cup feeding failure

[jalli]

sooo has anyone else started with about 2 weeks of good cup feeding and then their cham totally loses interest ? Mulan went 3 days without eating until I let about a dozen crix loose for her to hunt down and she just went ham running around hunting them down...

ps currently have 250 bsfl now waiting for flies since she wont touch em in her bowl

 

[jamest0o0]

The only thing my chams will touch out of the cup are their favorite foods, like worms and sometimes orangehead roaches.

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

I cup feed my cham every other day, and when I first got her started on it, it was a long process. When I first got my veiled, I release crix into her cage for her to track down and eat, but I had a hard time keep track of the ones she ate and the ones that escaped the cage. That's when I turned to cup-feeding. At first, it took a long time for her to know what to do with it. I feed her dubias currently, but when I first started cup feeding, I used crickets and then mealworms. She would go through odd cycles, sometimes she would be fine with the cup, and sometimes she would let is sit, full of insects, for multiple days.
I suggest you be persistent. Keep putting her food in the cup, because if she refuses it for too long, her instincts will take over and she will have to eat from the cup. Female veiled chameleons will be constantly trying to eat something because their instincts tell them to eat as much as possible for a healthy clutch, even if they are not eggspecting It may take a while, but if you keep trying, I guarantee you will get some results.
I have also paired the cup feeding with hand-feeding, and she seems to like the hand-feeding even more. I used a paper plate and she gathers up her courage and stalks to the front of her cage and eats the roaches. A part of me thinks that she would never come that close to me if she wasn't a female. She is always looking for another morsel, and the promise of food will get her to do just about anything.
Never underestimate the power of snacks! Good luck, and I hope my experience helped you out a bit.

 

[renzo0684]

I cup feed mine daily. They only get horn worms free range. I start by cup feeding when I first get them so they are use to it.

 

[jalli]

thanks camryn, I'll keep up with the trying lol. guess I need to order sum treats then. I ran out of hornworms. they were definitely helping with her stubborn days I'd come home at lunch drop about 20 or so bsfl into a shallow bowl and head back to work, come home and notta. place 1 hornworm in the bowl and I couldn't get out of the way fast enuff haha

no local stores here carry anything but crix and mealworms, which I don't like to give to any of my reptiles. joshs frogs has been a life saver, but shipping is killing me. haven't taken the leap to silks yet either.

 

[renzo0684]

LINDASGONEBUGGIE has great value packs!

 

[nightanole]

I just use a big tray at the bottom, or a "walk in" cup feeder made out of a 2 gallon carboy.

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

I have seen the 'walk in' cup feeder method before. That would work too. I mean, every chameleon is different so your may never warm up to the cup-feeding method, and that's okay. There are plenty of other feeding techniques that you could use. You can do free roam feeding, hand-feeding, or you could use a cricket cup. A cricket feeder is basically a plastic bottle with a vertical window cut into it. Mesh is glued to the inside and the crickets can't escape the bottle, but the chameleon can get in there and feed without trouble. I will find a picture and post it so you can see.
That feeder doesn't even have to be used with crickets all the time. It is a good alternative if the regular cup feeding method isn't working out as planned.

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

Here are some examples of the feeder from a site sponsor: https://www.fullthrottlefeeders.com/copy-of-gutloads-and-supplies
You can also make your own with a juice jug and some mesh or some other textured/rough material.

 

[jalli]

ohhh that's the cricket feeder is the method I've been using I have a half gallon milk jug cut open with mesh in. she used to walk right up and start eating but lately it's like she doesn't even see them in the jug unless I put it right up beside where she is basking. I seen it on youtube and liked the idea soo crickets wouldn't be all over in the cage.

 

[Bmjo]

sooo has anyone else started with about 2 weeks of good cup feeding and then their cham totally loses interest ? Mulan went 3 days without eating until I let about a dozen crix loose for her to hunt down and she just went ham running around hunting them down...

ps currently have 250 bsfl now waiting for flies since she wont touch em in her bowl

This happened to me too, try putting a cricket between your fingers and put it in front of his mouth and move it back