getting stung on his first one haha.

I will offer them again someday, maybe not soon though. I'll let you guys know how quickly his tongue heals up, it is very easy to spot the stinger while hand feeding so I will know when it's out.

 

[Jakedn]

The stinger is already out of his tongue.

 

[PetNcs]

Has anyone witnessed their chameleon eat any sort of bee, or any prey insect that would instinctively attempt to sting back?

Just curious if anyone has seen a chameleon eat a bee without any negative effects as despite their stinger, they seem like they could be a plentiful and nutritious wild caught snack if it wasn't dangerous to do.

I know that my veiled chameleon wont take any insect if he does not have a clear shot to the head, and then he will immediately position the bug and kill it with his first bite, so I was wondering if maybe chameleons could eat bugs like these without being stung, as I'm sure there are plenty of bees around in the wild haha.

I'm not looking for people to tell me no they don't THINK it would be okay, I'm looking for someone who has actually witnessed this, or attempted to feed their chameleon any stinging insect.

I would recommend doing a bit research before asking a question like this
Espcieally the two most Commo ly chameleon spexies and many otjers feed. Igorously and predominantly on bees and wasps in the wild.
they get not stung anf if, nothing happens...

 

[Chameleomom]

Whoa this thread is from 2011

 

[PetNcs]

Many people free range adn their chams catch bees.
If you want to feed them to your cham thats fne. however, they are not a staple food, and you need to remove the stingers.
do this by catching it, putting it in freezer for amin, then remove stinger, then you can let your cham have at it.

pardon me...

bees and wasps are stapple food for many chameleon species... but as you correctly say,wherever this happens, thousands little dwarfs and fairies are known ti sit in the vicinity of chameleons, cutting off the stingers and serving them sade way to chameleons, so your advice to remove stingers erfectly simulates the wild practice... LOL

sorry for fun
I guess it would be better just to google for 20seconds. efore taking part in such discussions if you have no clue about the topic

 

[PetNcs]

After he ate a bee that I left the stinger in, I later saw while hand feeding him horn worms that there was a stinger in his tongue. He won't accept anymore bees so he quickly learned not to take those feeders.

He shows no negative effects of having that stinger in his tongue and still readily accepts food. I'll keep an eye on it and see if the stinger gets worked out of his tongue.

In the future if I feed bees, I will remove the stinger as suggested.

it will hardly ne a stinger in the tongue, it if, the. Leaving an injured animal with stinger i. Its tongue is a soluteky unethical and improper! Remove it
And do nit
Let the animal suffer!