Cham not eaten in over a week :-(

[luckyy15]

I have a 11 month old male panther Cham who has become really fussy only really eating supers although I offer him a variety of different feeders which are all gutloaded . So a week ago I decided to stop offering him the supers and just offer him other feeders to see if I could get him Interested in other feeders but I've had no luck he hasn't eaten a thing in a week. Should I give him a couple of supers as I'm worried he will start to lose to much weight ?
Thanks

 

[Thompson]

Keep offering other food items. I wouldn't feed him anymore supers, that can cause him to become impacted. Healthy chameleons can go quite some time without food. He'll become hungry sometime and he'll have to eat.

 

[bridgofaith]

I wouldn't feed him anymore supers, that can cause him to become impacted.

Superworms won't cause impaction, that's mealworms. A variety of insects is always good, just be sure to gutload the supers very well. They are very easy to gutload, feed them the same as you would crickets.

 

[Elizadolots]

If it were me, I'd give him a break from any food. 2 days might be enough. Then offer him something that wasn't a superworm.

I honestly would not be unhappy if my chameleon ate superworms 90% of the time...I'm just really afraid of them...but they are good feeders.

 

[luckyy15]

Thank u for your replies I feed him every other day so have still been doing this even though I'm trying the other feeders. How long should I carry on for if he's not eating ?

 

[eisentrauti]

If he is healthy 2-4 weeks shouldn't be a problem. But I bet he will eat every other feeder if you don't give him anything the next week
And please give him in future crickets, dubias and flies as a food basis and not superworms, where only the name is super...

 

[Regnad]

"only the name is super"? Would you please elaborate? Thanks.

 

[eisentrauti]

google what's inside a superworm and look what's inside other feeders, then you will see the difference

 

[luckyy15]

I've always offered him Crickets and locusts which he use to eat as well as supers when offered them but then he stopped eating the crickets etc. I've tried dubias and silkies as well as butterworms but he has just shown no interest at all. Still trying hoping he will get hungry enough soon to eat some crickets locusts etc

 

[jannb]

Are you sure he's healthy? Often when they are sick they will not eat. Have you had him checked for parasites lately?

 

[sandrachameleon]

Supers are not the best feeder choice. They are fine as a part of a varied diet, but try to keep them as less than 25%. Indeed try not to have any one feeder, especially a fatty one like supers, make up more than 25% of the diet.

Do not give in. If he was truly hungry, he would eat any other bug offered. A week is no big deal. You are not starving him, you are giving him the option of crickets etc. He will eat those once he realizes that superworm (candy) is not coming / or he gets hungry. So long as he is drinking and otherwise healthy, dont worry about NOT feeding him supers.

 

[luckyy15]

Thanks for your replies he is drinking well alert and active and not showing any signs of dehydration his eyes are round and not sunken.the fat pads are still protruding too. I haven't had him tested for parasites as he hasn't eaten anything in the last week he hasn't defaecated so haven't got a sample for a faecal test. He was eating up to a week ago but only supers and not any other feeders I was offering that's why I have stopped giving them as want to him to eat a variety and only offering locust crickets dubias and butterworms

 

[Clifford]

hang in there
I had to do this
the chameleon survived easily, but it was hard on ME

he now eats everything he's offered. I take care not to offer many supers or waxworms, or too much of anything else either

 

[luckyy15]

How long did it take for your Cham to start eating other foods ? It will be 2 weeks on Monday since I have stopped offering supers and so far he hasn't eaten anything and not shown any interest in the other feeders I'm offering. I'm trying not to worry but it is hard wish he would just eat some of the others feeders. He still looks healthy and alert so
I surpose I shouldn't worry yet

 

[morpheon]

You should answer to Jannb's question. I think it wouldn't hurt.

 

[luckyy15]

The thing is as he hasn't eaten in over a week so he hasn't defaecated therefore I wouldn't be able to have a faecal sample done or can they do it via blood test ? He is still drinking alert and active and has only stopped eating since I stopped offering the supers.

 

[Elizadolots]

Have you tried to stimulate a poop? Mine will always poop 5 to 10 minutes after I take him out of his cage. I'm sure that's a "put me back!" thing. People report they poop after a good shower or after some extended (supervised) time in the sun.

You might try putting multiple feeders, including the beloved superworms, in his cage at once. Give him a cup with a couple of supers, a couple of crickets (I guess you should tear off a leg....gads, I hate that concept), maybe a roach or a phoenix worm....see what happens.

While those who've posted in this thread are anti-super, I know I've been lectured by very informed people (Brad Ramsey jumps to mind)over my inability to feed supers to my chameleon. I've been told that it is as good if not a better basic feeder than crickets. They take well to gutloading, perhaps better than crickets.

They scare the willies out of me, but if you can handle them and gutload them correctly, then I see no reason to deny your chameleon food longer than you are comfortable doing so.

 

[luckyy15]

Ive always offered him variety like to say giving him say 2 locusts 2 supers and 2 roaches but he would always just eat the supers and leave the other feeders. After reading on here that supers are not a very good feeder and should not be fed as a staple diet more as treats this is why i have stopped giving him the supers 2 weeks tomorrow and just been offering other feeders but he has not eaten anything as of yet. its hard to know if im doing the right thing as there is so much conflicting information regarding supers and obviously i want my cham to eat a variety. surely he wont starve him self for much longer ?

 

[luckyy15]

i just give johnjo a good shower and once i put him back he did a poop yay
it looks normal brown in colour and white urate so at least i know he is not impacted now and bowel movements are ok.

 

[carol5208]

That is good news!! Let him have a super!! Did you see the guy on here about amonth back with the gorgeous healthy sambava that is about 2yrs old? Well it will ONLY it supers and that is all he feeds it for about a year now and it looks great! He basically told everyone to take a chill pill!!! lol!